Case Study: Recruitment and Selection at Tesco

In today’s dynamic business environment, the ability to attract, develop, and retain a skilled workforce is essential for organisational success. Recruitment and selection are two critical functions of human resource management (HRM) that ensure organisations have the right people in the right roles to achieve strategic objectives (Armstrong & Taylor, 2020). This case study evaluates the recruitment and selection process at Tesco, the United Kingdom’s largest private-sector employer, with over 360,000 employees globally. By examining Tesco’s workforce planning, talent management, and selection techniques, the study demonstrates how HRM practices support the company’s competitive advantage and sustainable growth.

Workforce Planning at Tesco

Workforce planning refers to the systematic process of identifying an organisation’s current and future staffing requirements to meet business objectives (Marchington et al., 2020). For a retailer of Tesco’s scale, effective workforce planning is vital to maintain customer service standards while ensuring operational efficiency.

Tesco undertakes annual workforce planning cycles, supplemented with quarterly reviews, to adjust recruitment strategies according to business expansion, turnover, and technological changes. For instance, in 2008/09, the company projected a requirement for 4,000 new managers to support international growth. This proactive approach ensures that Tesco balances internal promotions with external hires.

Furthermore, Tesco emphasises talent planning, encouraging employees to progress through the organisation by identifying career aspirations during annual appraisals. This aligns with succession planning, where high-potential employees are developed for future leadership roles (Collings et al., 2019). By combining internal promotion with external recruitment, Tesco reduces recruitment costs, boosts employee morale, and ensures knowledge retention.

Recruitment Strategy

Recruitment is the process of generating a pool of suitable candidates to fill organisational vacancies (Bratton & Gold, 2017). Tesco adopts a multi-channel recruitment strategy, incorporating both internal and external methods:

• Internal recruitment: Positions are first advertised through the company’s Talent Plan and intranet. Employees seeking promotion or lateral moves are given priority, thereby increasing retention and reducing costs.
• External recruitment: For specialist roles (e.g., pharmacists, bakers) or where no suitable internal candidates exist, Tesco advertises vacancies through its careers website, Jobcentre Plus, online job boards, and traditional media. Tesco also leverages digital platforms, such as Google Ads and targeted online recruitment campaigns, to attract younger applicants.

This blended approach reflects the best fit model of HRM, where recruitment strategies are tailored to organisational context (Boxall & Purcell, 2016).

One strength of Tesco’s recruitment strategy lies in its emphasis on cost-effectiveness. While television and print advertising are more expensive, they are selectively used for hard-to-fill roles. However, reliance on digital platforms may inadvertently exclude applicants with limited digital literacy, highlighting a potential weakness in accessibility.

Job Descriptions and Person Specifications

A cornerstone of Tesco’s recruitment process is the use of job descriptions and person specifications, which together provide clarity to applicants and selectors.

• A job description outlines the responsibilities, reporting lines, and duties associated with a role.
• A person specification identifies the skills, qualifications, and personal attributes required for success (Torrington et al., 2020).

Tesco integrates these into combined documents, ensuring transparency and consistency. This not only aids candidates in self-assessment but also helps managers maintain objective selection criteria. Such structured documentation mitigates the risk of bias and supports compliance with employment legislation such as the Equality Act 2010 (CIPD, 2023).

Selection at Tesco

Selection refers to the process of choosing the most suitable candidate from those recruited (Foot & Hook, 2016). Tesco’s selection process is multi-staged and rigorous, designed to ensure alignment between candidate competencies and organisational needs:

1. Screening of CVs: Applications are assessed against person specifications. Tesco also offers a job type match tool on its careers website, which allows candidates to identify suitable positions before applying.
2. Assessment Centres: Candidates participate in group exercises, problem-solving tasks, and role-playing scenarios to test competencies in teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. Assessment centres are particularly effective as they simulate real workplace challenges and reduce reliance on interviews alone (Cook, 2016).
3. Interviews: Final interviews, typically conducted by line managers, assess cultural fit and motivation. The involvement of line managers ensures operational needs are met, supporting the best practice model of HRM.

The combination of interviews and assessment centres enhances the validity and reliability of Tesco’s selection process. Research supports this multi-method approach, noting that assessment centres provide stronger predictive validity of job performance compared to interviews alone (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998).

Skills and Behaviours Framework

Tesco has developed a seven-part competency framework that outlines the key skills and behaviours required at each of its six organisational work levels.

• Work Level 1: Frontline customer-facing roles requiring enthusiasm, accuracy, and teamwork.
• Work Level 2–3: Supervisory and managerial positions requiring resource management, target setting, and operational leadership.
• Work Levels 4–6: Strategic leadership roles demanding analytical skills, decision-making, and vision-building.

This structured approach reflects the principles of competency-based HRM, ensuring alignment between individual capabilities and organisational objectives (Boyatzis, 2008). It also supports training and development initiatives, enabling Tesco to close skills gaps effectively.

Evaluation of Tesco’s Approach

Tesco’s recruitment and selection processes illustrate the integration of HRM into corporate strategy. Key strengths include:

• Alignment with strategy: Workforce planning supports Tesco’s international expansion.
• Internal progression: Talent planning fosters employee loyalty and reduces external hiring costs.
• Objective selection: Assessment centres and competency frameworks reduce subjectivity.
• Employer branding: Clear recruitment channels and simple online applications enhance Tesco’s image as an attractive employer.

However, challenges remain:

• Over-reliance on digital recruitment could exclude candidates lacking online access.
• The cost of running assessment centres is significant, particularly for high-volume roles.
• Competitive labour markets may reduce Tesco’s ability to attract talent for specialist positions.

Tesco’s recruitment and selection system demonstrates how strategic HRM supports organisational objectives by ensuring the right people are employed in the right roles. By combining workforce planning, internal talent development, and multi-stage selection processes, Tesco maintains a strong labour force capable of meeting both operational and strategic challenges.

The company’s approach reflects broader HRM theories, including the resource-based view (RBV), which emphasises the role of human capital as a source of competitive advantage (Barney, 1991). Through effective HR practices, Tesco not only secures its position as a market leader in UK retail but also builds resilience for future global expansion.

References

Armstrong, M. & Taylor, S. (2020) Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 15th ed. London: Kogan Page.

Barney, J. (1991) ‘Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage’, Journal of Management, 17(1), pp. 99–120.

Boxall, P. & Purcell, J. (2016) Strategy and Human Resource Management. 4th ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Boyatzis, R. (2008) Competencies in the 21st Century. Journal of Management Development, 27(1), pp. 5–12.

Bratton, J. & Gold, J. (2017) Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice. 6^th ed. London: Palgrave.

CIPD (2023) Employment Law Factsheet. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Available at: https://www.cipd.org [Accessed 18 August 2025].

Collings, D.G., Wood, G. & Szamosi, L. (2019) Human Resource Management: A Critical Approach. 2nd ed. London: Routledge.

Cook, M. (2016) Personnel Selection: Adding Value through People. 6^th ed. Chichester: Wiley.

Foot, M. & Hook, C. (2016) Introducing Human Resource Management. 7^th ed. Harlow: Pearson.

Marchington, M., Wilkinson, A., Donnelly, R. & Kynighou, A. (2020) Human Resource Management at Work. 7^th ed. London: Kogan Page.

Schmidt, F.L. & Hunter, J.E. (1998) ‘The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology’, Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), pp. 262–274.

Torrington, D., Hall, L., Taylor, S. & Atkinson, C. (2020) Human Resource Management. 11th ed. Harlow: Pearson.

Tesco (2008) ‘Recruitment and Selection at Tesco’. The Times 100 Case Studies. Available at: https://www.thetimes100.co.uk [Accessed 18 August 2025].