Case study: KFC serves up tasty opportunities for staff

In the past year, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has expanded its career development programmes, while translating elements of its head office working environment into its 800 UK restaurants.

Its advanced apprenticeship programme, piloted in the London region in 2010 and now being rolled out across the UK, offers KFC’s 9,800 staff the opportunity to complete management training with maths and English courses equivalent to A-level qualifications.†

Sarah Beach, reward manager at KFC, says: “It is a very structured training programme from team member right through to restaurant manager and above. It gives staff the qualifications that mean they can go anywhere but also motivates them to stay and develop a career with KFC.”

Above store level, KFC’s 250 head office staff are offered a structured training programme called Building People Capability, which includes a finance college, an HR college and an operations college. It also provides access to external courses through KFC’s Yum! University, which is part of its global brand.

KFC also regards the working environment as part of its total reward. At its head office there is an on-site gym, a daily breakfast station, fresh fruit on offer, and a monthly social event for all staff.

The restaurant chain’s partnership with the World Food Programme enables staff to connect with its corporate social responsibility agenda. Beach says: “Everybody works in their individual teams and functions, and there is a great focus on getting us all together. It makes everybody feel they are part of something bigger.”

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