The State Of Engagement #14: Matt Eyre, Co-Op

The State of Engagement:
Matt Eyre, Employer Branding & Colleague Value Proposition Lead
Co-Op

Co-op is one of the one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives. They’re owned by more than 7 million members across the UK, and since 1844 they’ve existed to do right by their members and communities. Today, Co-op employs over 54,000 people, and as colleague members each of them owns a share of the business.

Matt Eyre lead the development, activation, and maintenance of Co-op’s colleague value proposition. He has been with the Co-op for 15 years. He says “Co-op is by no means perfect, but it is a place that always seeks to do right by people. Whether that’s customers, clients members or colleagues. It’s not always easy, but after 15 years there’s still nowhere I’d rather be”

This time on TSOE we find out why.

What gives businesses the edge in attracting and retaining talent?

For Matt, engagement at Co-op comes back to one central idea: purpose.

Across a business with more than 54,000 colleagues working in everything from food stores and logistics to funeral care and legal services, engagement could easily fragment. Different

environments naturally create micro-cultures. What binds those teams together is the organisation’s shared identity as a co-operative.

Matt explains that being part of an organisation with a purpose beyond simply making money matters to many colleagues. It may not be the driving force for every single employee, but for large parts of the workforce it provides a strong sense of meaning in the work they do.

That purpose becomes a “golden thread” in how the organisation thinks about engagement.

Whether someone works in a distribution depot, a retail store or the support centre in Manchester, there is a shared understanding that the organisation exists to serve members and communities. That wider mission provides a common point of connection across very different roles and working environments.

The Guardian had a similar theme on Purpose, when I spoke with their Recruitment Lead, Karen Walter.

In your experience, what are employees looking for now?

Again, Matt points back to the co-operative identity.

Co-op has been operating for more than 180 years and its structure means the organisation is owned by its members rather than shareholders. That model, combined with the focus on community impact, creates a distinctive story in the talent market.

“Our identity as a co-operative and the fact we have a purpose beyond profit is a big part of what attracts people,” he explains.

The organisation’s work within communities across the UK also plays a role. From supporting local causes to running academy schools in the north of England, Co-op actively reinvests into the communities it serves.

As Matt puts it, “most organisations talk about values and purpose, but Co-op’s structure and history mean it’s embedded in how our business actually operates.”

How does EVP work at Co-op?

EVP, or Employee Value Proposition, is the balance of what people give and what they get back. I like to break it down into seven pillars:

Brand & Purpose, Culture, Environment, Monetary, Prospects, Relationships, and Wellbeing.

But Co-op do things differently.

Their EVP is built around three simple ideas:

a place with purpose,

a place you belong

a place you can thrive.

But while purpose is a key factor in attracting talent and a connector for colleagues across all working environments, another key factor for engagement and retention at Co-op is growth.

When researching and designing the EVP, Matt engaged hundreds of colleagues across the UK – many with even longer tenures than him. Almost all had achieved growth of some kind during their time with the business – that might be by progressing or diversifying their career. Or it might be they’ve become a governor at a Co-op academy in their local community, or been supported to do an apprenticeship, or become a union rep or a colleague voice rep. There are many different ways to grow at Co-op, both personally and professionally.

What do you see are the biggest people challenges businesses are facing right now?

One of the realities of an organisation as large and diverse as Co-op is maintaining a sense of connection across very different working environments.

With thousands of colleagues spread across stores, depots, offices and specialist services, engagement cannot be approached in exactly the same way everywhere.

Matt describes how different teams within the business focus on engagement activity tailored to their part of the organisation. At the same time, the EVP acts as a unifying framework.

The goal is to ensure colleagues feel part of one Co-op, even though their day-to-day experiences may look very different.

Summary

At Co-op, purpose is a structural reality rooted in the organisation’s ownership model and long history of community involvement.

That purpose influences how the organisation attracts talent, how colleagues experience their work and how engagement is approached across a workforce of more than 54,000 people.