As global expansion accelerates, companies are increasingly challenged to find and to retain the best people around the globe. Retail giant Carrefour needed help in recruiting, training, and retaining personnel as it opened new stores across China. With new procedures designed by Hewitt Associates, Carrefour is moving steadily toward its goal of aggressive growth in China while saving time and money through lower turnover.

We listen.

Carrefour is one of the five largest "hypermarket" chains in the world, with 322 stores in more than 20 countries. After the success of its first three stores in China, Carrefour pursued aggressive growth in the country, opening new stores as quickly as possible. With eight new store openings scheduled in one year, the company had neither the time nor the personnel to establish human resources procedures for new stores. As a result, recruitment was not very efficient, employee turnover for some new stores was unacceptably high, and managers reported enormous frustration during new store openings. Carrefour asked Hewitt to research hiring practices for new store openings and determine the business cost of turnover.

We learn.

Hewitt began by interviewing the people who did the hiring and by collecting data for a cost-of-turnover analysis. Due to the rapid pace of expansion, no procedures for new store recruitment had been put in place. Some managers reported interviewing thousands of people because candidates were not initially screened. In addition, many of the new recruits worked only a few days then quit. We determined that Carrefour could save time and money while reducing turnover with better identification, screening, recruitment, preparation, and training of new personnel.

We work together to develop innovative solutions.

Carrefour's management asked Hewitt to help develop a recruitment process, interview guide, and training session for recruiters with a goal of reducing the time managers spent on interviews and improving the quality of job candidates. Together with a client team, we defined a hiring procedure as well as key hiring attributes for cashiers, salesclerks, security personnel, and department heads. From these attributes, we developed an interview guide containing questions and target answers. Once the hiring process and interview guide were established, we developed a one-day training session to teach interviewers the process as well as the hiring attributes.

We measure results.

Today, Carrefour's store managers report increased efficiency and less frustrating new store openings. The new recruiting processes have improved the stores' image in the marketplace. Higher-quality candidates are being selected for interviewing, and the hire rate has increased as a result. In addition, the managers say that the new, streamlined processes enable them to focus on their other responsibilities while still meeting hiring goals.