The Warehouse Way - A Team Member's Handbook - Our Business Standards

The Warehouse Way - A Team Member's Handbook (Our Business Standards)




Applies to: all TWL team

Our Business Standards

Honesty & integrity

We are committed to the highest standards of integrity and honesty – we will conduct ourselves with strong business ethics. This means we will trust each other, and our customers, suppliers and communities will trust us.

Without discrimination

We want to provide a work environment in which you feel valued, treated fairly and recognised for your positive contributions. We want you come to work wanting to produce the best results. We value different skills, ability and experiences and we want to ensure opportunities are offered to Team Members on the basis of relevant merit.

Diversity

From the very beginning of The Warehouse (over 30 years ago), our team at The Warehouse have been considered critical to the success and the future of the business. Over 30 years ago, Sir Stephen Tindall instilled a team focused culture where people matter. This lives on today, continuing to set us apart from our competitors. We employ over 5,900 team members right across New Zealand representing the diverse make up of New Zealand’s population. For us, it is about inclusion and providing equal employment opportunities to anyone and everyone who is passionate about what we do for our Customers.

This passion is what enables us to focus on providing the best Retail Career for all of our team members and a commitment to attract, retain and grow the best talent for our business. We strongly believe in inclusion for everyone and this is seamless and central part of our Way of Working. Our team are customer led and people centred, and as an organisation we strive for an inclusive, flexible, open-minded, healthy and safe environment where each team member can really concentrate on being the best they can be


Confidentiality

Our business is very competitive and our success can be undermined by a stray comment or overheard conversation. You may be asked by competitors, media, suppliers or even friends to reveal company information like financial reports, advertising and promotional schedules, and future direction but you must not do so.

You must also not disclose any personal information about any team members, except with that Team Member’s express permission or as authorised by law. No personal information must be collected or kept about individuals (team members and customers included) unless there is a business need.

A note about your Personnel File

Your personnel file is securely kept. Unless we have your permission, we will not share your information with anyone else other than management or as allowed for under the Privacy Act (eg. to the Police, Inland Revenue Department and Income Support Services). To see your file, please make a request in writing to your Manager. If you believe information is missing or incorrect, please give us the corrections in writing and it will be attached to your file.

Online guidelines

We recognise the importance of social media as a means of contact and communication but there are a few ground rules that you need to be aware of that can impact on your work.

Social Media

We ask that any online communication (such as on Facebook, YouTube, etc) that is directly or indirectly about TWL is in line with our policies such as Social Media and Code of Ethics. We expect that online posts (at work or otherwise) will not contain derogatory comments about TWL, our customers or other Team Members. Any personal information about other Team Members must not be released without their written consent. Any confidential information regarding the company is not to be released. Failure to meet these expectations may result in disciplinary action. If you are unsure, please check with your Manager or People Support.

Refer to our Social Media Policy or check with your Manager

Open communications

Our business succeeds and our working relationships work best when we have open communication and you can speak freely about your ideas, plans, concerns and aspirations. Let us know of anything that would make our business better, a better place to work, or will ensure a fair and open workplace for you.

Code of Ethics

As a representative of The Warehouse, you are responsible for conducting our business affairs with the highest personal integrity. In every sale, business transaction, and for Store Managers and SSO roles in negotiations, you must respect the rights of other team members, customers, suppliers, and competitors. You must avoid any conduct or activities that may raise questions or give a wrong impression as to our honesty, integrity, impartiality, or reputation. If you are concerned about or suspect a breach of our code of ethics then please talk promptly with your Manager, Business Partner or RSLT Member.

Conflict of Interest

To ensure you and The Warehouse are not placed in a compromising position by your knowledge of our business and your relationships, you must declare any existing and eventuating business association that could be considered to be in conflict with our business. Let your Manager know if, during your employment, you or a member of your immediate family owns or operates a business or works in a business which is associated with, supplied by, or in competition with our business. If you are unsure if a conflict of interest may exist, please discuss this with your Manager.
In addition you must not:

  • use our facilities, consumables, time, or team members for private work without approval from your Manager
  • claim to represent us or have our endorsement when acting privately
  • direct business that we can perform to another provider, especially one you may have an interest in, without approval from your Manager
  • engage in other employment or participate in another business if it may distract you from your expected work performance or be in conflict with us
Be mindful of any other commitments you have outside of work to ensure that your work performance is not negatively affected.

Disclosure of Criminal Charges

A criminal charge or conviction may affect your work. You must notify your Manager or People Support within 72 hours of any conviction or charge:

  • for an offence that occurred during working hours or during a company-related function, or at company-provided accommodation, or in circumstances where you are identified as working for us
  • for an offence which prevents you from attending work or carrying out any of your normal duties, causes us to lose trust and confidence in you, or which brings you or The Warehouse into disrepute

Your disclosure will be in confidence and a decision will be made, in consultation with you, if any further action will be taken. If you are unsure about whether you are required to inform us, please contact Ask People Support for advice.

A note about Family Members at Work

We love that families love The Warehouse so much that several members may want to work here. However, we do not allow family members to work together in a reporting relationship or where there is risk of collusion between them. Please let your Manager know if you have an existing family/personal relationship with another Team Member.

A note about Public Affairs, News Media Contacts

We are all proud of The Warehouse but if a reporter should contact you and ask anything about the Company, it is important you do not answer any questions. Instead you must direct the reporter to your Store/ Department Manager. You are not authorised to speak to the news media about The Warehouse without prior approval from the Chief Executive Officer.

Zero tolerance on harassment

We are committed to providing a work environment that is pleasant for you to work in and which is free from violence, harassment or bullying and which supports our cultural values and core purpose.

All team members are expected to refrain from any behaviour which may be seen as workplace violence, harassment or bullying during the course of their employment with us. We will not tolerate any form of violence, harassment or bullying and such behaviour may result in dismissal.

This relates to behaviours that occur in the workplace affecting Team Members and non-Team Members (including customers, contractors, and visitors to the workplace) or in other related environments such as a conference, a business trip, a function or team Christmas party.

Responsibility of Team Members

You should:
  • Ensure that you do not engage in or encourage others to engage in violence, harassing or bullying towards other Team Members or non-Team Members;
  • Report any incidents of workplace violence, harassment or bullying you experience immediately to your Manager or People Support Business Manager;
  • Report any observations of other Team Members engaging in violence, harassment or bullying immediately to your Manager or Ask People Support.

Refer to our Team Member Guide to Workplace Violence, Harassment and Bullying

Loss Prevention

One area of the business that all Team Members can help is in the prevention of stock loss (also called shrinkage). This can happen due to shoplifting, Team Member theft, incorrect pricing, ordering or receipting of goods, and damage to stock. Stock losses are bad as they are a financial loss to our business. We regularly conduct stock counts to check on this. Preventing stockloss is the responsibility of everyone.

Loss prevention is critically important in a retail operation. For your security and ours, you must follow security procedures which include:
  • Entering and exiting through designated Team Member doors or Store front doors.
  • Not carrying/storing personal effects or money on store shop floors.
  • Consenting to Team Member bag inspections and locker checks which are conducted as considered necessary, in your presence and in the presence of another person you may wish to nominate. This process involves you opening your bag or locker for a visual check. It is not a search. The person conducting the inspection will not touch your bag or locker or its contents but may ask you to remove items to show other items concealed within. You can decline any inspection by the opposite gender in which case your Manager will arrange another person of your gender to inspect instead.
  • Understanding that our locations have cameras to observe areas for use by Loss Prevention personnel and Police if required. This is to deter potential thieves and provide information during investigations.
  • Never serving yourself or your family or friends through any Point of Sale

Damaged Stock/Lost Property/Samples & Testers/Magazines & Newspapers

  • Faulty / Damaged Goods – Every effort must be made to reclaim as much value as possible when disposing of faulty or damaged products. Any spilt / damaged food stuffs (i.e. confectionery / chips/ packs of drinks, etc), are not permitted to be consumed by any team members. These must be written off as per the correct process.
  • Mark Downs – Only designated team members can mark down items. If you or someone that you know (i.e. friends/family) would like to purchase an item that has been or could be marked down, you must get authorisation from the most senior manager in store. All marked down product must be sold through the POS using the item’s original barcode (and the price overridden). All marked down product must be paid for before leaving the building, and all money must be processed through the POS so a receipt can be issued.
  • Write Offs –Where there is no monetary value from an item, it must be written off out of the database and disposed of in the skip / landfill bin. Products that are disposed of in this way, must not be removed from the skip / landfill bin.
  • Expired Goods – These must be written off on the system by a manager, and then the packaging opened and the goods destroyed. They can’t be written off and then consumed by team or even be given to team to take away to feed to pigs!
  • Shop Use – Any product needed to run our stores and perform our roles must be authorised for removal from the shopfloor by a member of the management team and written off. Any items written off as part of this process are not to be removed from the building.
  • Lost Property – If you find any lost property in the store it must be handed to a member of the management team, and recorded in the ‘Lost & Found Register’. All cash, wallets and items of value must be stored in the cash office. Unclaimed lost property must not be removed from the store without following the correct procedures. We can’t transfer the ownership of any goods found, including the return of the item to a finder.
  • Samples (i.e. gaming discs/moisturisers, etc from magazines) – Use of these must be authorised by either the Store Manager or Assistant Store Manager. If these two people are not available, then the decision needs to wait until they are available.
  • Testers (i.e. perfume, deodorant) – testers are for customer use only.
  • Magazines/Newspapers – may be put into the team room once the return/credit action has been completed. They cannot be taken out of the building unless the Store Manager / Assistant Store Manager has authorised for these to be donated to a local school, community group, hospital, etc.

Confidential 0800 Number for Team Members

Because stock losses could affect our job security and income, you are strongly encouraged to report any suspicions to us. If you suspect that another team member is stealing, or you have any other loss prevention concerns that cannot be discussed with your immediate manager, please call the toll free number below.

Your call will remain anonymous
0800 823 004

This number can be called seven days per week between the hours of 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm. Your call will be kept strictly confidential.

REMEMBER – LOSS PREVENTION IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY

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