B&Q slash 200 management roles to ‘boost shop floor staff numbers’

DIY retailer B&Q has announced proposals to “improve customers’ shopping experience” in stores by moving 1,750 colleagues to shop floor roles.

The move will increase the number of customer-facing colleagues in B&Q’s 289 UK stores, but will slash around 200 management roles, with the proposal aiming to move replenishment activities from overnight to daytime to improve stock availability and customer service throughout the day.

Colleagues currently working overnight in non-trading hours will be offered the opportunity to work a new shift pattern so the retailer has “more customer-facing colleagues in their stores”.

Paul Crisp, operations director, said: “The overall impact of the proposals will be to improve our customers’ shopping experience in our stores. The changes in replenishment would mean an additional 1,750 customer-facing colleagues on our shop floors, improving stock availability and customer service throughout the day.

“To do this, we are offering colleagues in overnight replenishment roles the opportunity to take a new day-time replenishment role instead, though we recognise that not all of them may want to take up these new positions. In addition, we are creating greater consistency in the way we operate our stores, removing duplication of tasks and improving efficiency.”

He added: “We are continuing to collectively consult with our employee’s representative body – the National People’s Forum, and are now consulting with our impacted colleagues.”