Flexible Working
This coverage examines flexible working practices and policies within the UK retail sector, focusing on their impact on operations, workforce management, and employee engagement. Reporting highlights employer initiatives, regulatory changes, productivity considerations, and challenges in implementing flexibility at scale. Retail executives, HR managers, and operations leaders can use these insights to shape strategies that balance business needs with workforce expectations.
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Mar- 2020 -25 MarchAdvice
Keeping shop workers safe through Covid-19
This week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised workers across the UK to work from home if possible. But for thousands of workers, this simply isn’t an option – there are a large number of jobs that can’t be done sitting at the dining room table. The retail sector is a…
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Jan- 2020 -23 JanuaryHigh Street
57,000 retail jobs lost in 2019
Some 57,000 retail jobs were shed in 2019, according to the latest retail employment monitor from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). In the fourth quarter of 2019, there was a 1.8% year-on-year decline in full-time retail employees, which equates to the loss of 57,000 jobs since the same period in…
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Dec- 2019 -13 DecemberBusiness Bites
The election is over – time for the Tories to deliver for small businesses
It now looks as though political stasis and all the damage that does to business will be lifted in 2020. Boris Johnson’s victory in the election is the Tories’ strongest since the Thatcher era, and gives him great scope to implement bold policies. At this juncture it’s worth taking a…
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Nov- 2019 -25 NovemberShopping Centres
Intu sells Sprucefield Retail Park in £40m deal to NewRiver
Shopping centre owner Intu has announced the sale of its Sprucefield Retail Park to real estate investment trust NewRiver in a £40m deal. The retail park is located in Lisburn, Northern Ireland and comprises of 231,000 sq ft of retail space in five units, and features stores such as Sainsbury’s…
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Jul- 2019 -31 JulyShopping Centres
Intu reports 7% drop in rental income amid ‘challenging’ first half
Shopping centre owner Intu has reported a 7.7% decrease in net rental income during a “challenging” first half of the year and said it expects a similar result for the rest of 2019. During the first six months of the year ending 30 June its rental income fell to £205.2m…
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Apr- 2019 -4 AprilAnalysis
Securing the future of the UK high street
UK High Streets have reached a ‘tipping point’. That was the view of a recently published parliamentary inquiry report on UK high streets. The shift to online sales (now accounting for 20% of all retail sales); the upward revaluation of business rates, previous planning policies; and local authority financing constraints…
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2 AprilHR
O2 increases paternity pay leave package to 14 weeks
Mobile network and phone retailer O2 has announced it will increase its paid paternity leave to 14 weeks for all permanent employees, effective from 1 April 2019. The new policy, which moves away from traditional two-week paternity policies, has been introduced to ensure all partners have the support and flexibility…
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Mar- 2019 -4 MarchAnalysis
Evolving employment laws – the future of workers’ rights
Since 2010, the UK has experienced lower unemployment rates across every region, underpinned by a strong and innovative labour market that has seized on the opportunities offered by new technologies, emerging business models and changing ways of working. Wages are currently growing at their fastest pace in almost a decade,…
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Feb- 2019 -28 FebruaryHealth & Beauty
Boots reveals plans to cut 350 head office jobs
Health and beauty retailer Boots has announced it is looking to cut 350 jobs from its Nottinghamshire headquarters as part of a restructuring plan. Approximately 2,500 staff are employed at the office and the company said it was looking to reduce its costs by 20%. A 45 day consultation process…
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19 FebruaryAdvice
Evolving employment laws – a stronger future for workers’ rights
Since 2010, the UK has experienced lower unemployment rates across every region, underpinned by a strong and innovative labour market that has seized on the opportunities offered by new technologies, emerging business models and changing ways of working. Existing employment law and policy framework has found a balance between flexibility…
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