B&Q has announced it will invest more than £10m in its staff at a time when most of its rivals are announcing job cuts.
The company is distributing £9m of Kingfisher shares amongst more than 300 store managers in a move that is intended to incentivise excellence.

The scheme, called 'Let's Share It', rewards managers who meet the required store standards with the shares, worth approximately six month's salary. The shares vest over the next three years as long as standards are maintained meaning managers could get up to £25k if they comply for the next 36 months.

More than 300 of the brands 331 stores have already qualified for the scheme.

B&Q will also invest a further £1m in improving staff skills through three qualifications. This year the company expects more than 15,000 B&Q employees to achieve a City & Guilds accredited qualification, more than 10,000 will achieve the NVQ Retail Skills level 2, 5,000 will complete a home improvement knowledge qualification and 200 will complete a retail apprenticeship programme.

The qualifications are open to all non-management employees, of all ages - including the apprenticeship scheme, which has no age limit.