Redundancy threat for B&Q staff
Published: 25 November 2009
B&Q staff across the UK face possible redundancy, despite the home improvement retailer reporting a 66% jump in first half profits.
It has become apparent that B&Q is making redundancies in a number of its UK stores, including Torquay, St Helens, Bristol and Lincoln.
According to reports, around a dozen members of staff could face redundancy at the Torquay branch. Further reports of staff cuts have emerged, including 14 potential redundancies at a B&Q store in Longwell Green, Bristol, while comments on diyweek.net suggest further job losses at B&Q's St Helens store and a warehouse branch in Lincoln.
Details are unclear as, in a conversation with DIY Week yesterday, B&Q spokesperson Jackie Hoyte denied rumours of job losses at Torquay.
However, a report on local news website thisissouthdevon.co.uk stated that 12 'customer advisors' could face redundancy as "management makes changes to the way the store is staffed".
A B&Q spokeswoman also told the paper that the store is "currently overstaffed for the number of customers it serves" and that the company will do its "utmost to find an alternative role for those affected " by the change but that there "could be a risk of redundancies". She added that the store is currently in a period of consultation and was therefore unable to comment further.
However, when DIY Week contacted B&Q, Ms Hoyte explained that redundancies "were unlikely" and that there was simply a "reshuffle of shifts" taking place at the store in Newton Road.
The move follows the DIY giant's first half results in September, which reported sales of £2.2bn and a profit jump of 66% in the 26 weeks to August 1.
In a DIY Week feature about staff retention earlier this month, B&Q human resources manager Liz Bell said: "In a tough year we want to be investing in our people." She was also quoted as saying, "it will be about retention rather than recruitment."