Asda consults with 4,100 managers over major restructuring
Asda is in discussions with 4,100 store managers as part of a major restructuring which will see department manager roles being scrapped in some stores and more positions created for section leaders.
Since Asda outlined its five year strategy in November 2013, the supermarket has been working with stores to look at ways of getting more staff on to the shop floor and freeing up time for growth areas such as home shopping and e-commerce.
The supermarket said a number of options have been tested live in 20 ‘Hot House’ stores over the last six months, which has resulted in a proposed new structure for stores that removes some existing department manager roles and creates new deputy manager, trading manager and section manager roles. In addition a number of section leader positions will be created to increase the number of staff on the shop floor.
The proposals, which are subject to consultation, involve around 4,100 managers across Asda’s stores and will create up to 5,000 roles. Asda said the plans will create a net benefit of around 900 new roles.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Asda chief operations officer Mark Ibbotson said the new structure would be a more accurate reflection of the roles that staff were now being asked to do.
He added: “The only constant in retail is change – and whilst people will always be at the heart of our business, the jobs we were asking our colleagues to do five years ago – when we just operated shops and had a small home shopping business – are not the jobs they are actually doing today, and not the jobs we need to empower them to do over the next five years if we are to continue to grow and deliver our strategy for growth.”
Asda also reported that like-for-like sales edged up 0.1% excluding petrol in the 15 weeks to 20 April 2014.
Chief executive Andy Clarke said the supermarket’s strategy was “paying dividends”.
“We are in the first few months of a five-year journey, but I am confident that we are on the right path – and the numbers we are reporting today, as well as recent Kantar and Nielson data – show that we are moving in the right direction and already making gains,” he added.
