John Lewis to make 325 department managers redundant
John Lewis has announced that it is to make 325 department managers redundant from its stores despite seeing strong sales growth.
The department store said that the job cuts would involve managers who oversee sections in-store such as furnishings, womenswear, and beauty. Ten managers within 28 of John Lewis’s 40 stores will be made redundant and replaced with one or two more senior managers.
The cuts are understood to be designed to save costs and are also thought to be a result of John Lewis generating more of its sales online.
The department store said it had begun a consultation process regarding the changes with the affected managers although it is hoped that some will be offered roles elsewhere in the business.
Never Miss a Retail Update!In a statement John Lewis said: “As part of our plans for future growth, we are proposing to streamline management structures in some of our established shops.
“There will be opportunities for redeployment in new roles created as part of this process or in new shops due to open over the next 18 months.”
The news has surprised many in light of the fact that John Lewis has reported strong sales in recent months. In the five weeks to 29 December, the department store saw a 14.8% uplift in trade compared to the same period in 2011, as sales reached £684.8 million and like-for-like sales rose 13%.
