01 Sep M &S to cut 7,000 UK jobs

Marks & Spencer is the latest company to announce plans to cut jobs after changes in shopping and working habits during lockdown. The company announced 7,000 jobs are to be cut following a “material shift” in trade.

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Job Losses

Over the next three months, the multinational retailer is planning to reduce the number of jobs within UK stores, the regional management office and the central support centre.

M&S reported that during the lockdown the company had been working with more flexibility, as staff members covered both clothing sections and food aisles. The company will also be utilising new Microsoft technology to reduce layers of management.

The retailing giant expects a significant proportion of the losses to be made through early retirement and voluntary departures and emphasised their longstanding value of treating employees well, stressing that they will begin a programme of communication with employees.

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Changes during lockdown

There are also plans to create new jobs within the company as they invest more in their online capacity.

M&S is one of many companies to see irreversible changes following the Coronavirus pandemic. Numerous businesses have gone into administration during the crisis due to changes in shopping habits and many more companies have been forced to adapt to the situation with staff working from home. Figures from the ONS show that home working has become a way of life for around half of all British workers. Although the ONS study showed that 5% of workers returned from furlough between 18th May and 14th June, with industries such as the building sector seeing higher rates of return due to the impossibility to work from home. Other industries have seen the benefits of staff working from home and many companies such as Google, have extended their work from home option until 2021.

Homeworking

Home working brought more changes in shopping habits as over seven million people purchased new office equipment for their home during lockdown. A draughtsman chair, such as https://www.bestbuy-officechairs.co.uk/office-chairs/draughtsman-chairs/, a suitable desks, extra monitors, etc. have been purchased to allow staff to work more comfortably and effectively from their own homes.

Time will tell how companies will fare but there is no doubt that to survive and succeed in the current climate, businesses will need to continue to adapt.