B&Q makes 100 head office redundancies

It has been reported by Retail Week that B&Q has made a further round of redundancies as it seeks simplify the business to transform itself into an omnichannel retailer.

The UK’s largest DIY retailer has made about 100 redundancies at its head office. It is thought the retailer employed about 1,200 people at the office in Eastleigh, Hampshire.

B&Q declined to give details on which departments had been hit hardest, but Retail Week understands that the showroom trading team has been particularly affected. However, B&Q said it had created new roles in departments including logistics and omnichannel to reflect how retail is evolving.

The redundancies form part of B&Q boss Kevin O’Byrne’s ongoing plan to restructure the business. O’Byrne assumed direct responsibility for the UK & Ireland in October when he replaced chief executive Martyn Phillips. O’Byrne was already overseeing the B&Q brand in the UK and in China, as well as the Koçtaş brand in Turkey.

A B&Q spokeswoman said: “To meet the needs of our business, our employee levels continually fluctuate as new roles are added and others are removed.”

She said that since October B&Q has been simplifying its business structure.

The job cuts follow a round of redundancies in October 2012, when 220 head office staff left the business. B&Q also made 180 staff redundant across its shops in August 2013.

Source : Nicola Harrison - Retail Week
www.retail-week.com