John Lewis is set to increase the number of staff working on its shop floor, as part of a multi-million-pound investment in store technology.
The department store announced to staff on August 13, 2024, that it is making significant changes to roles and staffing needs to better meet customer demand. However, these changes will result in a proposed reduction of 153 roles, approximately one percent of its workforce.
Realigning Staffing Needs
The retailer aims to manage this reduction through natural attrition and a voluntary redundancy process. The changes include combining front and back-of-house roles into a single position. John Lewis claims the move will offer greater flexibility and allow more staff to support on the shop floor during busy periods.
Investment in Technology
The changes will cost John Lewis £5 million in new digital headsets to help reduce wait times and eliminate the need for staff to track each other down within the store. Customers will be able to call for assistance using call points installed at key areas such as fitting rooms and customer collection points.
A John Lewis spokesperson said:
“We’re seeking to make sure partners are in the right place at the right time to help customers. We’re also removing unnecessary tasks and introducing new technology to make their roles easier.”
New John Lewis boss Peter Ruis reportedly wants to adopt a more “Selfridges-style” approach to customer service. A recent report said Ruis believes shop floor staffing levels have been cut too much and aims to bring the sales culture of John Lewis’ beauty halls to other departments.
Additional Investments
As part of the new changes, John Lewis will spend £1 million on over 600 new mobile printers, allowing store employees to easily replace missing shelf-edge labels. The retailer will also introduce mobile payment options to its 5,000 partner devices, enabling staff to serve customers on the shop floor rather than directing them to the nearest till. This initiative is expected to speed up transactions, reduce queues, and increase sales and conversion rates.
Pilot Program Success
John Lewis has piloted these initiatives in its Horsham, White City, Brent Cross, and Cheltenham branches, reporting a four percent increase in customer satisfaction scores when alternative payment methods were used. The proposed changes follow a similar program introduced in Waitrose last year, which resulted in over 17,400 extra partner hours on Saturdays and Sundays, the busiest times for its stores.
Waitrose Success
Waitrose’s product availability is also at a record high following a range of investments, including the introduction of additional shelving in shops to facilitate replenishment. These improvements demonstrate the positive impact of strategic investments in technology and staffing realignment.
