John Lewis Partnership to trim staff committee amid turnaround efforts
John Lewis Partnership is set to slim down its most senior staff committee as it ramps up its turnaround efforts.
John Lewis Partnership is set to slim down its most senior staff committee as it ramps up its turnaround efforts.
The retail giant, which also owns Waitrose, will downsize its partnership council by a quarter this autumn, reducing the number of members from 57 to 43, The Telegraph reported.
The committee forms a crucial part to the partnership’s democratic structure and staff that are elected to the council can have an input in how the business is run. In extreme cases, it has the power to dismiss the chair.
John Lewis is said to have informed staff that it has chosen to make changes to the current structure as it “relies too heavily on hierarchy and escalation”.
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The retailer is said to be bringing back its local forums where employees across its department stores and Waitrose supermarkets can put forward their views.
The move comes as John Lewis is looking to improve its productivity and speed up decision making under its turnaround plan.
The retailer, which is halfway through its turnaround, reported its profits had tripled to £126m in the year to January 25 as sales rose 3% to £12.8bn.
John Lewis Partnership chair Jason Tarry said at the time the business had made “good progress” but that there was “much more still to do”.
“This will involve considerable catch-up investment in our stores and supply chain, underpinned by a strong focus on the core elements of great retail, delivered by our brilliant Partners,” he said.
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