John Lewis UK: department store to cut more than a hundred jobs and merge roles to boost customer service

• John Lewis will cut 153 jobs as part of a reorganisation to enhance customer service
• The company will merge front-of-house and back-of-house roles to improve staffing during busy periods
• The job reductions are expected to be achieved through voluntary redundancies
• John Lewis will also invest £5 million in digital headsets to improve communication among store workers
• There are no current plans to close any John Lewis stores as a result of the job cuts
• The changes come after a similar staffing restructure at Waitrose, which has led to increased customer satisfaction

A major department store chain is expected to axe 153 jobs as part of a reorganisation aimed at enhancing customer service.

John Lewis said the changes will position employees more effectively, making sure they “are in the right place, doing the right tasks at the right time,” and allowing them to spend more time assisting customers directly.

It is understood that company hopes the job reductions, impacting about 1% of its staff, will be achieved through voluntary redundancies and natural attrition.

It should be noted that the business has not yet confirmed any redundancies, and its proposal will now be reviewed in consultation with its partners.

John Lewis said that its staffing changes will merge currently separate front-of-house and back-of-house roles to create greater flexibility.

The adjustments are designed to enable the business to deploy additional staff to shop floors during peak periods.

The changes, communicated to employees on Tuesday (13 August), follow a similar staffing restructuring recently implemented at its sister company, Waitrose.

The company will also make a multi-million pound investment in technology to improve its service for customers in shops.

As part of this, John Lewis will invest £5 million in digital headsets for store workers to communicate better with one another.

A spokesperson for John Lewis 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.

“We carried out similar changes in Waitrose earlier this year, with customer and partner feedback increasing significantly since. It’s since been ranked the number one supermarket for customer satisfaction.”

As of now, there is no indication that any John Lewis stores will close as a result of the cuts. The focus appears to be on restructuring roles and improving in-store service rather than reducing the number of store locations.

What are your thoughts on John Lewis's recent decision to cut jobs? Will the changes enhance customer service or impact the shopping experience? Share your opinions and join the conversation in the comments section.