John Lewis announces company overhaul with 153 jobs set to be cut
John Lewis jobs are on the chopping block
GETTY
John Lewis is in the midst of a company overhaul that will see 153 jobs cut in an attempt to improve customer service in stores.
Multiple retailers have carried out store closures in order to bolster sales following the pandemic but John Lewis appears to be committing to Britain's high streets.
According to the department store chain, proposals put forward by company will make sure that workers “are in the right place, doing the right tasks at the right time."
This means staff will be expected to increase their in-person interactions with shoppers in-store.
Job cuts are expected to impact one per cent of John Lewis' workforce which will be implemented via natural attrition and voluntary redundancy.
On Tuesday, changes were confirmed to staff after a similar overhaul of its supermarket-business, Waitrose.
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Britain's high streets have been hit by a wave of store closures as of late PAAs part of this restructuring, John Lewis is set to make a multimillion pound investment in technology to bolster its customer service.
Some £5million is being earmarked for digital headset equipment to help improve communication between members of staff.
In its confirmation of the staff cuts, John Lewis said the changes will result in differing roles for those in the business.
Notably, those serving in the front and back of stores will be combined to enhance flexibility.
It is understood this part of the overhaul allow the business to bring more workers on the shop floor during specifically busy periods.
This latest overhaul from John Lewis comes amid big changes in its business leadership.
In January, Peter Ruis took on the role of the group's chairman.
Furthermore, ex-Tesco head Jason Tarry is preparing to become the head the John Lewis Partnership in 2025.
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GETTYA spokesman 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.”