Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Collective redundancyCoronavirusLatest NewsRetailJob creation and losses

One in nine WH Smith staff face redundancy

by Rob Moss 5 Aug 2020
by Rob Moss 5 Aug 2020 Photo: WH Smith
Photo: WH Smith

WH Smith has announced around 1,500 jobs may need to be cut as the newsagent tackles the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its stores.

The company, which employs more than 14,000 people, updated the City on trading this morning, revealing that while total revenues were down 83% during the lockdown in April, last month they remained 57% less in July, when compared to 2019.

Its travel locations were most affected, but it has begun a phased reopening of UK stores at airport and railway stations and now has 53% of its travel stores open.

WH Smith group chief executive Carl Cowling said: “Throughout the pandemic, we have responded quickly and taken decisive actions to protect the business including substantially strengthening our financial position. We have also welcomed support from government where available.

“In our travel business, while we are beginning to see early signs of recovery in some of our markets, the speed of recovery continues to be slow. At the same time, while there has been some progress in our high street business, it does continue to be adversely affected by low levels of footfall.

“As a result, we now need to take further action to reduce costs across our businesses. I regret that this will have an impact on a significant number of colleagues whose roles will be affected by these necessary actions, and we will do everything we can to support them at this challenging time.”

WH Smith said it had reviewed store operations across its travel and high street businesses and is now starting a collective consultation on a proposed restructure “which could lead to up to circa 1500 roles becoming redundant”.

In a statement it said it has been a “very difficult decision and we are committed to supporting all our colleagues throughout this process and ensuring it is conducted fairly”. It believed the restructuring costs would be in the region of £15m – £19m, reflecting the WH Smith’s enhanced redundancy policy.

Cowling added: “While we are mindful of the continuing uncertainties that exist, we are a resilient and versatile business. The operational actions we are taking along with the financing arrangements that are in place, put us in a strong position to navigate this time of uncertainty and we are well positioned to benefit in due course from the recovery of our key markets.”

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Meanwhile, bookmaker William Hill said 119 of its high street betting shops will not re-open after the lockdown. It said around 300 staff were affected but that all but 20 had been redeployed. It also announced it would be repaying the funds it has claimed under the Coronavirus Job Retenton Scheme to help protect the jobs of around 7,000 retail employees.

Employee relations opportunities on Personnel Today

Browse more Employee Relations jobs

Rob Moss

Rob Moss is a business journalist with more than 25 years' experience. He has been editor of Personnel Today since 2010. He joined the publication in 2006 as online editor of the award-winning website. Rob specialises in labour market economics, gender diversity and family-friendly working. He has hosted hundreds of webinar and podcasts. Before writing about HR and employment he ran news and feature desks on publications serving the global optical and eyewear market, the UK electrical industry, and energy markets in Asia and the Middle East.

previous post
CitySprint loses third worker status case
next post
Furlough fraud soars as job retention bonus details released

You may also like

Poundland jobs at risk as parent group seeks...

19 May 2025

Next to improve wage-setting transparency after shareholder pressure

16 May 2025

Tribunal finds need for degree in redundancy selection...

14 May 2025

Burberry puts 1,700 jobs at risk in cost-cutting...

14 May 2025

M&S pauses hiring as it deals with cyber...

2 May 2025

M&S unfairly dismissed pregnant bakery worker

29 Apr 2025

Retail HRDs say Employment Rights Bill will have...

29 Apr 2025

Primark boss resigns after ‘error of judgment’

31 Mar 2025

Asda increases hourly pay and enhances family-friendly policies

28 Mar 2025

WH Smith confirms sale of high street shops...

28 Mar 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+