Booker Cash and Carry has completed a major staffing restructure within its 170 cash and carry depots and made changes to its trading team at head office.
Booker md Gerry Johnson said the changes in depots were needed because, over decades of acquisitions, Booker had inherited dozens of different working practices and job titles.
Over the past year Booker has been consulting with staff about the best way to introduce a uniform system and standards across the group, and has now launched operation ‘One Way to Success’. This will simplify the structure to three basic grades, branch managers, supervisors and colleagues.
Johnson said: “We will have fewer supervisors working in the backroom and more colleagues working on the front line, ensuring consistent high standards of customer service.”
He said there were likely to be redundancies, but staff affected would be offered alternative roles. It was too early to say how many would choose to leave. “There will be a huge training exercise during June and July to ensure people taking up new roles will have the necessary skills.” Johnson said the company was also uprating pay and benefits as part of the changes.
“The trading team has been restructured to enable us to move to smaller, more focused category teams,” he said.
The changes were intended to speed up decision making and give a closer focus on customers’ needs. Four people have been made redundant as part of the changes.

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