Specsavers confirm redundancy plans

Thursday 01 November 2018

28 roles have been confirmed for redundancy at Specsavers warehouse and office administration facilities in Guernsey.

Initially, the company had warned that 38 people who work in the warehouse in Guernsey were facing the risk of redundancy, but a review has now confirmed exactly which roles will be cut.

In August, Specsavers Joint CEO, John Perkins, said, "following a sustained period of research and innovation to improve stores’ ability to showcase our extensive range of more than 1,000 frame styles, the resulting proposed operational change has led us to review our warehouse operations in Guernsey to enable a simpler approach to the process. This, regrettably, means that we have had to inform 38 people this morning that their current roles are at risk of being made redundant over a period of two and a half years."

"Regrettably, this means 28 warehouse office and administrator roles will be made redundant..."

Now, Mr Perkins has told Express that has been cut to 28 job losses, which is "regrettable" but Specsavers is working with all of them to ensure everyone is treated fairly. 

"In August we announced proposals to rationalise the way we manage our frame stock to ensure our customer have access to our complete range of glasses in-store at any given time. We have reviewed the results of a pilot scheme while undergoing a consultation period with all staff involved. We can confirm that we will be implementing the new model across all our stores in the UK and Ireland. Regrettably, this means 28 warehouse office and administrator roles will be made redundant over a two and half year period starting from June 2019.  

"We have and continue to work with each person affected to ensure that they are treated fairly. This includes offering loyalty bonuses for those who stay on until the completion of the roll-out, providing comprehensive support and generous redundancy packages, alongside offering alternative employment opportunities where possible and working with other local companies who might also need staff."

Mr Perkins acknowledged that it is a difficult time for those who will be made redundant.

"We recognise that this is still a very difficult time for those affected and we continue to work closely with everyone involved."

Pictured: John Perkins. 

At present, when a customer chooses a frame in a Specsavers store, it is removed from the shelf to be fitted with their prescribed lenses, leaving a temporary gap in the Specsavers’ range on display, before a replacement frame is ordered and supplied from the La Villiaze warehouse to take its place.

Under the proposed new model, customers would have access to all of the frames whenever they visited Specsavers. This would mean that eventually, no individual frames would need to be sent from Guernsey because the new supply model would require frames to be sent to stores along with their lenses, which it is proposed would be done from Specsavers’ UK glazing labs. 

10 of the original 38 roles at Supersavers' Guernsey warehouse are remaining. 

Pictured top: Specsavers at La Villiaze in Guernsey.