John Lewis has sent a memo urging its staff to spend more time in the office as part of efforts to support the retail giant's ongoing turnaround. The John Lewis Partnership, which also owns Waitrose, told its employees—referred to as partners—that it expects them to be working "more in person than not," whether in the office, with suppliers, or visiting customers.
The memo, first reported by the Telegraph, aims to achieve "better outcomes" for the group. John Lewis stressed that its policy "hasn't changed" and that it still maintains a hybrid approach for its workforce. The company noted that many organizations have seen improvements in collaboration, culture, and business performance as a result of a hybrid model that allows for more in-person time while retaining the benefits of working from home.
The retailer also indicated it is considering options to "create more space" in its existing offices to accommodate more regular attendance. This comes a month after John Lewis reported a 6% rise in pre-tax profit (before bonus and exceptional items) to £134 million for the past year, which enabled workers to receive an annual bonus for the first time in four years.
A John Lewis spokesman said: "While some in our industry are returning to the office full time, our policy hasn't changed and we are committed to the flexibility that comes with a hybrid approach. To drive collaboration, faster decision-making and creativity, our goal is for central teams to be in the office, with suppliers and visiting shops more than they are at home, so we are working with them to make this happen."
