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New Changes - Q&A's

Started by Loki, 10-01-15, 09:31AM

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Loki

With reference to the announcement made on 8th January regarding the changes faced by many Tesco employees, the following are answers to questions that have already been raised.

Please bare in mind that Q & A's have not yet been printed and distributed to Stores, DC's and Offices. However, the following are official answers from the Executive Team to the most common questions asked and will, in all likelihood, be edited in order to abbreviate the main points prior to their distribution.

Hopefully this will be of some use to you.

Are you closing the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme to everyone?

Yes we are. What that means is that we will be consulting on closing the Pension Scheme to everyone. What that means in practice is that people in the Final Salary Scheme and the Pension Builder will come out of that Scheme and go into a new Scheme that will be put in place in the future.

What happens to the Pension that I've already built up?

Basically, you continue to be entitled to the Pension you built up, so there is no change. What you built up you will get.

So, what happens next with my Pension?

We appreciate that the Pension Scheme is an important part of our colleagues' reward package. We are going to look at putting in place a very competitive Defined Contribution Pension Scheme. We will be consulting with all our colleagues. What that means in practice is we will write to them individually to their home address explaining what that really looks like and we will give them further details as we progress.

We've heard about a Flat Investment in Pay. What does that mean?

Clearly we are facing some financial challenges. We can't afford to increase our costs. So what this means in practice is there won't be an improvement in pay rates this year. However, we will be looking at giving more flexible choice to our colleagues in the benefits they receive and of course, we'll be listening to colleagues to understand what they really want on what works for them.

Can you tell me about the Turnaround Bonus?

Whilst we talked about pay rates remaining flat this year, we are looking at a new Bonus Scheme for all our colleagues, which will reward us if we meet the turnaround (targets).

What will the new Store Structure look like and what is the rationale behind the changes being made?

The rationale was that we had the current structure for over a decade and that it's served us really well. The customers have changed and we need to change our management structures. The new structures enable the managers to be closer to their own departments, working closer with their colleagues and serving the customers on their own departments.

Is this new Store Structure just a 'code' for job losses?

It's absolutely not a code. In fact, at total level, the head count won't change and we will continue to invest in colleagues within stores the same way we have in the last few months. It does mean a change to the roles. All of our colleagues will have those changes discussed with them individually over the next few weeks.

March feels like a long time to wait, when can you tell me whether I'm affected?

March is a long time to wait and it is understandable why many of our managers are feeling uncertain about the changes. We will begin conversations by the middle of February and all of the colleagues affected, and all of those not affected, will be clear on what's happening to them by 1st March.

When will you be able to tell us which stores will be closing?

Closing stores is never a decision that we take lightly. Over the next few weeks we will be finalizing that list and will be having individual conversations with those Store Teams all of which we will be hoping to do by 1st March.

In Offices, will our functions change or will they just get smaller?

We are in a very difficult financial place, so the reality is that in H.O there will be fewer colleagues. However, the really important thing is that we look at what the customers need and make sure that the work that we are doing in the office serves those needs, but also supports the stores looking after them. One of the benefits of the move that we're making by consolidating our offices in Hertfordshire, is that we're likely to have more opportunity to work together serving the stores so work becomes more interesting and more collaborative.

With the Cheshunt Office closing, what does it mean for other offices?

We have 32 offices across the UK. We need to look at all of them and the purpose they serve and to make decisions, which means that we can serve the stores more cheaply. We need to bring work together in a way that better enables us to collaborate and work together on the things that matter to customers.

How will the decisions about making a 30% office cost reduction be made?

We know that we have to save 30%. We want to make it a collaborative process, which means that we will start at the top. Following the announced changes to the Executive Team, the new Executive Team will work with their immediate Leaders on the shape of the layer below, then working through the organization in a similar manner. Through this, there will be an opportunity for colleagues to take part in 1-2-1 conversations about the shape of the organization and how it affects them as individuals.
When all else fails, madness is the emergency exit.

ohhiyathere

Thanks Loki. This is really helpful.

Looks like we could be finding out sooner rather than later. I wonder if this means that consultations will be starting in stores before March then?

Loki

Usdaw will have to be consulted first.
When all else fails, madness is the emergency exit.

troll-hunter

#3
Thanks Loki
but I have to ask, will USDAW be Consulted or told? ? ? ?
Why the flippin heck do they need 32 offices spread around the UK?

Loki

I think you know my personal view on that.
When all else fails, madness is the emergency exit.

troll-hunter

It was a some what satirical?  question lol

oliver

Thankyou loki much appreciated,

retailing2012

Quote from: Loki on 10-01-15, 09:52AM
Usdaw will have to be consulted first.
--------------
trust me usdaw will be useless at saving any jobs at whatever level

22 years of paying money that could have gone on a good holiday..

if u have to leave tesco - get as much money as you can

kvfive

I no longer see any benefit in being part of USDAW, they hold no weight whatsoever,
a simple & easy 'opt me out' would be much appreciated  :thumbup:

Fight for 'US' USDAW !! At the absolute least... Negotiate the annual pay increase.

TryDoingMyShift2015

#9
Quote from: Loki on 10-01-15, 09:31AM
We've heard about a Flat Investment in Pay. What does that mean?

Clearly we are facing some financial challenges. We can't afford to increase our costs. So what this means in practice is there won't be an improvement in pay rates this year. However, we will be looking at giving more flexible choice to our colleagues in the benefits they receive and of course, we'll be listening to colleagues to understand what they really want on what works for them.

I guess there is no room in that £500m UK profit for us again! Perhaps we will just get more benefits offers if we spend more money on things we don't actually want? Oh and I appreciate my 10% discount... because if I use all £800 of it I can give £8000 back to the company that gave it to me!!!

TryDoingMyShift2015

#10
Quote from: Loki on 10-01-15, 09:31AM
When will you be able to tell us which stores will be closing?

Closing stores is never a decision that we take lightly. Over the next few weeks we will be finalizing that list and will be having individual conversations with those Store Teams all of which we will be hoping to do by 1st March.

So its 43, not 42 or 44? So the list isn't finalised? !!!

Loki

No. It means that they will finalise the list of the 43 stores that they have decided to close.
When all else fails, madness is the emergency exit.

just curious

Once the first list is finalized and they make there minds up for definite which stores are to close whats to say they will not go to a phase two and close even more stores / shops or even pull out of the petrol station partnership with Esso and any other partnership agreements they have ? ,  ??? ??? :o :o 8-)
As we all know Tosco love to do things in trials / stages and phases just look how they went about the stock reduction programme , Team leader fiasco and the right ours right place etc etc . if things do not improve once the first batch of stores have been closed they might just start phase two and who is to say that some distribution centres are not on a list for closure either in the future if they are underperforming , nothing and no one is safe at the moment ?  :-X :-X.

tumshie

You're right, just curious, anything could happen.

Quote from: Loki on 10-01-15, 09:31AM
Through this, there will be an opportunity for colleagues to take part in 1-2-1 conversations about the shape of the organization and how it affects them as individuals.

Let's hope these 1-2-1 conversations are actually taken seriously to find out what can be improved, and not just something written down by a line manager and filed, never to be seen again.

cosmosmallpiece

Hi has anyone got any news on the night operation closing or is this just Ireland at the moment?

Loki

There is no news about the UK night operation apart from the usual scaremongers trying to suggest otherwise in order to make a name for themselves.
When all else fails, madness is the emergency exit.

cosmosmallpiece

Thanks Loki hope it stays but after this years news you never know

Tegai

Quote from: Loki on 10-01-15, 02:58PM
There is no news about the UK night operation apart from the usual scaremongers trying to suggest otherwise in order to make a name for themselves.

How else would they get the BBC to pay them !

smoggymoshi

Does that mean no pay rise this year 2015 ??? Teesport are still negotiating the 2014 pay rise so they better fight  hard for a decent one

Andymac1111

So how come usdaw hasn't put a press release out but yet unite have at least one union isn't rolling over on the staff if it wasn't so impossible to find I would post instructions on how to leave usdaw.

tumshie

Quote from: Loki on 10-01-15, 09:31AM
We've heard about a Flat Investment in Pay. What does that mean?
So what this means in practice is there won't be an improvement in pay rates this year.

It sure looks that way.

astrovibe

Just a thought but I believe that are no 24hr stores in the Rep of Ireland, they all close midnight until 6am. I presume this is the big factor in the decision to move away from night shifts there. Unless Drastic Dave wants to move away from the 24hr format in the UK it would seem less likely to happen here.

OpShunned

Why the flippin heck do they need 32 offices spread around the UK?
[/quote]



Does anyone have a comprehensive list of the elusive '32 Offices spread around the company'? Would be interesting to know how many employees this takes in, especially as a 30% cut in costs will mean hundreds, if not thousands of jobs, and no small amount of redundancy packages.

Milly1

Can anyone tell me if you will be able to take redundancy and what I would get per year for 25 yrs. considering my best options than having pay protected for 3yrs?

adamlad

Can anyone clarify what exactly is happening to line managers / what happened on pilot my friend is getting really worried and I can't work out from the various forum what happened to superstore managers

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