The restructuring events database contains factsheets with data on large-scale restructuring events reported in the principal national media and company websites in each EU Member State. This database was created in 2002.
Retail Retail Trade, Except Of Motor Vehicles And Motorcycles Retail Sale Of Cultural And Recreation Goods In Specialised Stores 47.62 - Retail sale of newspapers and stationery in specialised stores
1,850 jobs Number of planned job losses
Announcement Date
2 July 2020
Employment effect (start)
Foreseen end date
Description
WHSmith, the British newspapers and books retailer has announced plans to cut up to 150 jobs at its head offices in London and Swindon. Redundancy consultations with the affected employees are already underway.
According to media sources, the company proposed the restructure following a review of the business and in preparation for the reduced market demand in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Responding to the news of the job cuts, a local councillor in Swindon called on the UK government to outline a budget that focuses on protecting and creating jobs.
WHSmith is a UK based retailer of newspapers, magazines, books and stationery, with many of its shops located in railway stations, airports and motorway service stations.
Update 29/08/2020: WH Smith has announced plans to cut 1,500 jobs, 11 per cent of its workforce, across the UK. The majority of jobs being lost will be at shops at airports and railway stations. The company's chief executive said that sales had not improved as much as expected after the coronavirus restrictions on non essential businesses had been relaxed.
Update 12/11/2020: WHSmith has announced that it will close 35 high street shops across the UK, putting 200 jobs at risk of redundancy. The shop closures are planned in response to the continued negative impact of the coronavirus crisis and the government restrictions on retail. These job losses come on top of the 1,500 previously announced.
Eurofound (2020), WHSmith, Internal restructuring in United Kingdom, factsheet number 101412, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/101412.
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
The retail banking sector is fertile ground for studying the impacts of digitalisation on work and employment. Financial services are increasingly provided online, without the intermediary of customer-facing institutions.
European labour markets have recovered strongly from COVID-19. By the end of 2021, little more than 18 months after the start of the pandemic, employment rates in the EU were almost at pre-crisis levels.
