Debenhams job cuts loom at HQ and support centre

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jan 30, 2019

Under-pressure retail giant Debenhams is seeking redundancies at its HQ and its support centre with around 60 staff currently in talks with management on the plans, according to reports.

The redundancies are believed to be affecting staff at the firm’s London head office and Taunton back-office and central support operations, with no in-store roles currently affected.

Retail Gazette reported that the company is to minimise recruitment of new positions as well, and focus only on those roles that are business-critical.

It’s all part of the cost-cutting drive that the retailer has previously flagged up as it implements its turnaround plan, focuses on high-growth categories and cuts back on non-core activities.

While the number of jobs to go at the support centre is relatively small in the grand scheme of things, the move has to be seen in the context of what are expected to be much wider job losses to come at the firm.

The company has already said it would close up to 50 of its worst-performing stores and there has been speculation that this figure could be revised to take in up to 90 locations. That would mean the loss of thousands of in-store roles.