Flexible Wickes

8 February 2024

Home improvement retailer Wickes is making all store management roles open to flexible working. Following a six month pilot across 14 stores, the company has now launched the idea across its 230 stores nationwide.

Wickes partnered with the Timewise consultancy to evaluate a model that supported managers in delivering their roles with greater flexibility, input and control over their working patterns.

During the trial some managers opted to change their working patterns to work four longer days in-store, whilst others chose to flex their hours across the week in a way that better suited their lives.

Wickes says the results from the pilot showed no negative impact on store performance or key performance indicators. Some 96.5% of store managers taking part were either ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their working hours at the end of the trial, up from 66.5% pre-pilot.

Sonia Astill, Chief People Officer at Wickes said: “We are delighted to be giving the opportunity for our store management teams to explore flexible working options and busting the myth that managers in retail operations need to be on-site at all hours of the day. We have demonstrated that this just isn’t the case and that being open-minded about flexible working patterns can deliver significant benefits to both the company and colleagues.”

Amy Butterworth, Consultancy Director at Timewise added: “The UK has approximately 8 million shift-based workers, and they want to be included in the flexible working revolution. In roles based at a particular location – a busy store, a hospital ward, a factory floor – the best way to make that happen, is by offering greater input into the schedule and more say in terms of working pattern.”

Feedback from store managers who took part in the trial included comments relating to being able to attend children’s school events, spending more time with family members and friends, and having more time for caring responsibilities. 

Flexible working obviously won’t be appropriate for all job roles, especially in the world of equipment hire where fast responses are often required from small teams. But it’s a fascinating development in a post-Covid world. 

Photo:  Gerd Altmann/Pixabay 

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