John Lewis tumbles down ranking of best high street employer
Struggling department store John Lewis has tumbled down the rankings of high street employers after a tough year in which the retailer has suffered a drop in profit and slashed worker’s bonuses.
John Lewis & Partners held the top spot in 2018, but fell to eight last year and has tumbled a further three places to rank at number 11.
The retailer announced that employees would receive a bonus of two per cent this year, down from three per cent last year, the lowest since in 67 years.
John Lewis said the result was “disappointing” against a “backdrop of challenging performance.”
“We continue to invest in our partners ahead of the market,” a spokesperson said.
The department store said it has increased pay across the John Lewis Partnership for non-management partners by 4.7 per cent since January and promoted more than 2,400 partners in the last year.
The top employer was Humberside-based Wren Kitchens, which scored “consistently high marks” with employees for its salary, benefits and culture, followed by Whole Foods Markets and Lush.
Bill Richards, UK managing director at job platform Indeed, said: “Retailers have experienced some difficult times over the past few years but our list is testament to those who despite the challenges continue to prioritise a positive working environment.”
He added: “The companies on our list have successfully created a culture which inspires loyalty from their staff, through encouraging employees to progress and offering a good work-life balance.
“This is of particular importance now, as record employment levels mean companies need to fight hard to find and retain good staff.”
Wren Kitchens managing director Mark Pullan added: “We are incredibly proud to be crowned the UK’s best retail employer for the second year running”.