Visiting the re-opened B&Q
Barbara Follett visited the town’s new, giant, B&Q store on London Road on March 14th. She was given a guided tour of the shop’s 122,943 sq feet and met some of the 150 new members of staff.
Mrs Follett said; “I really enjoyed my visit to B&Q and I am pleased that this new superstore has created so many jobs in our town”.
The new staff will benefit from the company’s flexible working policies, which allow parents and grandparents to fit work around their childcare responsibilities. These provisions have been hugely successful, with over 70% of staff who go on maternity leave later returning to work.
Mrs Follett commented, ‘B&Q’s commitment to flexible working is a great example to all employers’.
The store now features an improved showroom display and a wider range of home and hardware products. A design advisor is also on site to help customers choose the right items for their homes.
Notes:
- B&Q is the largest home improvement and garden centre retailer in the UK and Europe employing over 40,500 people nation-wide, 24% of whom are over 50 years of age.
- Across the UK, B&Q has 331 stores, including 116 B&Q Warehouses.
- For more information about B&Q please go to www.diy.com/aboutus.
- For more information about B&Q’s social responsibility Key Performance Indicators, please see www.kingfisher.com, B&Q’s parent company.
- In 2006, a complete review was carried out on B&Q’s flexible working policies to ensure that they offer solutions and opportunities above statutory requirements.
- These policies, which include, job shares, split shifts and home/remote working, have facilitated a return from maternity rate in excess of 70%.
Issued: 01.04.2008
Further information
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