Hundreds of Argos jobs at risk due to company shake-up

Hundreds of Argos management jobs are at risk with new streamlining initiative (Photo: Shutterstock)

With each Argos store having up to six members of staff in middle management roles, those numbers are set to be halved.

Why might jobs be cut?

Argos is aiming to revamp the current structure of its staff.

Argos said, “We are proposing more streamlined store management teams. It would create broader, more clearly defined roles that allow us to better support colleagues and serve customers.”

In an attempt to eliminate overlap, Argos is looking to create a more established senior roles.

What will happen to the staff?

Argos says it is aiming to avoid compulsory layoffs by offering other roles for those affected by the streamlining decision.

“Those affected are being considered for up-dated management positions. There will be opportunities to redeploy to other roles in the group,” the company stated.

These roles include office jobs, other in-store work, or equivalent positions at Sainsburys, who purchased Argos back in September of 2016.

The group of bosses below each branch’s head chief are the ones to be affected.

Those who survive the shake up will receive more responsibilities in new roles, such as trading and trading support managers.

Bought by Sainsburys

During a four month long battle, Sainsburys won the battle to buy Argos in September 2016.

The Argos owner agreed to a £1.4 billion takeover by the supermarket chain.

The changes put in place by Sainsburys haven’t all been smooth - last year the store made the controversial decision to put all workers on “one size fits all” earnings.

Despite the signatures of 100,000 people (including MPs) on a petition to protect the workers, Sainbury’s moved forward with the decision regardless.

The streamlining process follows the large scale integration project that moved to introduce Argos into 281 Sainbury’s stores last year.