John Lewis planning to lure hundreds of engineers as it plots big retail push online May 3, 2022 Retail giant the John Lewis Partnership is zooming in further on its online operations as it is planning to recruit for more than 150 roles in engineering and delivery driving. John Lewis, which also owns Waitrose supermarket, said its recruitment drive will help grow its online stores, which together have more than 55m visits a [...]
Today: Tens of thousands of Post Office workers stage a strike as they demand more pay May 3, 2022 A one-day strike by Post Office workers in a dispute over pay started this morning. Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action in April. The union said the strike is over a pay freeze for 2021 and the offer of a 2 per cent increase from April this [...]
Slack’s technology chief says staff are returning to the office, with flexibility key to hybrid working May 2, 2022 The head of technology at Slack, a messaging platform widely used during the pandemic, has confirmed some of the company’s employees are heading back to the office on a hybrid basis. Cal Henderson made his comments after the firm added almost 60,000 corporate customers during coronavirus, amid a boom of home working, and then hybrid working. On getting [...]
War in Ukraine: UK says Russian ‘troll factory’ is ‘plaguing’ social media with pro-war propaganda May 2, 2022 The Kremlin has is using a “troll factory” to “plague” social media with pro-war propaganda, the foreign office has claimed after new research. A UK-funded study claimed the Kremlin has acquired “cyber soldiers” to target UK politicians and spread “lies” on social media, about the war in Ukraine. According to a statement from the foreign [...]
Passport delays could cost £1.1bn in cancelled summer trips May 2, 2022 Delays in the processing of UK passports could cost £1.1bn in cancelled summer trips, according to a research published today. Data from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) has forecast a 50 per cent probability of timely renewals, with around one million holiday goers facing cancellations. “Assuming that passport holders are somewhat more [...]
Saturday Sitdown: MovePlan’s EMEA chief on rethinking ESG as working policies are being rewired April 30, 2022 Over the last few years, ESG has become integral in any business strategy, and rightly so. It’s a deal-breaker not just for investors but also for those considering new roles. In fact, City A.M. recently reported how businesses with poor ESG credentials are struggling to attract talent, a sure sign of the importance of substantive [...]
Pernod Ricard cautions ‘softer’ fourth quarter as China hit by Covid lockdowns April 28, 2022 Absolut vodka maker Pernod Ricard has warned it faces a softer fourth quarter against a backdrop of Covid restrictions in China. The spirits firm’s chief financial officer said it was anticipating “an impact” from Covid restrictions during the fourth quarter. “March was very impacted by the start of Covid restrictions,” Helene de Tissot told the [...]
Whitbread issues stark warning on sector cost inflation April 28, 2022 Premier Inns owner Whitbread has cautioned hospitality sector cost inflation will hit a higher level than anticipated. The hotel chain owner said cost inflation this financial year was anticipated to reach between eight and nine per cent, one per cent more than previously expected. The group said it anticipated to largely offset these higher levels [...]
The City View: August CEO Mélie Dunod on rethinking holiday home co-ownership April 27, 2022 Today Andy Silvester talks to Mélie Dunod, CEO and co-founder of holiday home co-ownership firm August. She talks us through the company’s inception; why their equity purchase model allows for better and more transparent co-ownership; and the post-Covid re-examination of lifestyle purchases. And in the news: law giant Eversheds Sutherland has re-entered Russia, striking a [...]
400k out of workforce due to health inequality which could lead to £8bn economic drag April 27, 2022 The government has said tackling health disparities is a “priority’, after a new report revealed Illness and covid has driven an estimated 400,000 people from the workforce, leading to a possible £8bn drag on the economy. 1m workers are missing from the workers from before the pandemic, with 400,00 due to illness, including long-Covid, according [...]