Marks and Spencer has altered its policy regarding Boxing Day shifts, impacting numerous employees. According to internal documents seen by the Guardian, all staff members must now work on one of the days between December 26 and 28. In the past five years, M&S had relied on volunteers to work on Boxing Day.
The adjustment means that approximately 25% of store employees will be scheduled to work solely on Boxing Day, as reported by the Guardian. Staff who prefer not to work on that day will need to take it as a holiday. While the larger M&S stores will remain closed on Boxing Day, the company aims to have more employees present to prepare the shops for reopening on December 27.
It has been noted that over 40% of permanent and 30% of seasonal M&S workers did not work on one of the peak days. The Guardian also mentions that employees must be available to work on December 22, 23, and 24 to prepare for Christmas.
Jayne Wall, M&S’s operations director, expressed gratitude to the hardworking staff members who enhance the shopping experience for customers during the festive season. She stated that this year, more colleagues will be working compared to previous years to ensure the stores are ready to welcome customers on December 27.
In December 2020, M&S began the practice of keeping its stores closed on Boxing Day as a gesture of appreciation for staff members’ dedication during the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year, the decision to keep the stores closed was made to allow employees to enjoy an extended break with their families.
Reports indicate that the policy changes were implemented before the cyber attack in April, which is projected to cost the company around £300 million. The cyber attack disrupted M&S’s IT systems during the Easter weekend, affecting payments and click-and-collect services. The incident also caused disruptions in logistics and distribution, leading to some shelves being empty in stores. Customer data, including personal information, was compromised.
Shoppers are advised to exercise caution if contacted by anyone claiming to represent M&S. Jayne Wall reassured customers that there is no evidence of the stolen data being shared and that it does not include usable payment details or account passwords.