Exclusive: B&Q faces mounting staff backlash over proposed contract changes

The DIY giant intends to cut staff hours from January and increase pay to compensate. The rise takes workers to £11.31 per hour – just under the £11.44 they would receive in April as per the new national living wage (NLW), regardless of any changes to hours.

According to internal documents seen by Retail Week, the changes would mean a worker contracted to 39 hours per week would move to 36 hours and 45 minutes, swapping unpaid breaks for fewer hours.

Workers have shown concern that the changes may limit their earning potential come April as their contracted hours will be reduced. They argue that maintaining their existing hours and paid breaks could have made them better off when the NLW comes into effect.

A B&Q worker who will have their hours reduced as a result of the new policy told Retail Week that workers were not given the option to maintain their current contracts and many colleagues now “feel powerless”. 

“They’ve used this break structure change to bamboozle us,” they said.

“There are those who don’t fully understand the implications and only see that they are being paid for fewer hours because of the pay increase. 

“I can’t tell you how many of my colleagues have been upset by this and feel powerless to do anything. Morale was not great anyway, but this has created so much anger.”

Another employee expressed concern about the timing and communication of the new policy in an employee forum.

“There is general surprise that a policy with such a large impact on the pay and terms and conditions of staff has appeared without any warning,” they said. 

“I, and no one I have spoken to, had been aware such changes were under consultation.”

Another said: “I’m in the same position as many others in that I do not take the half-hour unpaid break on a six-hour shift.”

“Those of us in this situation will technically be taking a pay cut. I work five shifts a week, meaning every week I will work an extra hour and a quarter under the new system (65 hours a year).

“My yearly pay rise is about £325, which equates to about £5 an hour I’m being paid for those additional hours I now have to work. Apparently, this is about paying staff more and improving work-life balance, and yet I’m in the building for more hours and being paid less.”

B&Q sayS staff won’t be worse off

B&Q maintains the new policy means no colleagues will be any worse off and that it will be increasing pay again in April. However, it did not confirm how much the rise would be, only that it would be above the NLW. 

In a statement to Retail Week, a B&Q spokesperson said: “Following positive feedback from colleagues at two stores, where we undertook a pilot to reduce the length of breaks with a higher hourly rate of pay at £11.31, we’re now investing £4m into delivering our new break policy from January 1, 2024.

“As a result, all store colleagues will spend less time at work for the same pay or be at work for the same hours for more pay. 

“No colleague will be worse off as a result and we have invested £4m in delivering our new break policy. Colleagues will be able to spend less time at work for the same pay or be at work for the same hours for more pay.

“With regard to overtime, we can confirm that there is no overtime freeze. Colleagues are able to work additional hours where they are needed. Unlike most other retailers, our peak trading period is at Easter, not Christmas, and we manage our labour costs accordingly.”

B&Q also plans to increase pay again in April 2024 but was unable to confirm what the rise would be, only that it would be above NMW. 

“We will be increasing pay again in April 2024 as part of our usual annual pay review to maintain our new stronger competitive rate of pay in the market. The January 1, 2024 increase is separate to that annual pay award.

“As usual, we will announce our annual pay award in February.”