British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson has said retail is built on “flexible, local jobs” and the government’s goals and policies are “at odds with one another”, in response to the publication of the Keep Britain Working review.
The author of the review, former John Lewis chief executive Sir Charlie Mayfield, said there were 800,000 more people out of work now than in 2019 due to health conditions, which is costing employers £85bn a year.
Mayfield warned this could worsen without government intervention and the rise in sickness was being driven by what he called a “surge” in mental health issues, particularly among young people.
“For employers, sickness and staff turnover bring disruption, cost and lost experience,” Mayfield told the BBC. “For the country, it means weaker growth, higher welfare spending and greater pressure on the NHS.”
In response, Dickinson said retailers understand the importance of supportive workplaces, with many already investing in programmes to support workers with ill health or disabilities.
She said: “Retailers recognise the importance of supportive workplaces. Many invest in programmes supporting employees with ill-health or disabilities and agree with the review findings that structural issues hold back companies from doing more or actively being more effective. They are keen to go further and a number of retailers are already signed up to engage with the next stages of the review.
“Retail is built on flexible, local jobs. Half of the 3 million people employed in retail work part-time. Such roles help people enter, stay in, or return to work after a period of absence, as they can choose to work as much or as little as they are able. This uniquely positions the industry as a critical contributor to reducing economic inactivity from ill-health and disability.”
Dickinson said the government’s goals were effectively at odds with the findings of the report and urged it to back the recommendations of the House of Lords for amendments to its Employment Rights Bill, which returned to the House of Commons this week.
“Government goals and policies are at odds with one another. While encouraging employers to invest in workforce health and provide flexibility, they risk making it more difficult. In its current form, the Employment Rights Bill would make it harder for retailers to continue offering as many crucial flexible roles,” Dickinson added.
“By amending parts of the bill, working with business and unions to join the dots between policies to ensure they align rather than conflict, the government will enable the industry to play an even fuller part in Keeping Britain Working.”
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