Some Midcounties Co-operative staff to be redeployed in food stores

Midcounties Co-operative has temporarily closed all 57 of its travel agency branches across England and some staff are being redeployed in other areas of its business, mainly in its Co-operative Food convenience stores and supermarkets, starting from today.

A number of the branches have been turned into call centres or administration centres, with staff retaind to handle customer enquiries and bookings over email, phone and social media. 

Some other staff are being switched to Co-operative Food branches to safeguard their jobs and support an area of the business with high demand.

"The impact of the coronavirus pandemic is completely unprecedented and all businesses within Midcounties Co-operative have been affected in different ways," said Alistair Rowland, Midcounties’ chief retail officer. "Our Travel division is suffering along with the rest of the travel industry but the teams in our food business are extremely busy right now, looking after members and prioritising vulnerable and older customers. 

"It therefore makes sense for us, where the locations match up, to temporarily move our Co-operative Travel team members to our Co-operative Food branches, in order to safeguard their employment and support an area of the business where there is a significant demand for extra resource. Our pharmacies and funeral homes are in a similar position.

"This move will help to protect our travel colleagues’ job and finances at this challenging time, whilst ensuring we can continue to deliver the high levels of service to our travel members and customers, albeit by telephone and technology in the short-term."

Natalie Turner, head of branches for Co-operative Travel, said: "We are discussing with each of our Co-operative Travel colleagues their individual preferences, in order to decide if, where and how they should be redeployed during this temporary situation.

"A good proportion will stay within the travel division to continue to serve our customers in the virtual call centres and administration centres, which a number of our 57 branches have been turned into. It is important that we keep our colleagues experience, knowledge and personal customer service skills our customers and members come to us for time and time again as soon as we come out of this.

"Some colleagues are opting to take their annual leave during this time, take career breaks or unpaid leave to spend time with their families.  Others are choosing redeployment to the other businesses in the society, for example our supermarkets (Co-operative Food) and pharmacies, particularly where there is a branch in the same town.  These businesses need extra support at the moment to meet customer demand during these unprecedented times and being able to bring in colleagues from the Travel division to help is ideal because they understand the Co-operative business, it’s values and principles.

"We feel fortunate, particularly during a crisis such as this, that Midcounties Co-operative is more than just a Travel business. Every colleague is a part of the Midcounties Co-operative family, which is owned by its members, and now, more than ever, the entire society is pulling together as one team."

Midcounties said it will re-open all branches ‘backed by the biggest media launch in the company’s history’ when the time is right.