John Lewis to streamline staff committee to boost agility and efficiency

The John Lewis Partnership is streamlining an influential staff committee to champion productivity during its ongoing transformation.

The decision comes after John Lewis spent the last year speaking with Partners across the business to gather their views on how it can improve its democracy.

As part of this effort, the British business told TheIndustry.fashion that it is reinstating local Forums, ensuring that every site, branch, and area has an elected Forum representative. These local Forums will operate alongside Partnership Forums, which function under the Partnership Council.

Through these internal changes, John Lewis aims to strengthen the management of its local Forums by "fostering closer engagement with local business leaders".

It comes as the Partnership Council’s membership will be streamlined to "support more effective decision-making" from October.

The company emphasises that "this is not a cost-saving measure", but rather a way to "ensure Partners have the best possible set-up to have their voices heard, while reducing duplication and making sure Partners’ time is spent productively".

A spokesperson for John Lewis told TheIndustry.fashion: "Whenever our three-year Council term concludes, we review how to make our democratic model even more effective. This will see a stronger focus on local forums to raise local Partner opinion alongside a tighter Partnership Council to support faster decision making.

"The updates have been made in close consultation with our Partners - and the power of our Council, and the vital role it plays in governing our business remains unchanged."