Asda owners Issa brothers are trialling a four-day week for the supermarket giant as they attempt to stop displeased managers “leaving in their droves”.
A presentation unveiled late last year revealed Asda’s intention to introduce the reduced working week as part of a strategy to rebuild relations with senior employees, reported the Telegraph.
The new “leadership structure trial” was prompted by management concerns over figures that showed a 13.9% increase in turnover among retail managers in 2022.
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It said the decrease in staff had “impacted the stability and capability of our teams in store which in turn has impacted the colleague experience and by extension our customers”.
Alongside the four-day week, other changes Asda will experiment include flexible working arrangements, such as shorter shifts.
The news comes as the grocer faces a strike, with workers at its Gosport superstore due to walk out from 19 January.
Up to 100 employees are expected to strike over unaddressed issues in stores, with members describing it as a “toxic atmosphere”.
Earlier this month, Asda’s private equity owners TDR Capital were questioned by MPs over the grocery retailer’s debt pile, a lack of transparency and workers’ rights.
