KESKO INITIATES CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS IN PORTIONS OF ITS GROCERY TRADE BUSINESS AND IN THE K HR UNIT – 37 PEOPLE WILL BE AFFECTED BY WORKFORCE REDUCTIONS.
There are now a number of major uncertainties present in the operational environment of the trading sector. These concerns are a result of a number of issues, including the energy crisis in Europe, high inflation, and a faltering economy.
The general state of unpredictability has also had a considerable influence on customer behavior, which has developed noticeably over the course of the year.
“We have been successful, but we must constantly examine the focus areas of our operations and organizational structures to ensure that we are best equipped to respond to changes in customer behavior as our operating environment changes,” says Matti Mettala, Executive Vice President of HR at Kesko.
“We have to make sure that we are best equipped to respond to changes in customer behavior as our operating environment changes.”
“In an effort to respond to changes in customer behavior and problems in our operating environment, we will be progressively focusing our attention on ensuring the fundamentals of our business operations and on supporting the services that are vital to our success.
When compared to 2022, the year 2023 will see a reduction in the number of development projects as well as other types of projects.
Kesko is beginning the process of change negotiation in certain aspects of its grocery trade business as well as in the K HR unit of its common operations with the intention of streamlining and reorganizing its organizational structures in order to better adapt to the shifting conditions of its operating environment.
Kesko is responsible for the employment of around 17,800 employees worldwide, 12,500 of them are located in Finland.
The change conversations that were launched concern 162 employees, and it is projected that there will be a workforce reduction of around 37 persons. Those who work in customer service or logistics will be exempt from the workforce cutbacks that are planned.
On November 25, invitations to participate in the change negotiations were mailed out, and the first round of negotiations is scheduled to begin on November 30. Briefings were held on November 25 to provide personnel with information regarding the ongoing negotiations.
The duration of the negotiations will be determined to be six weeks beginning with the first meeting of the negotiation process.
