Next have offered staff a 20% bonus if they are willing to go back to closed stores to help fulfil online orders.
The retailer have sent a letter to its workers saying it would not force anyone to go to work instead asking for volunteers: “We desperately need your support to keep the company operating and we hugely appreciate your help in this.”
“We need to keep the online business functioning to be certain that Next emerges from this short-term crisis.”
“To help us, we are looking for a small number of staff to attend work to pick and process the stock in our stores that customers have purchased online and keep the online business going. We will only look to achieve this on a voluntary basis.”
“We fully understand that many of you have great concerns about attending work. Please let me reassure you that we are in no circumstances going to ask anyone who is unsure about coming to work to do so.
“We desperately need your support to keep the company operating and we hugely appreciate your help in this.
“If there are any reasons why you personally feel that it is not appropriate for you to work, we will be understanding. For example if you are caring for a vulnerable person at your home, if you cannot manage your childcare, if you cannot travel safely to work, or any other reason.”
“To show our appreciation, if you attend work you will be paid an additional 20 per cent of your basic rate of pay for all hours worked until Saturday, April 11.”
Despite government advice for businesses to keep all but essential workers at home, it has said retailers can still trade online.
