Stockmann strives to create sales-focused organization

”We already made several permanent and temporary cost reductions in 2013, with which we achieved savings of about EUR 30 million. We cannot achieve any more savings with temporary measures, such as layoffs and reductions in the number of seasonal employees, without compromising our customer service. We have to press on with our restructuring measures to ensure that the sales professionals at our stores can focus solely on selling,” says Maisa Romanainen, Director of the Department Store Division.

”Stockmann’s earnings in Finland fell clearly in 2013, despite the cost savings achieved. There is no improvement in sight, as consumers' purchasing power is being reduced and confidence in the economy is low. If we are to succeed in keeping our department stores competitive, we must renew our structures,” Maisa Romanainen explains.

Due to the planned new organisational model, Stockmann will initiate codetermination negotiations that will cover the personnel at Stockmann's department stores in Finland, the customer service employees of Stockmann.com and Akateeminen.com and after-marketing personnel – all in all, a total of around 3,200 employees.

The negotiation proposal states that the restructuring could lead to a personnel reduction of up to 330 man-years (FTE). The negotiations will also concern changes to job descriptions, among other things.

The planned changes form part of Stockmann's cost savings programme initiated in spring 2013. The restructuring of the Department Store Division's marketing and logistics has been announced earlier. Structural changes are still being mapped out in other parts of the organisation.

Stockmann