Thread regarding Staples Inc. layoffs

This is the future of retail - https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/21/amazon-go-automated-grocery-store-is-poised-to-launch.html

Union will do nothing to save jobs or a store. I have worked in both environments, and by far a non union is better. Profitable stores will not close. Please keep in mind sycamore group is here to make money like every other group. To be honest as in most corporations, as they grow, a large amount of "fat" is added to the top. Over the years, retail has been gutted to corporate could keep their positions. The other shoe is falling. Being in a profitable store is the safest place right now.

Another thing to consider whether you are retail or NAD, ask yourself if your job is redundant, can be consolidated into a centralized location, does not produce revenue/profit margin, or can be outsourced or automated(think cashier free check out, fewer front end employees in retail means less managers needed to manage them) then your position is more at risk. For NAD if your position supports sales but can be placed back in a sales person then you are at risk, (think bid team, marketing, order management consolidation/automation)how many associates work at Staples because of the antiquated AS400 system? What would happen if we improve automation to the 1990s at a minimum, 2000s......?

If you are in a sales position or a position that in some measure ensures efficient execution then you are at less risk.

Here we go with the union thing again. 🙄

Somewhere in between cutting unprofitable stores like they have done with Belk, etc. if you have a profitable store they won't be shutting the doors, but there will be retail cuts. If the positioning to sell to Office Depot, Amazon, etc. it makes sense to keep profitable stores. It is a 2-3 year process.

in my experience, you can expect Sycamore to eliminate about 50% of the total headcount.

it will take 2-3 years.

you need to figure out where you fit into that.

Nobody is safe and everyone is at risk. They will be selling off parts of the business. That is a fact. Retail would not be profitable enough on its own to continue. Rumor is Retail is being sold to Office Depot. Makes sense but I can’t confirm it as 100% true. Time will tell.

Well there is no honest answer...you never know, best bet form a union is my recomendation. It's makes it a bit harder and more planned.