"The SMART Network: Support to Store - Retail Restructure" programme, 11 November 1998

Recording of a special business television programme for Sainsbury’s staff (mainly store management teams) about changes to the company's retail structure to be introduced in February 1999. The programme was broadcast on the "SMART" network (Sainsbury's Management and Retail Television) on 11 November 1998 by satellite to Sainsbury's stores, depots and offices. It was presented by John Howard in the studio, joined by Bill Williams (Retail Director) and Nigel Broome (Director HR Operations).

The new structure involved removal of the regional structure and closure of the regional offices. The five [previously six] regional director positions were removed and duties carried out at regions would now be mostly managed centrally instead. The district managers (25 at that time) would now report to three retail operations directors based at head office.

Contents:
1. Introduction by presenter.
2. Studio discussion about the reasons for the removal of the regional structure.
3. Presenter summarises the new structure.
4. Studio discussion about the structure changes. Includes: impact on jobs and redeployment of regional staff, how former regional office responsibilities would now be carried out, ensuring that communication with stores remains effective, training managers to report to head office instead of regions, career development, promotion opportunities, secondees, whether this will be disruptive on the run-up to Christmas, impact on district managers and store managers.
5. Final comments by presenter.

Duration: 19 minutes. Produced by Sainsbury’s Group Internal Communications in association with CTN [Corporate Television Networks].