Around 65,000 employees at the retail giant John Lewis will see a significant increase in their pay starting in April. The John Lewis Partnership, which includes both department stores and Waitrose supermarkets, has announced a nearly 7% raise for shop floor workers, equivalent to an annual increase of £1,600 for full-time employees. Notably, employees at John Lewis are referred to as partners due to the unique employee-owned structure of the business.

While the pay rise is confirmed, there is uncertainty regarding the annual partner bonus, which has not been distributed since 2022. The partnership’s chair, Jason Tarry, expressed the commitment to providing a bonus as soon as possible. The decision on the bonus will be made by the Board in March.

The pay increase, totaling £108 million, will benefit 99.6% of partners at John Lewis. Starting April 1, shop floor workers at both John Lewis and Waitrose will receive a 6.9% pay hike, with minimum hourly rates set to rise to £13.25 nationwide and £14.80 in M25 stores. Partners with specialized skills or roles will see their pay rates increase to £14.31 per hour and up to £15.98 within the M25 area.

Helen Webb, the chief people officer at the John Lewis Partnership, emphasized the importance of investing in partner pay, stating that the pay rise reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to rewarding its employees for their hard work. Additionally, partners receive various benefits, including discounts at John Lewis and Waitrose, pension contributions, subsidised personal development activities, discounted leisure options, subsidised meals, and health and wellbeing services.

Despite facing losses of £88 million in the previous financial period, the John Lewis Partnership remains dedicated to supporting its employees and driving the business forward. The company operates 36 department stores and over 300 Waitrose supermarkets.