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Monday 24th April, 2006
ASDA Invites Colleagues To Take A World Cup 'German Jolly'

Supermarket offers colleagues’ extra time off to watch the World Cup at home or away

ASDA has announced today it is giving every one of its 150,000 colleagues, working in stores and depots across the UK, the chance to take up to two weeks’ unpaid leave during the World Cup this summer.

Called ‘German Jolly’ World Cup Leave, colleagues can take this ‘extra time’ whether they’re planning a trip to Germany to catch a few live games or simply want to enjoy the matches from the comfort of their own home or the local pub.

Any ASDA colleague can ask for either a week or two weeks’ unpaid leave to be taken any time between Friday 9th June, when the World Cup kicks off and Sunday 9th July, when the final takes place in Berlin.

This is a first for the supermarket and is just one of a range of flexible working practices that will help ensure footy-mad colleagues don’t miss out on key World Cup matches. Stores will also be running shift swapping schemes, allowing extended breaks and fielding requests for odd days off so colleagues are able to watch certain matches. Televisions for sale on the shop floor will also be tuned in to the World Cup.

ASDA’s flexible approach has meant that during previous tournaments, such as Euro 2004 and the last World Cup in 2002, the store saw absolutely no increase in absenteeism amongst its colleagues.

David Smith, ASDA’s people director, said: “With World Cup fever just around the corner, we wanted to give our colleagues the chance to go on a ‘German Jolly’ and enjoy what we all hope will be a tournament to remember. It’s just another of the ways we’re giving colleagues flexibility and we hope it’s a winning idea.”

ASDA is famous for its flexible working practices that allow colleagues to balance home and work commitments. Leave packages available to Asda people include 'IVF Leave' for those having fertility treatment, 'Benidorm Leave' for older workers seeing time off for winter sun and 'school starter' leave for parents wishing to accompany their child on his/her first day in class.

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Further information:
Jennifer England, 0113 241 9335
Out of hours, 0113 243 5435

Notes for Editors

‘GERMAN JOLLY’ WORLD CUP LEAVE

  • Requests for World Cup Leave must be taken in blocks of one week between 9th June and 9th July 2006 and is unpaid
  • Requests will be handled on a first come, first served basis and will be dependent on the operational needs of each store/depot/department

ASDA PEOPLE MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

  • At ASDA, it’s people that make the difference. Every one of the store’s 150,000 colleagues play a part in making the business a success and over 93,000 of them own a stake in the business through one of the UK's biggest share ownership schemes.
  • The workforce represents all ages, genders and ethnic groups and our people policies reflect that. A range of award-winning flexible working packages allow colleagues to achieve a balance between their family, learning and religious commitments. Carefully selected healthcare, legal and financial partners deliver benefits that offer real peace of mind whilst links with cinemas, holiday companies and UK day-trip destinations ensure colleagues and their families can share in our sense of fun.
  • Examples of Family Friendly Working include:
    Child care leave - available for parents to stop work for a short period during the summer holidays, returning later with continuous service and maintained benefits
    Shift swapping schemes - available for colleagues needing to be absent from work for specific family or domestic reasons o School starter scheme - a unique scheme that allows parents to take a half day holiday on their child's first day at school
    Emergency family leave - Reasonable time off to deal with family emergencies which may arise.
    Grandparents’ leave - On the birth of a grandchild, grandparents are often involved in carer duties. To help with this up to a weeks leave is available
    Job share - To help managers balance home and work life o Parental leave – parents may stop work for a short period of between one and 4 weeks per year or extended leave of up to 8 weeks during summer holidays
    IVF Leave - In June 2003 ASDA was Britain’s first company to launch paid leave for colleagues undergoing fertility treatment. The new leave packages came after feedback from colleagues who said they wanted to be more open about such treatment and asked ASDA to play a part in relieving the stress that naturally accompanies IVF treatment
  • Flexible Working for Students, Carers and Career breakers - it's not just parent who need flexibility and ASDA recognises that with the following leave packages such as:
    Career break - Colleagues can take a career break of up to 2 years.
    Store swapping schemes - available for students wishing to work in their study store as well as in their home store.
    Carers leave - Enables our colleagues to be able to give long term care and care at home.
    It’s my Day - Launched to celebrate ASDA’s 40th birthday. Colleagues can take a day’s unpaid holiday to celebrate an event special to them.



 

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