Tuesday 18th July, 2006
PHEW, WATER SCORCHER
Supermarket orders an extra 2 million litres of drinking water for colleagues as nation prepares for meltdown
British companies are getting wet, wet, wet by stockpiling vast amounts of drinking water as the country begins bracing itself for the hottest weather since records began.
Supermarket giant ASDA has ordered an extra 2 million litres of drinking water this week - just for its 150,000 colleagues to drink during their shift!
The store is also anticipating a 50 per cent increase in sales of bottled water in its stores this week, with sales set to top the seven million litre mark, the equivalent of filling 19 25-metre swimming pools.
The heat is getting to ASDA’s customers who have gone on a spending spree with sales in key categories increasing dramatically, including BBQ sauces (+40%), wine (+35%), Ice Cream (+70%) and Beer (+40%).
Kirsty Leyland, Asda’s head of colleague relations, said, “We want to make sure we’re looking after our people and helping them through this week’s heatwave by giving them a bit of additional flexibility.
"If colleagues working in our in-store bakeries are feeling the heat, we’ll give them a break to get out of the kitchen, cool down and have a drink.”
ASDA is offering colleagues extra ‘refreshment breaks’ where necessary to make sure they are drinking plenty of water and avoiding dehydration, especially those who work in hot bakery sections of stores.
A number of stores also have shower facilities and colleagues are being encouraged to take a cold shower to cool off during their break or when their shift finishes, if they’re feeling the heat.
One step ahead of the TUC’s ‘cool work’ campaign which was announced today, ASDA has, for some years now, operated a more relaxed ‘no jacket required’ approach to business dress for colleagues based at its head office in Leeds.
Workers are able to loosen their top button and leave their jackets and ties at home, helping them to keep cool off as the weather hots up.
Notes for Editors
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
- 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
- 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.
