Aussie retail juggernaut slashes hundreds of local jobs
Officeworks will offshore hundreds of local jobs to India and the Philippines as part of the retailer’s $15 million cost-saving restructure, which had been previously flagged after the brand’s sluggish half-yearly results.
Parent company Wesfarmers informed dozens of staff at its call centre in Western Sydney this week that their roles were now redundant and announced the team would be replaced with a centre in Manila.
Other office roles based in Sydney and Melbourne will also be moved to Bengaluru in southern India later this year.
Hundreds of jobs will be sent overseas as part of the restructure.(Supplied)

In a strategic move to bolster its market position, Officeworks began a comprehensive transformation initiative, as announced by Wesfarmers earlier this year. This shift focuses on adopting a low-cost operational model aimed at maintaining competitive pricing for customers while ensuring long-term earnings growth.

The transformation has incurred a $15 million expenditure, primarily linked to restructuring efforts and the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. These steps are seen as crucial for guiding Officeworks towards a more cost-effective operational framework.

Elsewhere within Wesfarmers’ portfolio, standout brands like Kmart and Bunnings have continued to perform exceptionally well. Their success has contributed to a 3.1 percent increase in Wesfarmers’ overall revenue, bringing the total to $24.212 million.

During the latest earnings period, Wesfarmers has also accelerated its integration of artificial intelligence technologies. This advance in automation is expected to enhance team productivity, improve efficiency in contact centers, and elevate the overall customer experience, according to the company.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is understood to be a key factor in the decision to restructure Officeworks and offshore some of its departments.

Wesfarmers said it had accelerated its adoption of AI during the most recently reported earnings period.

Automation will help support team member productivity, driven contact centre efficiency and “enhanced customer experience,” the retail giant said.

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