B&Q

Founded in 1969 by Richard Block and David Quayle, the first B&Q store opened in Southampton the same year.

With more than 40,000 great-value products all under one roof, B&Q strive to offer everything you need to successfully achieve your home improvement and DIY projects. More than three million customers walk through the doors every week.

B&Q are the leading home improvement and garden centre retailer in Europe and the third largest in the world, with more than 60 stores opened internationally, including B&Q Beijing, which is now the largest B&Q store in the world. They currently have 321 stores in the UK and 9 stores in Ireland.

Our eco flagship store is located in New Malden and boasts innovative developments such as 108 underground bore holes, 100 metres deep which heat and cool the store with energy from the earth, rainwater harvesting, solar thermal water heating panels and a green roof planted with sedum.

For the financial year ending 31/01/09 their retail sales were £3.8 billion with profit of £106 million.

Parent Company

B&Q are part of Kingfisher plc, Europe's leading home improvement retail group and the third largest in the world.

Euan Sutherland is CEO of B&Q and Kingfisher UK Division.

B&Q Values, or 'how we do things' are five statements that sum up the personality of B&Q and its employees:

• Customer first
• Down to earth
• Respect for people
• We can do it
• Nobody does it better

These values illustrate what they stand for - both for each other and for customers

Having a diverse workforce is important for B&Q. Not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it also makes business sense.

To understand their customers, it helps if their people are just as diverse. B&Q's diversity policy relates to gender, race, age and ability.

They like to employ people from every kind of background. It gives them different perspectives - and a much richer mix of experience. It also means there better equipped to understand the needs and priorities of all their customers.

Awards

B&Q are proud to be have been recognised for their achievements:

In 2006, B&Q was one of only two retailers to make the Top 50 Places Where Women Want To Work, and has continued this achievement for the fourth consecutive year.  

They have also earned a reputation for employing older workers, because they want to let their customers tap into their lifetime of knowledge and experience.

 Recognised by work-life balance charity Working Families as one of the top 20 organisations whose initiative and example has made positive change happen for working families.

 Awarded to B&Q for the third year running, B&Q are the only UK business to receive the award. The Gallup Great Workplace Award is based on the most rigorous workplace research ever conducted and honours organisations whose employee engagement results demonstrate they have the most productive and engaged workforces in the World.

Working for B&Q

Working in this team demands a great attitude and bags of enthusiasm. If you have the right attitude, there are a diverse range of opportunities from customer advisor roles to home design consultants, right through to specialist trade roles, such as electricians.

Trevor Cox- Store Manager

B&Q are always looking for spirited and talented individuals that can add real value to our business. They embrace a real can-do spirit with down to earth values that are supported at all levels. I chose B&Q because it gives you such a varied and value filling experience, with so many career opportunities to explore and numerous roles to play.

A big part of my job is improving and maintaining the company's sales and profit by inspiring and engaging the store team, and to help support the company vision and strategy and add real value to our customers. There are many avenues available to staff who want to improve this. With many fast track schemes, talent development and internal reviews within the business there is the reassurance that there is a real desire to progress individuals.

The best thing about working for B&Q is definitely the people. It is easy to make B&Q fit in with your life with an excellent reward scheme with bonuses and benefits. The more you put into your role the more reward you will get out.

Opportunities at Store Support Office

Providing essential support to all the stores nationwide, there are more than 1000 people working behind the scenes at the dynamic Store Support Office in Chandlers Ford, Southampton. Located only an hour away by train from London, and close to Winchester, Salisbury and Chichester.

Relocation assistance is given to eligible colleagues who have to move home to take up their dream position.

Store Management Opportunities

Keeping the stores running smoothly day-to-day is no easy task. Whether you’re a Trading Manager, Stock Manager, Service Manager, General Manager or Human Resources Advisor, you’ll need to lead by example, inspire your team and most of all, deliver results. Keeping the customer at the centre of your day, you’ll find the job satisfaction and rewards are second to none.

Growing With B&Q

B&Q will provide you with all the training you need. Whether you work full or part-time, the company structured training programmes will help you learn and develop, enabling you to be successful in the role you do.

The company take the career progression of their people very seriously. The training and development offered reflects the business's strategic requirement of engaging and developing its people in order to develop a world class people capability. Wherever you work, you’ll enjoy all the training and development you need to succeed both personally and professionally.

A company University provides at the Store Support Office exists to set people up to succeed, to build capability, and to develop potential.

Diversity & Equal Opportunities

B&Q’s success is down to the many employees and customers that work and shop with them.

The company strongly believes that a diverse workforce creates a mix of talents that makes the company such a success. More than 1,200 B&Q staff speak over 60 different languages, with many being multilingual.

From products and working practices to store layouts and training, B&Q continue to promote equality of opportunity in everything they do, so there are no barriers for anybody who wants to be part of the B&Q team.

Rewards & Benefits

As well as supporting you to grow and develop your talent, they will ensure you feel proud of where you work and what you do. B&Q rewards its managers and their teams with an exceptional range of benefits, including:

• Competitive salary and annual merit reviews
• World Class management bonus scheme
• Store Team Bonus
• Kingfisher Pension Scheme
• BUPA cover (Store and General managers)
• Life assurance
• Kingfisher Sharesave Scheme
• 5 weeks' paid holiday
• Kingfisher Discount Card - 20% discount in B&Q stores
• Range of preferential discounts on selected major products and services, e.g. BUPA, cars, motor insurance, holidays, etc.
• Wide ranging opportunities as B&Q continues to open stores across the UK, Republic of Ireland and internationally
• Strong commitment to training and developing people

Working at the Store Support Office you’ll enjoy the following additional benefits:

• An annual variable bonus linked to overall Company performance of 0-4%
• BUPA medical cover (grade 7 and above)
• Management Bonus Scheme (grade 8 and above)
• Executive Shares (grade 8 and above)
• Company car (dependant on role)
• Life insurance
• Active policy of promotion within B&Q
• Free park and ride facilities
• Subsidised restaurant

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