Homebase

Although run as an independent business, Homebase is part of the Home Retail Group.

Home Retail Group is the UK's leading home and general merchandise retailer with sales of over £5.5 billion in the last financial year. It sells products under two distinctive and complementary retail brands, Argos and Homebase, which are household names in the UK. Argos is a unique multi-channel retailer recognised for choice, value and convenience and is the UK's leading seller of general merchandise. Homebase is the UK's second largest home improvement retailer and is recognised for choice, style and customer service across the wider home enhancement market.

Home Retail Group employs approximately 51,000 people, and has 1,000 stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland and serves over 200 million customers a year.

Home Retail Group was demerged from its parent company, GUS plc, in October 2006.

Homebase is the second largest DIY brand in the UK, and is recognised for choice, style and customer service across the wider home enhancement market. The aim of Homebase is to help their customers realise their dream home. And to help their employees to realise their career dreams too.

Homebase operates from nearly 300 stores across the country, and are opening 10-15 new stores a year in an exciting store opening programme. Homebase are seeking people to help them guarantee that they are the destination store for great home and garden ideas, at super value, together with ‘best in class’ customer service.

Over the last couple of years Homebase have made huge improvements in areas such as customer service and availability, while introducing new ranges, promotions and advertising — thus improving the overall customer experience. DIY and Home ‘Enhancement’ are big news and even bigger business. Home ‘makeover’ programmes provide hours of daytime TV viewing every week. People are becoming ever more house proud, and visiting Homebase stores in greater numbers than ever before.

At the same time Homebase are continuing to upgrade existing stores- in particular by introducing mezzanine floors to introduce kitchens, bathrooms and furniture lines.

Homebase serve over 40,000 different products through 306 stores to 1.5 million customers every week. That’s 78 million customers a year- not bad when you think there are only 26 million homes in the UK.

Awarded the 2005 DIY Retailer of the year award at the National Home Awards, the company have devised a successful lifestyle store environment that constantly attracts new customers, and delights existing customers at every visit.

The success of Homebase is a team effort, with over 17,000 employees, and has been built on four values that underpin everything they do.

• We put the customer first
• I make a difference
• We make things easy
• We succeed through teamwork

These employees fill an enormous range of full and part-time jobs, and share the benefits of an overall success that is in every way a team effort.

External awards

Homebase were announced as winners at the HR Excellence Awards in 2006. This external award recognises the professionalism and leading edge approach to Homebase’s people strategy.

In 2006 Homebase won 'Britain's Best Superstore Manager of the Year' at Britain's Best Retailer Awards and in 2005 it was awarded DIY Retailer of the Year in the National Home Awards. Homebase was the first UK DIY retailer to achieve Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody certification.

Also Homebase have won awards for Ideas, the inspirational lifestyle magazine. Since its launch in 2002, Ideas has won accolades as Customer Magazine of the Year and Most Effective Consumer Publication.

Customer benefits

All customers are entitled to a Homebase Spend & Save card and over 4.5 million cards are in circulation. Card holders get at least 2% back on all purchases, rising to 10% depending on how much they spend.

In over 25 years of retailing the company have made the Homebase retail experience both an art form and a science. Homebase simply love retail. The only thing Homebase like better is putting a smile on the faces of those very happy customers.

Homebase are on a mission to make themselves the DIY Superstore of choice for discerning home owners looking to improve their lifestyle. It’s an exciting challenge – more people are owning more property than ever before and ‘lifestyle’ is their focus.

Employee benefits

In order to stay competitive Homebase need competitive people. People with good and new ideas, To stay competitive Homebase need competitive people. People with good and new ideas; people who respond to change and are not afraid to try things differently; people who like being on the team of people who champion the Homebase mission.

As Homebase ask for a special set of qualities, it’s only fair that they offer a special set of benefits in return. That’s why on top of a competitive salary, you’ll also enjoy a range of other perks.

• A minimum of 23 days’ annual holiday, increasing with length of service
• Contributory Pension Scheme
• Life Assurance (x3 pensionable salary)
• Employee Discount of 10% from day one on all Argos merchandise
• 20% off at Homebase following three months’ service
• Annual Sharesave Scheme
• Retail Trust (Confidential support and advice on a range of issues)
• Give As You Earn (Donate to charities tax free directly through payroll)
• Discount/Preferential Rates on various external schemes including – insurance and medical cover, holidays, home moving and car finding services
• Home Retail Group Childcare Scheme
• Voluntary Benefits Scheme is great discounts on top name brands, such as RAC, Dorothy Perkins, Thomas Cook and Legoland.
• LAWLINE (legal services and helpline available at a nominal cost) (This is not available in ROI)
• BUPA Employee Assistance Programme (Telephone counselling service operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving access to specialist confidential

Homebase is an ambitious business and they love ambitious people. Of course you’ll need to be focused and share the brand values and devotion to customer service, but retail is a people business and we know from experience that Homebase’s success is dependent on the success of those who work for them.

Career Development

Homebase can only meet their own growth plans by nurturing and growing their people. To do so Homebase have a clear and structured career progression that allows people to grow and develop into senior management positions in stores, and at Head Office.

The company loves promoting home-grown talent and aims to ensure that everybody who works for them has the opportunity to progress upwards through the business.

To do so Homebase have a special development programme called ‘Enhance’ that is inclusive and available to all. It takes a building block approach, and is owned by you as an individual, alongside line management and specialist support.

The bottom line is that at Homebase everyone is in the exciting and dynamic retail business together, working as a team. In this growing business there’s more than enough space for everybody to develop their skills and career prospects.

View all the retail jobs from Homebase »

McCarthy Recruitment is actively seeking to fill positions for this client.
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