H&M is slashing 150 jobs as it closes call centre in Scotland

It is understood that workers at the call centre’s Waverley Gate office were made aware of a proposal to close the building in August due to the expiry of the lease in 2025, as first reported by the BBC.

In documents seen by BBC Scotland, employees were reportedly given two weeks’ notice of redundancy.

It is also understood that workers entitled to more notice than standard would be paid in lieu.

H&M employees also said that a meeting to announce the dismissals was over “within five minutes”, leaving impacted employees “in shock”.

Consultations are understood to have been held with employees between September and November this year.

H&M confirmed to Retail Week that the number of staff members impacted has reduced due to taking on alternative roles within the business.

Operations at the call centre are set to conclude on December 14, 2024, prior to the closure of the site in March next year.

A H&M spokesperson said: “We constantly evaluate how we operate to ensure that we deliver on our goals and contribute to the overall success of the company.   

“Having looked into the scope of our customer service set-up, increased competition in the market, our customers changing behaviours and expectations and operational costs, we have made the difficult decision to proceed with the proposed closure of our customer service site in Edinburgh by the end of the year.

“These decisions are not made lightly and unfortunately the closure will result in valued colleagues leaving the company.

“As the process has continued, the number of affected colleagues has reduced through securing alternative roles through redeployment, as well as colleagues securing alternative employment elsewhere and electing to leave voluntarily. However, 150 colleagues will be leaving the company by the end of the year.”