Aims to be one of the best employers in retail to help attract new talent
Jollyes, the fast-growing nationwide pet superstore, is treating its team as top dogs for their pawsome work after unveiling an array of new benefits for its own colleagues.
The firm, which is now trading from 90 stores across the UK and employs over 1,000 colleagues, is constantly thinking of new ways to make working at Jollyes even more rewarding.
New perks include a ‘top dog’ scheme, which will run across the business. Every colleague will be provided nomination cards which they write and hand out to colleagues who deserve a little recognition.
What’s more winners will get a ‘Cat Nap Day’ for them to enjoy a day off on Jollyes along with a badge and a certificate.
Jollyes’ HR Manager Linda Pandeli announcing the new colleague package at the Jollyes 2023 conference – Image Credit Professional Images/@ProfImages
Other Jollyes benefits that have been introduced include:
- Birthday leave – a day off on a colleague’s special day
- A ‘pet-eternity’ day for colleagues getting a new pet in the family
- Wedding / civil partnership – a week off for all colleagues on full pay when they get married
- Enhanced paternity leave – two weeks of full pay for new parents
- Enhanced maternity leave – Jollyes parents can now get full pay for six weeks for maternity leave
- A gift when colleagues have a baby, including through fostering or adoption
- An enhanced 20 per cent discount off all Jollyes services
- A discount for a partner or friend – after three months working at Jollyes, colleagues can nominate a second person to get an in-store discount
- Lifetime discount – after 20 years’ service a colleague will qualify for a discount for life
- New long service award badges for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years’ service – Jollyes has some of the most loyal colleagues in retail with a dozen colleagues on the payroll for over 25 years
These are all in addition to all of the package of benefits colleagues currently enjoy with big discounts at a number of partner retailers.
Jollyes’ chief executive officer Joe Wykes said:
“Our colleagues are at the heart of our business – our customers rely on them for their knowledge and experience and love how they support the pets in their family.
“We’re building a package of support that reflects the importance of their work and commitment to our business – part of our aspiration to have some of the best benefits in retail.
“Our colleagues go the extra mile to make Jollyes a special place for customers – and that’s why we’re doing more to help colleagues celebrate the major milestones in their lives from celebrating weddings to civil partnerships, becoming a mum or dad – and of course, getting a new pet!
“Following a great year for the business, it’s another way for us to thank our colleagues’ hard work and help us recruit the best people for dream jobs working with animals as we look to open even more stores in 2023.”
In June, Jollyes confirmed that it has completed a record-breaking financial year and now intends to accelerate growth as it brings its offer to more communities across the UK.
Sales in the current financial year broke through the £100 million threshold, rising 33 per cent from £87 million in the 2022 financial year to £115.5 million in the year to 29 May 2023. Like-for-like sales also grew by 17 per cent over the full year, over double the market which grew at eight per cent.
The increase in turnover continues through a mix of higher sales at existing stores, new openings and acquisitions, and rising digital demand for home delivery and click and collect services.
Jollyes is now trading from 90 stores across the UK, opening 13 new locations in the current financial year. It will open new stores in Swindon, Wiltshire and Belfast Northern Ireland at the end of this month.
