Officeworks was rebranded in 2008 and reworked its logo, uniforms, store names, and « Lowest Prices Everyday » slogan. This positioned Officeworks as a low-cost warehouse, similar to that of its sister company, Bunnings Warehouse. Officeworks also adopted the « Low Price Guarantee, » similar to that of Bunnings, where Officeworks offered to beat the price of an identical item from a competitor by 5%. In 2011, Officeworks severed its relationship with paper supplier APRIL because the paper supplier allegedly illegally cut down Indonesian forests. [6] Ben Hamer: And how do you define some of these new ways of working that are moving forward? Sarah Hunter: Well, like PwC, we listened a lot to our team. So listen to our team, ask for them, get their feedback and ask the entire company, not just our help desk, you know what would work for them? Definitely putting security at the heart of our decision-making and understanding what we can do, what`s best-in-class, how it works best for us in our stores, CFCs (Customer Fulfillment Centers) and support centers, and then be honest that it`s a learning journey for us. This will require different leadership. It will require us to try it on, try it on almost like new clothes and find new ways to work. In February, we told our team that we were going to launch Flex Feb, and Flex Feb aims to try new ways of working that will hopefully allow and educate us on how best to find the right balance in terms of flexibility and enable what our team is telling us and how they want to work. But really, honestly, business with a willingness to allow Australia and was with a willingness to allow Australia to work and learn safely at home. And now, looking to the future, how can we take a leadership role in the future of work and enable employers and employees to work flexibly? I think our team is telling us they want to do it. So there are many opportunities for us, and not just in terms of what has happened in the last nine months. In February 2018, Officeworks updated its tagline to « Making Bigger Things Happen » to reinforce the fact that they are there to support customers by offering a wide range of products at low prices and with excellent service.
In late 2006, Officeworks opened its 100th store in South Yarra, a few miles from its first store in Richmond.[11] Following Wesfarmers` purchase of Coles Group in November 2007, Officeworks and Harris Technology were integrated into Wesfarmers` Home Improvement and Office Supplies division. So it was an incredible achievement; Within a week, we sold them and thousands of these plexiglass screens across the country to keep Australia safe. Therefore, I think the recognition that safety must be at the heart of all decisions has been a leitmotif for us until 2020. And to be honest, that was until 2019 and it will be 2021. We just needed to change the way we think about what safety means to best enable this work environment, and that will continue to change as COVID-19 evolves. Sarah Hunter: You first heard it here, and then let`s see how we do on LinkedIn and Instagram if we can do #FlexFeb across Australia. In June 2015, Officeworks opened a « 3D Experience » center with 3D printers and scanners for sale, as well as 3D printing and scanning services, at its Russell Street store in Melbourne. [9] Sarah Hunter: Maybe not changed forever, but we`ve certainly changed a very long time ago in terms of health and safety. I think we`ve also changed a lot in the way we want to shop, how we embrace interaction and connection with people. And I think certainly in my sales, I`ve seen, cleaning and hygiene was hundreds of thousands, small, hundreds of thousands of dollars a week in the pre-COVID-19 sales category. It is now in the category of millions of dollars after COVID-19 per week. The first Officeworks store opened on June 16, 1994 in the downtown suburb of Richmond, Melbourne.
As of 2021, Australia has 4 stores in ACT, 52 stores in New South Wales, 1 store in the Northern Territory, 31 stores in Qld, 10 stores in South Africa, 2 stores in Tas, 51 stores in Vic and 17 stores in Western Australia. [5] Ben Hamer: Thank you for listening to this episode of Exploring the future of work with PwC Australia. For more in-depth analysis, visit pwc.com/future Work/Reflection where you will find our latest report. « Thinking Beyond: How the Pandemic Reconnects a New World of Work. » This podcast miniseries reveals the insights of industry experts so we can work together to create a future that works for everyone. To make sure you don`t miss any episodes, subscribe to this podcast series via Apple, Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast. And while you`re at it, feel free to give us a rating or review. And 2021 is already looking up, because we have the second season in preparation for you. So stay tuned. My name is Ben Hamer and you listened to Exploring the future of work with PwC Australia. Thank you for joining us and saying goodbye. Ben Hamer: And I think one of the other things I hear from clients is the challenge of well-being at work from home, because we hear about increased coverage or instances of isolation, loneliness and potential burnout. Our own employees told us that more than half of people feel their workload has increased, and this is a feeling that is reflected in other organizations as well.
And while you can`t always see someone face to face, it can be pretty hard to find clues, and especially if you`re working from home, the line between work and personal life is pretty blurred. Do you have any ideas on what leaders can or should do to promote the well-being of their employees? Sarah Hunter: It`s interesting because I really said that a few years ago and now that you`re playing it for me, it`s amazing how random it probably sounded. I think the reality is that with the level of disruption and change that has been happening in society for many, many years, with the advancement of technology, those words were clearly true a few years ago and probably a few years ago, but this year or 2020 really resonates because the pace of what`s changing. and have just accelerated the pace of disruption so immensely. I really feel like we had three to four years of change in my business in 2020 in just eight to nine months. Sarah Hunter: But it`s not about COVID-19 either. As a normal person and as a genuine leader, I don`t get out of bed to do anything else. So I don`t see any other way COVID-19 or no way COVID-19, 2020 or not 2020.
