Reorganisation

In March 2005, the Company announced plans for a major investment in the O2 'customer experience', including the opening of a fourth call centre in Glasgow, UK.

The plan will involve recruitment of 2,000 new retail and customer service employees over the next two years, offset by the rationalisation of activities in non-customer facing areas and the reduction of up to 500 permanent managerial and administrative roles.

Year-to-year permanent employment growth (5 increase in 2004/05)

Any process of reorganisation is unsettling and we have learnt that it is essential to try and minimise uncertainty. We consult actively with trade unions and employee representatives and aim to communicate openly and often with everyone affected throughout the process. Much of this communication was led by O2 UK Directors face-to-face or in audio calls. The bulk of the job losses will be in areas such as the UK's Human Resources, Marketing, Technology Solutions and Operations functions. Our objective is to support those leaving the Company by offering redundancy terms that exceed the statutory minimum and to give them added support, such as CV surgeries and job-seeking workshops.

Length of service (years)