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Book retailers say they have been able to cope in recent weeks despite the Omicron wave hitting staff, while most UK publishers continue to ask people to work from home and keep their offices open for employees who need them.
High street chains reported higher staff absences than usual due to Omicron, but the majority were able to keep their stores open to trade as normal. None of the retailers contacted by The Bookseller have any vaccination policies in place. Last week it was reported that Ocado and Next have cut sick pay for unvaccinated staff who must self-isolate because of Covid-19 exposure.
A spokesperson for Waterstones said: "Thankfully, our shops have managed successful through the staff absences due to the Omicron variant. Over the Christmas period we were able to keep all our shops open and trading normally and continue to do so. We strongly encourage vaccination for our all our staff but have not adopted a policy like that of Next and others. Frankly, we have found our booksellers to be exceptionally sensible and professional, and to be keeping our bookshops as safe a shopping environment for our customers and working one for themselves as possible."
Blackwell’s said it had "no major issues owing to staff absences due to Omicron since late December and we do not have or intend to have any vaccination policies".
A spokesperson for The Works said it saw "higher-than-usual staff absences" across its stores and distribution centres throughout December and into the New Year as a result of the Omicron variant, but stressed "even at its peak our absence rate was no higher than the overall rates of people isolating in the UK". It added: "We are pleased that absence rates have improved in the past week and that lots of our colleagues are back at work doing the job they love."
The retailer borrowed team members from neighbouring stores to "overcome resourcing challenges" adding: "While we hope that we are over the worst of this we will continue to take a cautious approach, which is why all of our safety protocols — including maintaining social distancing where possible, hand washing and mask wearing – remain in place.
“We recognise the importance of the vaccination programme in fighting this disease but believe this is a matter of personal choice and therefore do not have a mandatory vaccination policy for our colleagues. We have encouraged all of our staff to take time out of work to get vaccinated if that is their preference.”
A number of publishers told The Bookseller most staff were not in the office and they would wait and see what the government says on 26th January when it is due to reassess restrictions, amid press reports most Covid-19 rules will be lifted.
Penguin Random House (PRH) said all of its office-based staff are currently working from home, but there are some exceptions for people whose roles require them to be on site, such as those working in facilities or in recording studios, or staff for whom working from home is challenging, either from a practical or mental wellbeing perspective.
A spokesperson said they were awaiting the government’s next review "and will make any changes in step with that" and stressed, that although there have been some staff absences due to Omicron, "this has not significantly impacted the business".
Quarto indicated it would be taking a similar approach. A spokesperson told The Bookseller: "We are following government guidelines and are encouraging people to work from home. Our offices remain open and people can come in if/when they need to. Some people have had Covid-19, but thankfully everyone is doing well, and so far the impact of has been manageable."
Bloomsbury closed its offices on 13th December following the government’s advice to work from home, but reopened with limited access on 10th January "to provide an option to work for colleagues who are uncomfortable working at home". Bloomsbury staff who wish to work from the office are required to have had two Covid-19 vaccinations plus a booster vaccine.
A spokesperson said: "Our decision on full reopening will be guided by a number of factors including the new government review expected from 26th January. The safety of our staff remains our number one priority. We have been supporting staff who have contracted Covid-19 and Omicron including through our company doctor as we have done throughout the pandemic."
Bonnier Books UK staff are also continuing to work remotely and it has no new plans yet, saying it is prioritising staff wellbeing and safety and "where people have been affected by Covid, we ensure we offer as much support as possible”.
Hachette UK is also asking all staff to work from home until at least the 26th January though its office has remained open for those who need it. It will go back to its model of three days in the office, two days from home "as soon as" it is able. It is also understood that HarperCollins staff are working from home, but offices are open for those who need to attend the office for essential tasks or personal reasons.