Marks and Spencer has modified its policies for working on Boxing Day, affecting numerous employees. According to internal documents reviewed by the Guardian, all staff members are now required to work on either December 26, 27, or 28. In a departure from the past five years when volunteers were sought, approximately a quarter of store employees will now be scheduled to work solely on Boxing Day. Those who prefer not to work on that day must take it off as holiday. While all major M&S stores will remain closed on Boxing Day, the company aims to have more staff present to prepare for reopening on December 27.

It has been indicated that over 40% of permanent and 30% of seasonal M&S employees did not work on key days. Staff are also expected to be available for work on December 22, 23, and 24 in the lead-up to Christmas.

Jayne Wall, the operations director at M&S, expressed appreciation for colleagues who contribute to the festive shopping experience for customers. She mentioned that, typically, some employees are on duty on Boxing Day for store preparations, but this year will see an increased workforce to ensure a smooth reopening on December 27.

M&S had started the practice of keeping its stores closed on Boxing Day in December 2020 as a gesture of gratitude towards staff for their efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year, the decision to keep stores closed aimed to provide employees with an extended break to spend time with family.

The changes in working policies were implemented before a cyber attack in April, which is anticipated to cost the company around £300 million. The incident, detected over the Easter weekend, impacted payment systems, including contactless transactions, and caused disruptions to click and collect services. The attack also affected logistics and distribution, leading to temporary shortages on store shelves. While customer data was compromised, M&S advised caution if contacted by individuals claiming to represent the company. Jayne Wall reassured customers that there is no evidence of data being shared and that sensitive financial information was not accessed.

Shoppers were advised that the stolen data did not include actionable payment details or account passwords.