B&Q: There’s ‘something magical that AI will never replace’, but it can make people’s lives simpler

Part of Kingfisher plc, B&Q is a British DIY multinational retailer and it achieved £3.8 billion in sales in the last financial year.

Key to this business success is B&Q’s 21,000 employees.

The retail giant wants all of its people to not just have a job, but to have a career at B&Q.

“We want every colleague to feel they have the tools to perform at their best and deliver the best possible experience for our customers,” Vishal Thanki, Director of Talent & Culture at B&Q, tells UNLEASH in an exclusive interview.

This means keeping them safe from rising retail crime, keeping diversity and inclusion top of mind, plus, investing in AI tools and “a culture of continuous learning, career progression and long-term success in retail”, according to Thanki.

Let’s explore how B&Q is bringing this to life for its workers, especially in this AI-powered world of work.

Inside B&Q’s culture of continuous learning and long-term success

At the retail giant, its HR ethos is that “no matter your level, age, or background, learning is always encouraged and offered”, notes Thanki.

“We are all capable of using our previous experience to learn something new.”

In fact, B&Q’s apprenticeship program is nationally recognized – to date, 2,000 people have taken part, and they aren’t just for young people starting out in their careers.

For Thanki, the apprenticeship program “showcases our commitment to inclusivity, lifelong learning, and the accessibility of a rewarding retail career”.

In 2024, our graduating apprentices spanned six decades, ranging from 19 to 82-years-old.”

The retailer also has ‘stepping up’ programs that “support colleagues looking to move in a linear direction through the organization, giving them the leadership skills at the next level, setting them up for success”.

Thanki is really proud that “we’ve recently inducted our first Gen Z line manager, showing that the right individuals can learn, develop, and grown with us, regardless of age”.

Vishal Thanki, Director of Talent and Culture, B&Q

Some people don’t want linear career paths, they want lateral ones.

To support everyone’s choice of learning and development, B&Q has a Leadership and Learning platform; it’s “an open catalogue of learning to support every colleagues with their jobs”.

There’s also non work-related learning; Thanki shares an anecdote on this.

“I was in store last week and spoke to a colleague that has learnt how to play the guitar through our learning portal,” notes Thanki.

“Another colleague has now got a handle of their personal finances through a course they went on through our portal too.”

Overall, Thanki and B&Q are “proud of the longevity we have with our colleagues” – “it’s our duty to support them to grow with the business in whichever direction we are going”.

HR tech, AI and the future of work at B&Q

“Investment in our employees don’t just come in the form of training,” notes Thanki.

B&Q prides itself on being one of the highest paying retailers in the UK.

In April 2024, 15,000 workers received a wage boost, with the company increasing its minimum hourly rate for B&Q Customer Advisor by 8%.

In line with wider Kingfisher commitments, B&Q is committed to pay transparency and minimizing any gender pay gap. The current median gender pay gap across the UK business of Kingfisher is 0.8%.

B&Q is also investing in HR tech, and specifically AI tools, with a focus on efficiency. The aim is to help employees “spend less time on admin and more time focusing on providing excellent customer service”.

The retail giant has introduced a new shift management tool that gives workers “more flexibility and freedom”, while also ensuring store managers have confidence that they have enough staff in every shift.

The platform also helps to ensure “the shop floor is monitored at all time with enough physical support for colleagues to feel safe and supported” – ultimately, technology and AI is helping B&Q crack down on retail theft and better protect employees.

Looking ahead to the end of 2025 and over the next five years, B&Q is keen to remain people-first in this age of AI.

“We know that there is something magical that AI will never replace: serving our customers and delighting them with support for their project,” Thanki tells UNLEASH.

“We can absolutely make that journey simpler, but when you’re buying a kitchen you want to be speaking to a colleague and getting their experience, trends and emotions into their projects.”

Thanki continues: “We are focused on building a high-performance culture that creates an environment where everyone feels empowered to perform at their best”, all while also investing in new technologies.

Cybersecurity is top of mind to ensure that “our systems are as secure as possible” for B&Q, he concludes.