<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/office" rel="" target="_blank" title="Officeworks"><span>Officeworks</span></a><span> will offshore hundreds of local jobs to India and the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/philippines" rel="" target="_blank" title="Philippines"><span>Philippines</span></a><span> as part of the retailer's $15 million cost-saving restructure, which had been previously flagged after the brand's sluggish half-yearly results.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Parent company Wesfarmers informed dozens of staff at its call centre in Western Sydney this week that their </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/redundancies-australia-jacques-bergh-dealing-with-redundancy-exclusive/9a8c37d8-7d97-4369-8c35-50aafbbaab3f" rel="" target="_blank" title="roles were now redundant"><span>roles were now redundant</span></a><span> and announced the team would be replaced with a centre in Manila.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Other office roles based in Sydney and Melbourne will also be moved to Bengaluru in southern </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/india-news" rel="" target="_blank" title="India"><span>India</span></a><span> later this year.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/asio-warning-mps-public-servants-over-talking-in-cars/eebc376f-06cd-4f53-9d57-1824eb47c047" target="_blank"><strong><span>Spy boss warns MPs about talking in cars</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/real-estate-bodies-say-federal-budget-will-increase-rent/fb13f81a-2699-4226-842e-f77544235f5e" target="_blank"><strong><span>Rents to jump 350 per cent under budget measures, modelling shows</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A spokesperson for Officeworks confirmed it had made a "difficult" decision that forms part of a "significant business transformation program, so we can continue to offer customers low prices".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"With rising costs, increasing competition and rapidly changing customer expectations, this transformation is critical to strengthening our growth, resilience and competitiveness in a fast-evolving retail landscape," the spokesperson told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/officeworks-offshores-jobs-overseas-to-philippines-and-india/f2676351-44cf-44d1-899a-f1df17547041" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As part of this program, some activities currently performed in our Australian support office will transition to a new global centre in Bengaluru to support our stores and support offices."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is difficult for affected team members, who will be supported with redundancy entitlements alongside redeployment opportunities and outplacement support where possible."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Officeworks employs over 9000 people in Australia and operates 175 stores.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The retailer delivered underwhelming half-year earnings in February, with a 21.8 per cent drop compared to the corresponding period, which Wesfarmers said was due to the one-off $15 million transition to a "low-cost operating model".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/real-estate-bodies-say-federal-budget-will-increase-rent/fb13f81a-2699-4226-842e-f77544235f5e" target="_blank"><strong><span>Rents to jump 350 per cent under budget measures, modelling shows</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Officeworks commenced a significant transformation program during the half, with the business transitioning to a low-cost operating model to support low prices for customers and drive sustainable earnings growth," Wesfarmers said in February.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The earnings result includes $15 million in costs associated with Officeworks' transformation program.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"These costs largely reflect the impact of restructuring activities and ERP-related costs, which are important initiatives for Officeworks' transition to a low-cost operating model."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wesfarmers' high-performing flagship brands Kmart and Bunnings, meanwhile, helped buoy the company's overall revenue by 3.1 per cent to $24.212 million.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/artificial-intelligence" rel="" target="_blank" title="Artificial intelligence"><span>Artificial intelligence</span></a><span> (AI) is understood to be a key factor in the decision to restructure Officeworks and offshore some of its departments.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wesfarmers said it had accelerated its adoption of AI during the most recently reported earnings period.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Automation will help support team member productivity, driven contact centre efficiency and "enhanced customer experience," the retail giant said.</span></div></div>