Barclays Bank is to axe 800 back office, support and IT jobs in a major restructuring of its retail banking operations that will also see the creation of 1000 new customer-facing jobs in the UK branch network.
The action follow the formation of UK Banking in January, which brought together three separate businesses - Personal Customers, Business Banking and Premier Banking.
The bank says the objective is to reduce head office and back office costs and re-invest savings in the people, fabric and equipment in the branch network.
Savings are being delivered by driving out duplication across the back office, support functions and associated IT functions within UK Banking. Job reductions will primarily be at management levels plus associated support staff, says the bank.
At the same time, Barclays has hired 200 new branch staff over the past few weeks and is currently recruiting for a further 800 staff.
These steps build on previous work, such as the introduction of quick pay point machines, which are aimed at enhancing customer service.
Roger Davis, chief executive of UK Banking says the pace of change, particularly focused on those areas of the business that directly serve customers, will accelerate in 2004.
"There is much more to do to ensure that we deliver excellent service and value for money consistently to all our customers," he says. "We have made a start with the additional 1000 customer-facing staff, and are also doing much to improve pay rates at the front line to aid recruitment, retention and leadership."