Lowe’s leaders share plans to support associates and customers
Over the past several weeks, our associates have worked around the clock to ensure our customers, first responders and government officials have access to the essential products and services they need to keep their families safe, their businesses running and their communities healthy during this time.
Earlier today, we shared an update that expanded our COVID-19 response commitment to $170 million and detailed additional actions being made in all U.S. stores to protect and provide for our associates and customers.
Joe McFarland, Lowe’s executive vice president, stores, shared more about our plans to support associates and customers.
What are some of the additional actions Lowe’s is taking to support its associates?
First off, I’d like to thank each of our 300,000 associates for their efforts to keep our stores open and safe so customers can continue to shop for the essential products they need most. We recognize the hard work of our associates and announced a temporary $2 an hour wage increase for all full-time, part-time and seasonal hourly associates at Lowe’s stores, contact centers and supply chain facilities in the U.S. and Canada for the month of April.
On March 31, all hourly associates received a special payment to recognize their tireless efforts to serve customers and communities, and to help those who may be experiencing unplanned expenses during this time. Full-time associates received $300 and part-time associates received $150.
We continue to offer associates 14-day of emergency paid leave for all associates who need it, whether that’s because they feel sick or because they are facing new hardships like closed schools and daycares.
Last week, we announced extended paid leave up to a total of four weeks for those at a higher risk for severe illness.
Our associates are the heart of our company, and we continue to keep their health and well-being at the center of our decision-making.
What are some of the latest safety measures Lowe’s is putting in place to protect its associates and customers?
We know our customers are depending on us for urgent, critical needs during this time and have rolled our new operational efforts to protect the safety and well-being of our associates and customers.
We will be closing all stores at 7 p.m. daily to ensure additional time to replenish essential products and thoroughly clean and sanitize our stores. We also increased third-party cleaning shifts to provide incremental cleaning to our stores, beyond already enhanced daily efforts.
We are making masks and gloves available to all associates in the workplace who want them, and as previously shared, all N95 masks were placed on a stop-sale and being donated to hospitals to protect frontline healthcare workers.
In our stores, we enhanced our social distancing protocols by adding dedicated social distancing ambassadors who will be responsible for monitoring customer flow in our garden centers and front-end areas and enforce customer limits to allow proper social distancing. This reinforcement builds on the overhead announcements and store signage that emphasize the importance of social distancing. We also develop an app to implement a new customer protocol on all associate devices so store managers can now monitor for traffic and limit entrance based on CDC and local guidelines.
We made substantial updates to our store floor layouts. We opened up aisles and removed displays to further support the CDC’s guidelines for social distancing. We also were one of the first retailers to install customized plexiglass shields at all points of sale to protect our cashiers and associates working at the return desk.
Our associates have my commitment that we will continue to make operational changes to protect our team and our customers.
How is your team adjusting to the situation?
I’m so proud of our team. I firmly believe that we are a company built by our people, who consistently jump into action to serve our neighbors when disaster or crisis strikes, and this crisis has been no different. We see heroes in red vests every day, providing the essential products and services our customers need so they can stay safely at home.
For the latest information about Lowe’s response efforts, please visit our newsroom.
