Lululemon cuts 100 part-time customer care roles as it shifts to full-time staffing
The athletic retailer eliminated 100 part-time roles in its Guest Education Centre and says it will rely on full-time staff for customer care. The move comes amid leadership changes and founder unrest.
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By Torontoer Staff
Lululemon has cut 100 part-time jobs tied to its Guest Education Centre as the company shifts its customer care operation to a full-time staffing model. The Vancouver-based retailer said the change is intended to better support customers and optimise the business.
The Guest Education Centre handles customer calls, emails and live chats across North America. Past job listings describe the hub as managing more than 10,000 customer contacts a day, with staff working remotely or from Lululemon’s Vancouver offices.
What the change means for the Guest Education Centre
Under the new model, the centre will rely on full-time employees instead of part-time staff. Lululemon framed the change as a way to provide more consistent service and to streamline operations, though the company has not released a timeline for hiring full-time replacements.
For customers, a full-time team could translate to more continuity across channels and fewer handoffs between agents. For the business, the shift may be aimed at reducing turnover, standardising training, and centralising expertise within the contact centre.
We are shifting the centre to a full-time employee model to better support customers and optimise the business.
Lululemon
Impact on workers and hiring
The roles that were cut were described by Lululemon as part-time. The company did not disclose how many, if any, of the affected workers will be offered full-time positions or the terms of any severance or transition support. Workers at the Guest Education Centre have historically worked remotely or from Vancouver, and job postings show the roles involved responding to large volumes of customer inquiries.
- Lululemon has not published figures on planned full-time hires for the centre.
- Details on severance or rehire offers for displaced part-time staff were not provided.
- Affected roles handled a high daily volume of customer calls, emails and live chats.
Why the company is making the move now
The staffing change comes as Lululemon navigates broader leadership and governance shifts. The company is searching for a replacement for departing CEO Calvin McDonald, and founder Chip Wilson has publicly pushed for changes to the board. Investors are watching corporate moves closely; the company’s stock has traded lower amid the recent developments.
Operational adjustments in customer care are common when retailers reassess service models and labour needs. For Lululemon, the change may reflect a strategy to prioritise continuity and specialised expertise as the brand seeks to maintain customer experience during executive turnover.
What this means for people in retail and customer service
A move toward full-time staffing can tighten access to flexible, part-time opportunities that many people use to supplement income or balance other commitments. Job seekers with experience in high-volume customer support, strong written communication skills for chat and email, and familiarity with remote contact-centre tools will be better positioned if Lululemon advertises new full-time roles.
- Update your resume to highlight chat and email support experience.
- Emphasise previous work with CRM or contact-centre systems.
- Consider applying for remote roles, as the centre has employed remote staff in the past.
Community groups and employment services may be able to help displaced part-time workers with upskilling and job search support, though Lululemon has not indicated company-led programmes for those affected.
What to watch next
Lululemon has not provided a detailed timetable for the transition or the number of full-time hires planned. Investors and labour-watchers will likely look for further disclosure on staffing levels, any human-resources support for laid-off workers, and whether the company will expand full-time headcount in other customer-facing areas.
As Lululemon continues its executive search and responds to governance pressure from its founder, operational moves like this one will be scrutinised for both their immediate impact on employees and their longer-term influence on customer experience.
For now, Lululemon says the change is intended to improve service through a more stable workforce, while the company, stakeholders and affected employees await more details on how the new model will be implemented.
Lululemoncustomer serviceretail jobslabourcorporate governance
