BA still carries alot of outdated 'personnel' baggage from the heavily militant, unionised 1970's including alot of outdated work practices.
Compare BA to Virgin/AA/Iberia etc on a pilot to LH/SH airframe basis and they all come up roughly the same. Pilots have always been hunted and trimmed by management as they are the most expensive PAYE employee.
BA is streamlined from a pilotage perspective however they are very fat in other departments (no pun intended!).
Easyjet/Ryanair out source a vast amount of their handling/cleaning etc. BA don't. Also comparing SH to LH is a non starter as the requirements are totally different.
Painful days to come but that applies to the industry not just BA.