Sainsbury’s and Tesco have become the latest retailers to announce their recruitment plans for the festive period.
Sainsbury’s is looking to hire 22,000 temporary workers for Christmas, a 22% increase on last year, with it boosting its seasonal staff intake earlier than usual.
Amid shortages in the UK labour, Sainsbury’s has improved staff perks for the festive season, with an increased staff discount and free food during shifts.
“With Christmas just around the corner, we’re gearing up to serve our customers brilliantly this festive season,” said Prerana Issar, Chief People Officer at Sainsbury’s.
“This is the busiest time in the retail calendar, and we are looking for people with a passion for good food who can thrive in a fast-paced environment and are committed to providing brilliant customer service.”
Meanwhile, Tesco announced today that it was looking for 30,000 temporary workers across the UK. The retailer noted that when the seasonal demand period comes to an end, there may be opportunities for Christmas staff to apply for any permanent roles available in its stores.
“This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to boost their earnings over the festive period or who needs to find a route back into the workplace,” said Tesco people director, James Goodman.
On Tuesday, Kantar noted that the unusually warm September and early October weather had delayed early sales of Christmas food.
Amazon UK said this week that it had started recruiting for more than 15,000 seasonal roles, while Morrisons and Aldi are hiring 3,500 and 3,000 extra staff respectively.
NAM Implications:
- Obviously a means of strengthening Christmas coverage.
- But also a way of trialling potential permanent staff.
