Amazon to Hire Seasonal Workers in Bulk
While in-person retail shopping regains popularity, it is likely that a significant portion of holiday shopping will still be conducted online. Many retailers are already outlining online holiday deals, and this year’s Black Friday and December sales are expected to be exceptional. However, retailers are struggling with a shortage of workers as many seek better pay and benefits, prompting the need for extra incentives to keep up with the holiday shopping demand.
Amazon has revealed its plan to hire over 150,000 additional seasonal workers for this year’s holiday shopping season, marking a 50% increase from last year’s seasonal staff. The focus will be on recruiting more workers for tasks such as picking, scanning, and packing items at their warehouses, as well as loading them onto Prime trucks. To attract seasonal employees, Amazon will offer increased pay, with an average starting wage of $18 per hour and sign-on bonuses of up to $3,000. Depending on the warehouse, seasonal workers may also receive an extra $3 per hour.
Amazon aims to hire 150,000 seasonal workers amid labor shortage https://t.co/ipq0FSJ388 by @ines_ferre pic.com/vBhsbaxVIp
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“It’s a very competitive labor market out there. And certainly, the biggest contributor to inflationary pressures that we’re seeing in the business,” stated Brian Olsavsky, Amazon’s chief financial officer, in July. “We’re spending a lot of money on signing and incentives.”
Other major retail players are also ramping up hiring efforts, each with slightly different strategies. Walmart plans to hire 150,000 workers for permanent full-time positions. Target is adopting a hybrid approach, aiming to recruit 100,000 seasonal workers and 30,000 permanent employees.
