John Lewis initiates an unprecedented recruitment drive to bolster its workforce for the Christmas period, employing a record 12,500 temporary staff.
- The recruitment initiative represents the largest seasonal hiring in John Lewis’s history, surpassing previous years in scale.
- Increased hiring across its subsidiary, Waitrose, demonstrates a commitment to enhancing customer experience amid a surge in shopper activity.
- The roles, encompassing various positions from supermarket assistants to drivers, aim to support the busiest trading period of the year.
- John Lewis shows robust interest from potential employees, highlighting the attraction and excitement of being part of their festive operations.
John Lewis has embarked on its most extensive recruitment effort to date, bringing in 12,500 additional staff members to meet the demands of the upcoming Christmas season. This strategic move forms part of a broader initiative to enhance service and customer experience during what is traditionally the busiest time of the year for the retailer.
The company’s decision to significantly ramp up its workforce this year by adding 4,100 new positions across John Lewis, Waitrose, and its distribution network underscores the retailer’s proactive response to a marked increase in shopper numbers. Such a substantial hiring move aims to ensure that the services offered meet the heightened expectations of customers during the festive period.
Waitrose, a key component of John Lewis’s business, is set to begin hiring for 7,700 seasonal roles in the coming weeks. These roles will be spread across over 300 shops and will include positions such as supermarket assistants, night shift workers, and customer delivery drivers. This focused recruitment drive is pivotal to maintaining the operational efficiency required during the holiday rush.
Moreover, recruitment efforts for 2,000 temporary roles for the 34 John Lewis stores are already underway, with only a few positions still available. In addition to in-store positions, there are also 2,800 roles open in the supply chain sector, which include warehouse workers and drivers, emphasising the breadth of the recruitment initiative.
Charlotte Lock, John Lewis Partnership’s customer director, has emphasised the importance of their partners, stating, “Whether making sure you’re choosing the right headphones or wanting inspirational food ideas for entertaining, we know customers value the independent, trusted advice they get from our partners and that friendly, personal touch.” The early enthusiasm for these roles indicates a strong desire among applicants to engage with the brand during this festive season.
John Lewis’s extensive seasonal hiring underscores its commitment to customer service excellence during peak trading periods.
