Sainsbury’s has become the latest grocer to kick off its seasonal recruitment drive.
The supermarket is on the hunt to fill 20,000 roles across Sainsbury’s stores and distribution network, and a further 2,000 roles at Argos, ahead of the Christmas period.
Candidates have been invited to apply in store or online for temporary roles starting as early as this week, on contracts that range between three and 12 weeks. Applicants do not need a CV to apply.
“With Christmas just around the corner, we’re gearing up to serve our customers brilliantly this festive season,” said Sainsbury’s chief people officer Prerana Issar.
“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,” she added. “This is a perfect opportunity to kickstart a career with Sainsbury’s, and we can’t wait to welcome new and returning faces this Christmas.”
Retailers are expected to face heightened competition to fill roles this season as a result of Brexit-related labour shortages leaving the labour pool smaller than in previous years. This is despite many supermarkets needing additional support this Christmas.
According to research by Axonify, shared exclusively with The Grocer, 53% of retail managers said they intended to hire more seasonal roles this year. However, 49% said they were finding it harder to fill roles.
Sainsbury’s has kicked off its seasonal drive a month earlier than last year. It’s also looking to fill around 4,000 more roles this season.
Sainsbury’s will pay between £11 and £11.95 an hour depending on location for roles in store, and in warehouse jobs. Drivers will be paid between £12 and £13.45 an hour. To sweeten the deal, workers will be offered a 15% discount at Sainsbury’s and Argos after four weeks of service.
It follows pharmacy chain Superdrug, which also kicked off its hunt for 1,000 seasonal store workers this week. Tesco is also hiring on its website, inviting candidates to apply for roles starting from this week.
Aldi announced last week that it was on the hunt for 3,000 seasonal workers in stores, on top of a further 1,700 permanent roles within its warehouses between now and Christmas.
The John Lewis Partnership was the earliest in launching its festive recruitment drive in August. It’s on the hunt for 10,000 roles, including in Waitrose stores and across its supply chain, slightly more than last year’s target.
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