With Christmas less than 60 days away, and the peak shopping period soon to kick in, more than 100,000 temporary staff are needed to work in warehouses fulfilling ecommerce orders this year.
That’s according to one recruitment firm, which is looking for an additional 18,000 temp workers to urgently fill seasonal vacancies.
“This is the busiest year so far in terms of demand for workers over the festive season,” said Derek Skelton, managing director of PMP Recruitment, alluding to the £1bn sales predicted to take place on Black Friday alone. “Reports show that retailers are expecting another bumper Christmas with record breaking sales and we are working with our clients across the UK, supplying them with the hands they need to ensure that consumers get their gifts on time.”
PMP estimates around 80% of temp staff will be employed in big retail brand ecommerce warehouses, with the remaining 20% in superstore and high street retailers’ warehouses.
PMP Recruitment is part of Cordant Recruitment, the second largest privately owned recruitment company in the UK, and is responsible for supplying tens of thousands of flexible workers to 320 managed retail locations up and down the country.
The recruitment company said it is urgently seeking thousands of pickers and packers nationwide, particularly in Scotland and the Midlands.
This potential shortfall in staff echoes some of the concerns voiced in the HGV sector, where a shortage of lorry drivers may add to the problem of delivery bottlenecks this peak.
Main image: PMP Recruitment warehouse staff
