As retailers and others ramp up for what by all accounts should be a busy holiday season, they may be in for a surprise. And it won’t come wrapped with a bow.
Where in recent years employers were able to lure seasonal workers with benefits like retail discounts, early signs suggest this year is different. In an ever-tightening labor market, competitors are pulling out all the stops to attract job candidates.
Upping the Ante
As in years past, retailers are competing with UPS, FedEx, and the U.S. Postal Service for temporary, seasonal employees. The U.S. Postal Service is being especially aggressive in its holiday hiring this year.
Employment opportunities vary, depending on local need, but the Postal Service is actively campaigning for seasonal workers nationwide.
In the Dallas area, for example, the Postal Service is hiring for numerous positions that pay between $14.50 and $18.03 per hour. For job candidates looking to use seasonal employment as a springboard to a career, the Postal Service indicates it may be just the place. “Some positions are longer term positions and could lead to a rewarding career appointment with the full benefits of a federal employee,” it notes.
In Detroit, holiday openings include casual mail handler at $14 per hour, city carrier assistant at $16.78 per hour, clerk assistant at $16.98 per hour, and postal support employee (PSE) mail processing clerks at $16.98 per hour. The Postal Service notes that additional night premium and overtime for working over 40 hours in a week may apply.
By comparison, retailer Target typically pays seasonal warehouse workers between $9 and $12 per hour, according to job site Glassdoor. Or, perhaps that should read “paid.”
Target has announced that it will raise its minimum wage to $11 per hour starting in October for all workers, including the 100,000 seasonal workers it plans to hire.
Flaunting Bennies and Future Opportunities
Despite the popularity of online shopping, customers still flock to brick and mortar stores during the holiday season; without additional staff, retailers will be ill-prepared for these shoppers. As a result, and as usual, retailers are attempting to hire en masse.
Toys‘R’Us, which last month filed for bankruptcy protection, is hiring at stores and distribution centers across the country. Many of its markets have large hiring needs. In New York City, for example, it expects to hire more than 3,800 seasonal workers, while in Los Angeles, it is seeking more than 2,400 employees.
The company plans to hire cashiers, sales associates, stock associates, order fulfillment associates, and toy demonstrators, as well as warehouse associates, nationwide. To attract applicants, the retailer is dangling an array of benefits that include competitive compensation packages, flex hours, varied shifts, and a shopping discount.
It is also attempting to lure job seekers with the possibility of full-time employment. “Employees wanting a longer-term role will also have the potential opportunity to join the company on a regular basis. Over the past several years, Toys‘R’Us hired thousands of its holiday workforce after Christmas to fill permanent roles,” the company notes.
For job seekers who are still not enticed, Toys‘R’Us has yet another employment option in its holiday bag: Its customer service partner Acticall Sitel Group is hiring over 900 dedicated seasonal Work@Home agents at its virtual call centers in 25 states across the country. “Not only does Work@Home eliminate a commute and provide convenience and flexibility with schedules, it also allows parents and caregivers more time with family, especially during the holiday season,” Toys‘R’Us notes.
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Paula Santonocito, Contributing Editor for Recruiting Daily Advisor, is a business journalist specializing in employment issues. She is the author of more than 1,000 articles on a wide range of human resource and career topics, with an emphasis on recruiting and hiring. Her articles have been featured in many global and domestic publications and information outlets, referenced in academic and legal publications as well as books, and translated into several languages. |