WITH the festive season just a few months away, John Lewis and Waitrose are on the hunt for almost 14,000 extra workers to help them through the busy Christmas season.
Retailer John Lewis has kicked off its biggest-ever yuletide recruitment drive, with 13,700 seasonal jobs up for grabs.
11,500 of the roles will be serving customers across John Lewis and Waitrose shops[/caption]
Around 3,000 roles will be based in the esteemed stores, including 8,500 in Waitrose supermarkets and a further 2,200 across warehouses and delivery hubs.
Bosses say the extra staff will help keep up with huge demand during the run-up to Christmas and the January sales – otherwise known as the “golden quarter”.
It follows a year of supersized investment into stores, including £800m to revamp John Lewis shops and new Waitrose branches and upgraded beauty halls.
John Lewis was recently crowned Which? Retailer of the Year, while Waitrose won The Grocer Awards for Service and Availability, including 20 ‘store of the week’ titles across the year.
Jo Rackham, Chief People Officer for the Partnership, said: “Seasonal colleagues make all the difference at Christmas.
“Whether it’s helping someone choose the perfect present or picking up the centrepiece for Christmas dinner, our teams are there to spread the festive magic.”
During the busy festive season, John Lewis expects more than 30 million people through its doors and over 180 million online visits.
In the week before December’s big day, Waitrose staff will handle eight million cases of stock to keep the shelves full.
Pay, training and flexible shifts are on offer, as well as blended working options.
Applications are already open at jlpjobs.com/Christmas where you can find more details.
They say: “Recruitment for our Christmas roles will soon be upon us. Register for job alerts today so that we can notify you when vacancies are live and you can apply.
“Vacancies for John Lewis will be advertised from the 10th September.
“Waitrose vacancies are advertised from the end of September through to November.”
The renowned supermarket also recently announced a major shake-up in stores.
Waitrose is trialling AI-powered trolleys that will automatically scan products as you add them.
The smart carts will work in the same way as scan, pay and go handsets.
Shoppers will be able to pick up the new smart trolleys at the entrance of the store by scanning their loyalty card and adding payment details before starting their shop.
Each trolley comes fitted with cameras and a built-in scanner on the handle, designed to recognise every product placed in — or taken out of — the basket.
A tablet-style screen displays a live shopping list and running total, helping customers keep an eye on their spending as they go.
When the shop is done, payment can be made directly through the trolley, meaning there’s no need to queue at the checkout.
The technology is currently being tested at Waitrose’s Bracknell branch in Berkshire, with the potential for a wider rollout in the future.
John Lewis and Partners has begun its biggest ever seasonal recruitment campaign[/caption]