Yahoo Finance Coles to hire 5,000 staff to deal with surge in customers
Supermarket giant Coles has announced it will hire 5,000 casual team members to work in its stores across Australia as shopper numbers surge amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Coles stated the hiring spree would help the supermarket to “continue to offer the best possible service to customers during this busy time”.
“This will allow us to serve more customers and replenish shelves faster, while offering employment opportunities for Australians working in other industries impacted by COVID-19.
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“Casuals will have their inductions fast-tracked so we can boost the number of team members on the shop floor as quickly as possible.”
The supermarket said it was also seeking to hire more customer support agents to drive their online delivery vans.
Big companies continue to pay casual staff
Three of Australia’s largest employers have pledged to pay casual staff who contract coronavirus, or who are required to self-isolate, following extensive lobbying from employee groups.
Commonwealth Bank stated it would provide around 10 days’ ‘special leave’ for casual staff as the Covid-19 crisis continues, while Woolworths said it would pay its 55,000 casual staff for shifts they would have otherwise worked.
“As Australia’s largest private employer, we recognise we have a key role to play as part of the broader public health response,” Woolworths chief people officer Caryn Katsikogianis said in a statement.
“We’ve made it clear to our team that we’ll look after anyone impacted by the outbreak whether they’re full-time, part-time or casual.”
Telstra also announced it would provide casual workers with up to 14 days’ paid leave at their base rate if they contract the virus.
Casuals whose shifts are affected due to a retail store or workplace closure will also be covered by this.
Amazon goes on hiring spree
On March 16, Amazon announced it would invest US$350 million globally to increase pay by US$2 per hour in the US, £2/hr in the UK, and approximately €2/hr in many EU countries as the coronavirus crisis continues.
It also announced it would create 100,000 more roles in the US.
“We are opening 100,000 new full and part-time positions across the U.S. in our fulfillment centres and delivery network to meet the surge in demand from people relying on Amazon’s service during this stressful time, particularly those most vulnerable to being out in public,” the company stated.
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