Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has announced plans to create more jobs this Christmas, claiming the move will provide towns across the UK with a “real boost” over the festive season.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the firm confirmed it would look to hire 15,000 seasonal workers at Christmas – up by around 1,000 on the same point in 2010 – and said the scheme will provide opportunities for temporary staff as well as improving customer service.
“Retail is a fantastic industry to work in and there really is no better time to be in store than at Christmas,” said retail human resources director Helen Webb. “We know from experience that many of our seasonal colleagues use the opportunity as a springboard to a career.”
Sainsbury’s, which employs 150,000 staff at its 930 outlets nationwide, handed permanent jobs to 2,100 seasonal employees last year. The firm will accept applications for Christmas jobs from September, with successful candidates starting work in late November.
Last month, rival Asda revealed it would generate 7,000 seasonal positions this Christmas as part of a £5 million initiative to drive up standards of customer service.
