The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) is gearing up for a hiring offensive in the coming months as the retail group looks to bring in thousands of temporary staff for the festive season.
Some 12,500 new workers are set to join its John Lewis department store and Waitrose grocery arm, up 4,100 on the same period last year.
The retail group said the expansion of temporary roles is to prepare for what it anticipates to be its busiest period of the year in the run-up to Black Friday, Christmas and the New Year.
“Whether making sure you’re choosing the right headphones or wanting inspirational food ideas for entertaining, we know customers value the independent, trusted advice they get from our partners and that friendly, personal touch,” said Charlotte Lock, customer director at JLP, said.
“Our partners have always been at the heart of what sets us apart – we’re thrilled by the interest the roles have already received and that people want to be part of the excitement that surrounds our two brands at Christmas.”
JLP has reported strong demand this month, with its Waitrose Christmas range seeing a 25 per cent surge year-on-year and a 20 per cent increase in holiday decoration sales at John Lewis.
Recruitment is already well underway for 2,000 temporary roles across 34 John Lewis stores, with Waitrose set to begin with 7,700 across more than 300 locations.
An additional 2,800 openings for warehouse workers and drivers are also in the mix to help with increased online demand.