Walmart stores are looking to bulk up ahead of the holiday season.
As the 2021 holiday shopping season slowly creeps into the picture, Walmart, as well as other retail stores, are looking to get ahead of the rush.
Walmart’s goal is to hire close to 150,000 workers in order to be well-stocked for the holiday shopping season. The popular store is amongst many other retailers that are looking to do the same. However, there is a shortage of food and retail workers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Walmart is Preparing for the Busy Holiday Season
According to The Wall Street Journal, Walmart is the largest private employer and provides work to around 1.6 million people in the U.S. The company often shares its hiring goals.
Another part of the equation is hourly pay. It is a determining factor in allowing the company to get more employees in the first place.
The retailer is upping its hourly pay as well to compete with other notoriously high-paying corporations, such as Amazon. The company says that its current average U.S. hourly wage is set at $16.40. The minimum wage is $12 for all Walmart employees as of now.
Earlier this month, Walmart also said it was hoping to hire 20,000 new warehouse staff members. It seems like Walmart is looking to get prepared and optimized both behind the scenes and at each Walmart location. The company is seeing a sharp increase in customers using the curbside pickup or delivery options, which require additional staffing as well.
Other Companies Make Similar Moves
For those who are hesitant to take on seasonal jobs, Walmart is not looking to hire seasonally. Instead, the positions being offered are long-term jobs with the company. This is a way to ensure stability in pay for these newcomers.
Last holiday season, however, was a different story. The company hired about 20,000 seasonal workers in the e-commerce warehouses to help with growing online shopping trends. Over the course of the ongoing pandemic, Walmart has hired over 500,000 workers in order to properly assist with the increase in demands that came from it all.
Other companies like Target and Amazon both have released statements that they are looking to hire workers for their warehouses and stores as well.
It’s all going to be a race to see who can offer the best pay, benefits, and overall perks to workers. There is a massive scarcity of workers in restaurants, businesses, manufacturers, and many other areas. Perks and pay are going to allow some corporations to come out on top.
According to CNBC, Walmart is also offering extra hours to any workers that need more money during the holiday season. Target is offering the same.
