Retailers Plan Lowest Holiday Hiring Since 2008 Amid Economic Worries and Higher Wages

Retailers expected to add just 410,000 seasonal jobs this holiday season, the lowest since 2008
Higher labor costs and muted consumer spending causing hesitancy in hiring
Holiday sales expected to grow at slowest pace in 5 years due to low savings and economic worries
Retailers have announced only 8,000 planned holiday hires so far, compared to 258,201 at this point last year
Grocery chain Kroger and retailer Bath & Body Works planning to hire thousands of seasonal workers
Most seasonal retail roles in production, gift assembly, call centers, distribution and fulfillment

reuters.com

Relevant topic timeline:

9/19/2023

Amazon to Hire 250,000 Seasonal Workers for Holidays, Far More Than Other Retailers Amid Delivery Network Growth

Amazon plans to hire 250,000 U.S. workers for the holiday shopping season, a significant increase compared to previous years, as it focuses on expanding next-day delivery for shoppers, contrasting with other retailers who are expecting reduced consumer spending and will hire fewer workers.

9/19/2023

Target to Hire 100,000 Seasonal Workers for Holidays, Focusing on Early Deals Amid Slower Sales Forecast

Target plans to hire nearly 100,000 employees for the holiday season and start offering discounts in October, as predictions suggest that sales growth during the crucial holiday period in the US could be half of last year's due to higher prices and concerns of a recession.

9/26/2023

UPS to Hire Over 100,000 Seasonal Workers for Holiday Rush After Labor Deal Finalized

UPS is hiring over 100,000 seasonal workers, primarily delivery drivers and package handlers, to meet the demand during the holiday season.

10/4/2023

US Job Growth Slows in September as Labor Market Cools

U.S. private employers added the fewest workers in more than 2-1/2 years in September, with large establishments shedding jobs, but that likely exaggerates the pace of slowdown in the labor market.

Topics

Posted 9/15/2023, 9:09:00 PM

Retailers Plan Lowest Holiday Hiring Since 2008 Amid Economic Worries and Higher Wages

Retailers expected to add just 410,000 seasonal jobs this holiday season, the lowest since 2008
Higher labor costs and muted consumer spending causing hesitancy in hiring
Holiday sales expected to grow at slowest pace in 5 years due to low savings and economic worries
Retailers have announced only 8,000 planned holiday hires so far, compared to 258,201 at this point last year
Grocery chain Kroger and retailer Bath & Body Works planning to hire thousands of seasonal workers
Most seasonal retail roles in production, gift assembly, call centers, distribution and fulfillment

reuters.com

Relevant topic timeline:

9/19/2023

Amazon to Hire 250,000 Seasonal Workers for Holidays, Far More Than Other Retailers Amid Delivery Network Growth

9/19/2023

Target to Hire 100,000 Seasonal Workers for Holidays, Focusing on Early Deals Amid Slower Sales Forecast

9/26/2023

UPS to Hire Over 100,000 Seasonal Workers for Holiday Rush After Labor Deal Finalized

UPS is hiring over 100,000 seasonal workers, primarily delivery drivers and package handlers, to meet the demand during the holiday season.

10/4/2023

US Job Growth Slows in September as Labor Market Cools

U.S. private employers added the fewest workers in more than 2-1/2 years in September, with large establishments shedding jobs, but that likely exaggerates the pace of slowdown in the labor market.