Itella hires record 3,400 festive season staff

Finland’s Itella has said it is employing a record number of temporary staff to help cover the peak period up to Christmas. The company is hiring 3,400 extra workers this year, 400 more than in previous festive seasons. The additional help at post offices and in mail sorting operations comes because of the growth in ecommerce, Itella said, along with the 40m Christmas greeting cards expected.

The temporary workers will generally start before mid-December, with the main rush expected in the two weeks before Christmas.

“It’s great that we are able to provide work for many people at different stages of life. A large part of the Christmas workforce is students, but there are a lot of people of all ages,” said Itella human resources manager Pirjo Yltävä.

“Itella’s Christmas recruitment campaign attracted about 6,000 applicants, of whom we were were able to employ a little more than half.”

Itella has been expanding its network of 24-hour parcel terminals this year, and now has 131 machines available to help the Christmas peak.

During December, Finnish customers will also have 900 full-service post offices, 40 pick-up points at R-kiosk shops, 7,000 mail boxes and 3,500 postal retail outlets to help with their Christmas mailing.

Ecommerce grew by 15% in Finland in 2011, with growth rates as high as 20% predicted for 2012.

Itella said it was extending opening hours at many of its outlets in the run-up to Christmas.