Royal Mail to hire 19,000 for Christmas peak
Royal Mail will be recruiting around 19,000 temporary workers to help sort the Christmas post. In a statement issued today (1 October), the postal operator said that it will be looking to fill temporary positions across a variety of shifts will be available between mid-November through to early January 2015. The peak of the additional temporary work will be in December.
The majority of seasonal positions will support Royal Mail’s 123,000 permanent postmen and women. Parcelforce Worldwide is also looking for drivers and indoor workers.
Around 14,000 people will be needed to work in mail, distribution centres and data centres across England, 1,340 in Scotland, 560 in Wales and 550 in Northern Ireland.
The recruits will help to sort Christmas cards and parcels before they go to around 1,400 Delivery Offices for postmen and women to take out on their rounds.
Royal Mail Group’s express parcels business, Parcelforce Worldwide, is also recruiting around 2,600 extra drivers and sorting staff throughout the UK.
Royal Mail’s chief operations officer, Sue Whalley, commented: “Christmas is our busiest time of year. We plan all year round to help ensure we deliver the best possible service for consumers and businesses in the UK. Every Christmas, we make a substantial commitment in additional resources to handle the festive mailbag, including the recruitment of thousands of temporary workers.”
Royal Mail has set up a dedicated website for people to apply for the Christmas positions – www.royalmailgroup.com/xmasjobs
