Amazon hires 50,000 more workers for 2021 holiday season than in 2020 according to data from Finbold.
Amazon Hires Seasonal Workers To Meet Demand
With the holiday peak season approaching, more people are relying on online shopping amid growth in the eCommerce sector. Notably, Amazon is gearing up for the season, hiring additional workers to meet the demand.
According to data acquired by Finbold, Amazon has onboarded 150,000 seasonal employees in 2021, an addition of 50,000 or 50% growth from last year’s figure of 100,000. In 2019, the eCommerce platform hired 200,000 seasonal employees, the highest over the last decade.
Elsewhere, in 2018 the firm hired 100,000 employees, a slight drop from 2017’s figure of 120,000. Between 2016 and 2017, Amazon maintains the same amount of seasonal employees at 100,000. Over the last ten years, the lowest seasonal employee hiring was recorded in 2012 at 50,000.
More Shoppers Banking on eCommerce Platforms
The report highlights some of the factors influencing Amazon’s seasonal hiring landscape for 2021. According to the research report:
“The company intends to hire more employees as the economy attempts to recover from the impact of the pandemic. Globally, online shopping has gained prominence, with the health crisis acting as a key catalyst. In this line, Amazon has expanded to meet the new demand and employees will play a key role in managing the Amazon network warehouse and distribution that has expanded rapidly.”
Interestingly, Amazon has made the hiring amid an ongoing United States labour market crisis that has seen millions of employees quit their jobs. The job resignations have emerged amid the expiration of unemployment benefits that were rolled to cushion citizens against the joblessness that plunged the U.S.
Furthermore, Amazon will be relying on rolling out improved benefits to have an upper in the competitive labour market.
Post-Pandemic Festive Season
The drop in seasonal employees between 2019 and 2020 is a potential reflection of the pandemic’s impact on the labour market. Despite increased demand, the company approached the hiring with caution to enhance the safety of both employees and customers.
Notably, the pandemic reshaped the holiday shopping season, especially with cases rising and more people being compelled to place orders online. The projected growth in this year’s hiring reflects the economy’s reopening amid the vaccine rollout.
However, on the flip side, the focus will be on Amazon’s treatment of the employees, especially regarding the working conditions. Previously, the company has come under fire for overseeing employees’ challenging working conditions, especially sanitation facilities and long working hours. Additionally, the company has long opposed the formation of unions by employees.
