Yodel and Deliveroo this week announced that they would hire thousands more workers in a bid to service increased demand since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Parcel carrier Yodel will hire 2950 new workers across the country ahead of peak period. The number will include 2500 self-employed and 450 employed workers, across roles such as drivers and warehouse workers.
Yodel cites growth in demand for online retail, driven partially by the Covid-19 pandemic. For the same reason, Yodel has announced a new distribution centre in northern England.
Mike Hancox, CEO of Yodel, said: “The ongoing growth in online retail is set to continue into the festive season as consumers flock to buy gifts for friends, family and loved ones. We’re expecting this peak period to be higher in intensity and longer in duration than ever before as people look to prepare for Christmas earlier.
“That’s why, as we prepare for a period of sustained demand, we are looking to welcome more than 2,900 new colleagues, bolstering our operations to ensure customers and clients receive the excellent service they deserve.”
On-demand courier app Deliveroo, which has also seen a surge in orders during the pandemic, is also planning to add 15,000 new delivery riders in the UK by the end of the year. This will bring the total number to 50,000, double the number employed at the beginning of 2020.
Deliveroo has expanded into new areas during the pandemic, not just adding more restaurant partners but also teaming up with supermarkets such as Aldi, Morrisons, Waitrose and Co-op.
