During this Covid-19 pandemic, two business sectors are bucking a general downtrend with extremely strong growth, namely the supermarket and distribution sectors. With demand levels already high, both are multiplying their job offers, and with the free movement of people now hampered, their hiring methods have also had to adapt and the hiring pool has also altered as other businesses abruptly lay off workers. While in order to attract workers, the supermarket chains are boosting bonuses, they aren’t so quick to offer protective gloves and masks. Some States however have recognized these workers’ status as ‘front line essential’ so they can benefit from certain facilities.
Rapid hiring. US hypermarket leader, Walmart announced that 150,000 new job vacancies were open until the end of May. Online retailer Amazon is hiring an additional 100,000. The low-cost chain, Dollar Tree and Family is looking to recruit another 25,000, and Pepsico is also seeking an additional 6,000. Commercial sector trade unions including the UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) are acting as liaison between the businesses and the potential new hires who are in fact often-time newly laid off workers from other retailers such as restaurants, hotels, clothing outlets that had to close after business abruptly dried up.
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