Royal Mail is gearing up for the festive season by announcing plans to recruit 16,000 temporary workers to assist with the busy Christmas period. These temporary positions will be spread across two parcel hubs, five seasonal parcel sort centres, and 37 mail centres nationwide, offering a range of shifts to accommodate the increased workload. Additionally, delivery and collection roles will be open at local delivery offices throughout the country.
The company’s parcel hubs in Daventry and Warrington are looking to hire over 2,000 additional staff members to handle an expected influx of 1.7 million parcels daily. To meet the demand, extra temporary space equivalent to 20 football pitches has been allocated across the five seasonal parcel sort centres situated in Atherstone, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Daventry, and Greenford in London. These recruits will be instrumental in sorting the surge of online shopping orders, preparing them for delivery to Royal Mail’s 1,200 delivery offices.
Contracts for these seasonal positions are set to run from late October through early January 2025, encompassing major shopping events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In parallel, Parcelforce Worldwide is also seeking additional drivers and indoor workers. Royal Mail is expanding its fleet by adding almost 4,000 new vans, trucks, and trailers in anticipation of the holiday season.
Alistair Cochrane, Chief Operating Officer at Royal Mail, expressed the company’s commitment to delivering excellent service during this crucial time. Cochrane stated, “Every year we pull out all the stops to deliver Christmas for our customers. It’s our busiest time of year, and we plan all year round to help ensure we deliver the best possible service for UK consumers and businesses.” He also highlighted the significant investment in additional resources, including the recruitment of thousands of temporary staff to manage the festive mail surge and the growing trend of online Christmas shopping.
The festive recruitment drive by Royal Mail serves as a testament to their dedication to providing efficient service and meeting customer expectations during the bustling holiday season.