Target is poised to embark on its annual hiring binge to prep for the upcoming holiday season, but this year the retail giant is doing things a bit differently.
With the coronavirus crisis having upended the shopping habits of tens of millions of consumers and pushed more and more sales online, Target said its seasonal hires will reflect this new reality.
While Target did not offer any specific numbers, the retail giant has reportedly confirmed that this year’s holiday season hiring will likely equal last year’s, when the retailer brought on an additional 130,000 workers, but with a new, $15-an-hour minimum wage.
Target said it plans to double the number of workers at each store handling same-day Drive Up and Order Pickup, with demand for the service having quadrupled. The retailer also said it will train more store employees in handling the new services so they can pitch in during the busiest shifts. Target will also focus on adding staff to handle digital order fulfillment, with 90 percent of digital orders currently handled in-house by store employees.
To handle the upsurge of inventory, the retailer said it will add more staff than last year to its distribution centers.
In addition, Target said it also plans to hire more “front-of-store” staffers to hand out masks, disinfect carts and monitor the flow of shoppers into the store to ensure enough space for social distancing.
“Throughout the year, the team has successfully balanced strong demand in our stores with surging digital volume,” said Melissa Kremer, chief human resources officer, Target, in a press statement. “Knowing that the holiday season will be unlike any other, we’re building in even more flexibility to make sure Target remains a safe and convenient place to work and shop, while investing in our team’s industry-leading pay and benefits.”