As Britain basks, John Lewis plans Christmas recruiting
WHILE most British people are dreaming of sunny weather as they head for the beach over the August bank holiday, John Lewis is gearing up for Christmas as it searches to recruit over 3,500 staff for the busy festive period.
The department store chain has announced that it is looking to fill positions within shops , stock management and in its distribution and contact centres.
The employee-owned retailer already employs 30,000 UK staff, who are entitled to an annual bonus, discounts and use of Partnership-owned holiday homes.
John Lewis said that temporary employees often move into permanent roles, highlighting that its operations director, Dino Rocos, started in 1976 on that basis.
“I certainly didn’t think when I joined John Lewis as a Christmas temp that I would still be here 40 years later as a board director,” said Mr Rocos, who has been overseeing the retailer’s multimillion investment in new distribution centres in Milton Keynes.
“The business provided me with the support to help develop my skills and knowledge from the very beginning and it quickly became clear to me that I was developing a fascination for retail, so accepting an offer for a permanent job at the end of my contract was an easy decision”.
The department store chain reported a 1.3pc lift in sales last week, totalling £72.9m for the week to August 20. While fashion sales grew by 1.2pc, John Lewis posted a “massive spike in popularity” of its outdoor living products, such as barbecues and garden sofas, rising 64.4pc.
This year John Lewis will open its Christmas Shop, which will also be staffed by temporary employees, on 22 September, a full three months before Christmas.