Toys ‘R’ Us plans to more than double its workforce nationwide during the upcoming holiday season and hire 45,000 temporary employees, including 1,000 in metro Atlanta.
The retailer is joining other major retailers that are boosting payrolls in anticipation of stronger consumer spending.
Toys”R”Us said it is more than doubling its work force for the upcoming holiday season. (JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL)
“This holiday season, we plan to hire approximately 1,000 seasonal employees at our 13 Toys“R”Us stores and McDonough distribution center in the Atlanta market,” said spokeswoman Alyssa Peera told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The company, which is hiring the same number of temps this year as it had planned last year, said some hires could become permanent. Last year, the company said, 20 percent of the temporary workers were later hired for permanent roles.
The strengthening economy, with more job security and more access to capital, has given consumers more confidence in making purchases that they had avoided during the Great Recession. Such spending is critical for economic growth, since it gives manufacturers reason to expand and hire more workers.
Outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. expects retailers to add more than 800,000 workers this holiday season, the most since the 1999 season.
Among other major retailers with big hiring plans:
* Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, said it will hire 60,000 seasonal workers, which is a 10 percent increase compared to seasonal hiring last year.
* Kohl's plans to hire 67,o00 seasonal workers.
* Target says it will hire 70,000 seasonal workers.
Shipping companies also are increasing hiring:
* UPS said it is hiring 90,000 to 95,000 seasonal workers — nearly double the 55,000 it hired last year.
* Fedex said it will increase seasonal hiring by 50 percent, compared with last year, adding about 50,000 workers.
John Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., said job seekers should consider opportunities beyond retailers.
“Restaurants, caterers, movie theaters, and other entertainment and leisure venues tend to see increased business during the holidays,” Challenger said in releasing the firm’s report on hiring. “ These establishments are also need extra help to handle that increase.”
Interviewing for Toys ‘R’ Us will begin at the end of this month and new hires will start working in early October. The retailer said it will be hiring up to Dec. 25. The seasonal workers will typically work 16 to 20 hours a week.
Hiring at the company’s distribution centers will continue through November.
Job seekers can visit www.toysrusinc.com/careers/holiday to apply.
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