Amazon announced plans to hire 250,000 transportation and warehouse workers for the 2024 holiday season, matching last year’s figure.
Despite an anticipated increase in e-commerce demand, the company believes this workforce will be sufficient to meet growing operational needs. “Although there is an anticipated increase in demand and volume, we feel like the 250,000 is the right number,” said Sandy Gordon, VP of Global Operations Employee Experience at Amazon.
Riding on holiday demand, Amazon’s sales were $170 billion during the fourth quarter 2023, achieving 14 percent increase from the previous year.
The hiring will include employees at sort centers, fulfillment centers, and delivery stations, though the specific distribution across these areas remains unclear. Delivery service partners and their teams will not be included in this number, according to Amazon.
U.S. online holiday shoppers are expected to spend a record $240.8 billion, a 4.9 percent increase from last year, while broader holiday spending is projected to rise 3.2 percent, according to Mastercard. Despite keeping hiring steady, Amazon’s seasonal workforce plan surpasses competitors like Target, which is adding 100,000 workers, Reuters news report said.
This hiring announcement comes as U.S. retailers, facing a softer labor market, are expected to add 520,000 new jobs during the season, down from 564,200 in 2023.
National Retail Federation, in a report on Jan. 17, 2024, said holiday sales in 2023 touched $964.4 billion.
Emarketer Forecast, released in February 2024, indicated that holiday sales in the United States will reach $1.37 trillion.
Amazon faces ongoing labor tensions after the National Labor Relations Board identified it as a “joint employer” of drivers from contractor Battle Tested Strategies, whose employees voted to unionize last year. Amazon has disputed these claims, accusing the union of misrepresenting facts.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
