- Amazon will hire 100,000 new workers.
- This is due to the high demand from quarantined individuals relying on home delivery.
- Delivery workers are some of the most vital roles during the pandemic.
With the coronavirus ongoing and many people practicing social distancing, a majority of Americans are now confined to their homes. This has resulted in high demand for Amazon delivery, which is then resulting in delayed delivery times. As a result, Amazon is planning to hire 100,000 workers to deal with this high demand.
They will be assisting with online deliveries and will be paid at least $17 an hour through April. Dave Clark, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations, speaks about this new venture. “We are seeing a significant increase in demand, which means our labor needs are unprecedented for this time of year,” he says. “We are opening 100,000 new full and part-time positions across the U.S. in our fulfillment centers and delivery network to meet the surge in demand from people relying on Amazon’s service during this stressful time, particularly those most vulnerable to being out in public.”
New workers to deal with Amazon’s high demand
Amazon isn’t the only company that is planning to hire more workers. Supermarket chain Kroger says that it has “immediate positions available … across our retail stores, manufacturing plants and distribution centers.” Because of the coronavirus outbreak leading to a high demand of supplies in-stores, Kroger says that job seekers “could be placed for employment within several days of applying.”
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There are several states around the U.S. that have enforced state-wide bans. This includes the closures of restaurants, schools, gyms, movie theaters, and more. With this in mind, the only people allowed to leave their homes include government workers, construction, and grocery store employees.
What happens if delivery workers get sick?
Neil Saunders, managing director of retail consultancy Global Data, talks about the importance of delivery workers during this time. “With so many stores and restaurants closing, delivery workers are now the linchpin that connects businesses to consumers,” he says. “Without them, many businesses will simply grind to a complete halt.”
However, Saunders expresses concern if delivery workers fall ill. “The worry is that with delivery volumes increasing and more people likely to fall sick, delivery networks could come under increasing pressure,” he says. “I think we are likely to see some retailers cut back on fast delivery promises in favor of broad windows like delivery within three to five days.”
With all this being said, adding new workers to Amazon is a great idea. The number of orders will likely grow as time persists. While delivery times may be delayed, buyers can still expect their package to arrive at some point.