The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has created a huge demand for online shopping and encashing upon this opportunity is delivery giant Hermes which is all set to create 10,500 jobs in the UK.
This will include 1,500 full-time roles across its delivery network and head office, and 9,000 freelance couriers. It further said that the company will not accept any money from the government’s job retention bonus scheme, designed to help struggling firms.
The news comes as a silver lining in the sky as a glooming market scenario has made companies cut jobs due to the pandemic.
Hermes boss Martijn de Lange said: “The pandemic has expedited the already phenomenal growth of online shopping and we see no sign of this changing. As a result, it is important that we have the right infrastructure and people in place to support this. This is good news for the many people who have sadly had their income affected and we are pleased to be able to support the UK economy with so many jobs at this time.”
He said the firm had received thousands of applications from pub staff, hairdressers, pilots, and others who are out of work due to the lockdown.
The German firm, which has operated in the UK since 2000, has a network of more than 15,000 self-employed couriers in the country. It said it was investing £100m in its expansion and had already opened 90 new sub depots this year.
Hermes is in line with Primark, John Lewis, and Rightmove in promising to shun the government’s job retention bonus scheme, which will pay firms £1,000 for every furloughed worker they retain past January. The objective is to stop struggling firms from cutting jobs, but MPs and economists have warned that profitable companies could also be tempted to use it.
Hermes, which has been criticized for its treatment of casual workers in the past, also said that all new self-employed hires would get holiday pay. It follows a deal with the GMB union last year. The jobs news comes after a number of companies have announced cuts in jobs due to coronavirus slowdown.
On Tuesday, Marks & Spencer and fashion brand, Ted Baker further announced the cutting of almost 1500 roles between them. Other companies to have announced lay-offs include:
- Up to 5000 job cuts at Upper Crust owner SSP Group
- Up to 700 jobs at Harrods and 12000 at British Airways
- About 600 workers at shirtmaker TM Lewin
- 1,900 jobs at Café Rouge-owner Casual Dining Group
- 1000 jobs at Pret A Manger/ 1700 UK jobs at Airbus
- 727 pilots and 1300 crew members at EasyJet
- 550 jobs at Daily Mirror publisher Reach