Marks and Spencer (M&S) has announced its plan to hire 11,000 additional workers for the bustling Christmas season. The popular British retailer will be recruiting new customer assistants workers to help manage the increased demand during this festive period, ensuring customers receive top-tier service. These roles will involve assisting on the shop floor and restocking shelves to ensure the smooth operation of stores across the United Kingdom.
The recruitment drive will begin on October 9, when interested candidates will be able to apply for these roles on the M&S careers page. Successful applicants will start work from mid-November, just in time for the busy Christmas shopping period. M&S is offering a variety of roles with flexible working hours to accommodate a broad range of applicants. Those selected will either attend a one-on-one interview or take part in a group assessment as part of the hiring process.
This move comes on the heels of a wage increase for M&S’s customer assistants, which took effect on April 1 this year. In line with its commitment to rewarding staff, the company raised the hourly wage for customer assistants across its food and clothing departments from £10.90 to £12. For employees in London, the pay rate was increased from £12.05 to £13.15 per hour. This pay rise is part of a broader trend across the retail sector, with several major retailers recently announcing pay hikes for shop floor workers.
M&S’s operations director, Sacha Berendji, expressed his excitement about the upcoming holiday season and the role new recruits will play: “Our fantastic store colleagues play such a big part in delivering the magic of M&S at Christmas to our customers. And this year we’re recruiting even more colleagues to ensure we’re closer to customers. The Christmas period is a busy but exciting time for M&S, and no two days are the same.”
Berendji also highlighted the potential for long-term opportunities with the company, noting that many past recruits who joined during the Christmas period went on to take part in the “Stepping Into Team Manager” programme. This initiative provides a pathway for career progression within M&S, making the festive recruitment drive an excellent opportunity for individuals seeking more than just temporary work.
For anyone interested in joining the M&S team this Christmas, the message is clear: visit the M&S careers website and apply. The recruitment process is designed to be inclusive, offering flexible roles that could appeal to a wide variety of people seeking both short-term and potentially long-term employment.
Festive food orders hit record levels
In tandem with the recruitment drive, M&S has also officially launched its Christmas Food to Order service for 2024. This popular offering allows customers to pre-order their festive feasts and pick them up from their local store on December 22, 23, or 24. Customers are required to make a minimum spend of £50 and put down a deposit to secure their order, with the remaining balance payable upon collection.
Last year, the Christmas Food to Order service saw a record-breaking 44,000 customers book their collection slots within the first 24 hours of the service going live, and M&S expects this year to be no different. The supermarket has already sold over one million Christmas products, demonstrating the enthusiasm of customers as they prepare for the festive season.
M&S has shared a few highlights from its Christmas range, with its Our Best Ever Slow-Cooked Turkey topping the list. The turkey, designed to be “the star of the show this Christmas,” costs £85 for a 2.75kg bird, which M&S states will feed between eight and ten people. With the full Christmas range now available online, customers can start planning their festive meals well in advance.
The Workers Union says…
“Marks and Spencer’s plans to hire 11,000 seasonal staff workers underline its commitment to delivering an exceptional Christmas experience for customers. With flexible roles, increased wages, and potential long-term opportunities, M&S is well-positioned to attract a wide range of applicants. As the Christmas shopping season ramps up, both in-store support and its festive food offering are set to make the holiday season special for customers across the UK.”
