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Retail Workers, Consumers Upset With Thanksgiving Day Hours
November 15, 2012 by Steven Rothberg
John Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas
Facing increased competition from online retailers, a growing number of brick-and-mortar stores, including Target, Sears and Walmart, have announced that they will begin Black Friday sales on the Thursday of Thanksgiving, with some stores opening as early as 8pm, a time many employees might otherwise spend with family. The move, according to one workplace authority, is likely to pay off for both retailers and job seekers, but warns there is the risk of negative fallout in the form of decreased employee morale and consumer backlash.
“Retailers are under immense pressure to get the holiday shopping season off to a strong start. It is the busiest time of the year for them and Black Friday is so named because it is the day when most retailers’ sales move ‘into the black’ for the year. As big box chains face growing competition from discounters like Target and Walmart, not to mention the fierce competition from online retailers like Amazon.com, they are all compelled to find whatever edge they can to get shoppers into their stores,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Continue Reading
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Will the 2011 holiday shopping season bankrupt retailers?
December 16, 2011 by William FriersonThere’s a new brand of holiday shopper.
This person spends less, shops online, and requires more convincing than ever. With fallout from the recession and growing reliance on the Internet, the 2011 holiday shopping season will be a key litmus test for retailers. Will they dodge the bullet and report healthy profits in 2012? Continue Reading
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29% of Retailers Plan to Hire Extra Employees for the Holidays
November 05, 2011 by Steven RothbergEmployers expect seasonal hiring in 2011 to be on par with 2010, according to a new, nationwide survey. Companies across industries expect to hire a similar number of seasonal workers for key areas such as sales, customer service, shipping, administrative support and other positions. Nearly three-in-ten retailers (29 percent) plan to have extra hands on deck around the holidays, a moderate decline from 2010. One-in-ten (10 percent) hospitality companies will add seasonal staff, the same as last year. The survey was conducted among more than 2,600 employers between August 16 and September 8, 2011.
“Employers are keeping the status quo for holiday hiring as economic uncertainties shake consumer confidence,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder. “While retail has the lion’s share of seasonal jobs, you can also find opportunities in various industries and corporate roles. Hiring managers continually tell us that they will transition some seasonal workers into permanent employees, so you want to apply early and let the employer know up front that you’re interested in long-term employment.”
Matt Ferguson of Careerbuilder
When looking at functional areas within an office or store, popular areas for recruitment this holiday season include: Continue Reading
