Delivery giant Hermes to create 10,500 new UK jobs as online shopping booms

Delivery giant Hermes is creating 10,500 new jobs in the UK and investing 100 million pounds to expand its capacity to meet huge demand as online shopping booms.

The company is looking for 9,000 self-employed couriers and 1,500 full-time staff, some of which will work at the company’s head office in Yorkshire. Recruitment for the positions has already begun.

The UK has seen a boom in online shopping in recent months caused initially by lockdown and now by many consumers’ reluctance to return to physical stores.

The 100 million pounds Hermes will be investing is on top of 30 million pounds invested already this year in opening 90 new sub depots, buying new delivery vehicles and creating new customer service technology.

The company said it is ramping up its operations ahead of the busy Black Friday and Christmas period.

“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,” Hermes UK CEO Martijn de Lange said in a statement. “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.

“In that first fortnight of lockdown we had thousands of applications from pub staff, chefs, children’s entertainers, dog walkers, pub singers, beauticians, hairdressers, pilots and many, many others. We look forward to welcoming our new recruits over the coming weeks.”

Photo credit: Hermes