While workers in other industries are finding themselves without work, many foodservice, retail, and manufacturing companies across the U.S. are hiring and encouraging the unemployed from other industries to apply to help them keep up with demand amid coronavirus.
Dollar General plans to nearly double its normal hiring rate and add up to 50,000 workers by the end of April. While Dollar General currently anticipates the majority of these roles to be temporary, it also expects to provide long-term career growth opportunities to some of these new employees.
Publix is seeking to hire thousands of associates by the end of March to fill positions in stores and distribution centers. Various positions are available at stores throughout the company’s seven-state operating area and at nine distribution centers located in Boynton Beach, Deerfield Beach, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Miami, Orlando, and Sarasota, FL; Lawrenceville, GA; and McCalla, AL.
7-Eleven expects as many as 20,000 new store employees to be hired by 7-Eleven, Inc. or by independent 7-Eleven franchised business owners in the near future. “Between 7-Eleven, Inc. and our franchised business owners, we expect as many as 20,000 store employees to be hired in the coming months,” said president and CEO Joe DePinto. “This will provide job opportunities and ensure 7-Eleven stores remain clean and in-stock with the goods our customers need during this critical time.”
7-Eleven also anticipates the store employee position would meet a surge in mobile orders through its 7NOW delivery app.
Papa John’s is hiring up to 20,000 new restaurant team members. In most cases, applicants can expect to have an interview and potentially start the same day. “For anyone looking for immediate ways to earn an income, we’re making it quick and simple to apply, interview, and be hired at Papa John’s,” said Marvin Boakye, Papa John’s chief people and diversity officer. “We are in the unique position, as a restaurant that specializes in delivery and carryout, to help our communities through this crisis.”
PepsiCo will hire 6,000 new full-time, full-benefit frontline employees across the country in the coming months. It is also providing enhanced benefits to all U.S.-based employees and additional compensation to U.S. frontline employees. The additional compensation covers more than 90,000 frontline employees at both PepsiCo Beverages North America and PepsiCo Foods North America and consists of a minimum of an incremental $100 per week for full-time employees over the next month.
Shipt began hiring thousands of shoppers to meet surging demand for local delivery in several metropolitan markets, reported AL.com (March 20). Specifically, the company is looking for 1,000 shoppers in Atlanta, 2,000 shoppers in Miami and Minneapolis, and 3,000 shoppers in Detroit.
Meanwhile, foodservice and retail businesses are partnering to speed up the process for workers to get retail products to consumers. The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) and FMI—Food Industry Association announced an ad-hoc partnership motivated by widespread consumer needs fueled by the pandemic.
The partnership is a matching program that connects foodservice distributors that have excess capacity (products, transportation services, warehousing services) to assist food retailers and wholesalers that require additional resources to fulfill needs at grocery stores.
“Our industries are both committed to the safe delivery of food to consumers and we are equipped to provide service during this critical time in our country,” IFDA president and CEO Mark Allen said. “This partnership makes sense and it is in these times of turmoil that we must step up and fill the gaps when we can to help each other where we can.”
