Royal Mail has announced plans to recruit 16,000 temporary workers to support its operations during the busy festive period, offering job seekers a variety of roles across the country.
These temporary positions will be based in two parcel hubs, five seasonal parcel sort centres, and 37 mail centres nationwide, with shifts available to suit different schedules. In addition to sorting roles, Royal Mail will also be hiring for delivery and collection jobs in local delivery offices across the UK.
Royal Mail's two major parcel hubs, located in Daventry and Warrington, will be hiring over 2,000 additional staff to handle the expected surge in parcels. These hubs are projected to process 1.7 million parcels per day during the holiday season.
Meanwhile, five seasonal parcel sort centres in Atherstone, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Daventry, and Greenford in London have expanded their operations. The extra space created for the holiday rush is equivalent to the size of 20 football pitches, offering further opportunities for temporary workers.
These seasonal recruits will play a key role in processing the influx of online shopping orders. Once sorted, the parcels will be sent to Royal Mail's 1,200 delivery offices before being distributed to homes and businesses across the country.
Contract Details and Additional Opportunities
Temporary contracts will begin in late October and run through to early January 2025, covering peak shopping periods such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Parcelforce Worldwide, Royal Mail’s express parcels division, is also hiring additional drivers and indoor workers to assist during the festive season. In preparation for the increased workload, nearly 4,000 new vans, trucks, and trailers will be added to Royal Mail’s fleet to ensure deliveries run smoothly.
Royal Mail's Commitment to Seasonal Service
Alistair Cochrane, Royal Mail’s chief operating officer, emphasised the company’s dedication to maintaining a high level of service throughout the festive period:
“Every year we pull out all the stops to deliver Christmas for our customers. It's our busiest time of year and we plan all year round to help ensure we deliver the best possible service for UK consumers and businesses.”
Cochrane added, “We are continuing to make a substantial commitment in additional resources including the recruitment of thousands of temporary workers to handle the festive mailbag and the growing market of online Christmas shopping.”
This recruitment drive represents an opportunity for job seekers to find seasonal work in various locations, helping to manage the increased demand during the holiday period.
Register for updates — then enhance your profile in the login area, the more 'discoverable' you are — the more your skills will be in-demand.
Click here to register.
