John Lewis Partnership Hires 13,700 Seasonal Staff UK-wide

The John Lewis Partnership (JLP), which includes John Lewis department stores and the Waitrose chain, is launching its largest ever recruitment drive by hiring 13,700 seasonal workers for the busy 'golden quarter' leading up to Christmas and the January sales period. This hiring surge includes 3,000 roles in John Lewis stores, 8,500 in Waitrose shops, and nearly 2,200 in warehouses and supply chain networks to meet the expected consumer demand, with an anticipated 30 million visitors to John Lewis shops and high delivery volumes. JLP has invested heavily in customer service improvements, including store transformations and new Waitrose openings, emphasizing the importance of its seasonal teams in delivering excellent service and festive experiences. Despite being an employee-owned partnership where workers, known as 'partners,' share in profits, staff have missed out on annual bonuses for the third consecutive year, though Chairman Jason Tarry has expressed determination to reinstate these bonuses when financially possible. The retailer’s focus on competitive pay, training, and flexible working aims to attract talent for these critical roles during the key shopping season. This recruitment drive coincides with Waitrose's announcement of its first new full-size supermarket in seven years, reflecting broader expansion plans.