Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
American retail giant, Amazon, is looking to hire 55,000 staff globally for corporate jobs and roles in robotics, research and engineering as it further expanded its footprint.
About 40,000 jobs will be in the US, with 2,500 in the United Kingdom and the remainder mostly in India, Germany and Japan.
This was disclosed by the company’s chief executive, Mr Andy Jassy, who explained that Amazon needed more hands to keep pace with the expansion of its retail, cloud computing and advertising arms.
“Amazon continues to grow quickly, and relentlessly invent across many areas,” he said in a statement.
Amazon said it has already recruited 10,000 people in the UK this year, bringing the workforce to 55,000. More details of the recruitment drive are expected ahead of a planned global Amazon Career Day jobs fair starting on 15 September.
News of the global hiring was first disclosed in an interview Mr Jassy gave with Reuters, one of the first he has given to the media since taking over from the company’s founder, Mr Jeff Bezos this year.
“There are so many jobs during the pandemic that have been displaced or have been altered, and there are so many people who are thinking about different and new jobs,” Mr Jassy told the news agency.
Amazon, the second-largest employer in the US, has about 275,000 tech and corporate staff globally. The company has been expanding its warehouse and distribution operation rapidly.
The latest recruitment drive comes as companies in the US, and also the UK, report growing problems filling skilled roles. Amazon has offered a signing-on bonus to fill some roles.
It also comes amid increased scrutiny of Amazon’s working practices from worker unions and pressure groups as there was a recent failed move to form a union.
In addition, Amazon is offering a £50 weekly bonus for permanent staff at some UK locations for turning up to work on time.
The reward is for people who have 100 per cent attendance, excluding time taken off for sickness linked to disability and COVID-19.
Amazon said the enticement would help it meet the summer and Christmas demand.
Last week, the online retail giant advertised a £1,000 joining bonus for new warehouse workers.
It comes as the UK labour market continues to rebound, with the world’s fifth-largest economy job vacancies at a record high in August.
