Australia Post to hire 4,000 as parcel deliveries soar
Australia Post is embarking on a hiring spree as Australia’s shopping addiction pushes the delivery service to the edge.
Sydney is now in its ninth week of lockdown, while Melbourne endures its sixth lockdown to battle the deadly Delta strain of the coronavirus.
And the volume of parcels being delivered is bigger than ever, Australia Post executive general manager of community and consumer Nicole Sheffield said.
“Our posties and drivers have been out there since March last year often delivering on most days like it’s Christmas, and we know that Australians are relying on us more than ever and will continue to in the coming months, which is why we’re putting some key measures in place to be ready for our biggest Christmas ever,” Sheffield said.
“We’ll be hiring more than 4,000 new team members across the country, helping process at our sorting facilities, helping customers online and on the phone, and out delivering for Australians.”
The roles include 3,500 additional delivery roles and new customer support roles in Victoria and Queensland. The delivery roles will include 350 in regional Australia, and 1,000 drivers and 2,100 staff to sort parcels.
Major change to Australia Post deliveries ahead of Christmas
Australia Post will also continue providing weekend deliveries until the end of the year as the country’s two most populous states remain in lockdown, with as many as 500,000 parcels delivered every weekend until Christmas.
“We’ve introduced a series of measures to keep our people and customers safe, so while it means there might be some slight delays, Australians should know we’re working harder than ever to keep delivering their parcels safely,” Sheffield added.
It comes after Australians were urged to begin their Christmas shopping now to avoid delivery delays.
Super Retail Group chief executive Anthony Heraghty said shoppers should be aware that electronics, home and leisure goods could be held up by congestion in global supply chains.
“But even if you are buying it eight to twelve months out, the chances of it arriving on time is zero,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“If it’s not in the shed or on the shelf today, for Christmas this year I think the chances of it being [in stock] come that peak time is incredibly remote.”
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