Retailers struggle to hire staff to meet Christmas demand.

Samuel T. Cogley

Jesus I remember these days - the absolute dregs coming in to interview. Scared the **** out of some Junkie one day when he came in looking for his 'I'm looking for a job sheet' for the dole, asked hime when he could start, never saw him again. A good cohort of Xmas temps are kept on, a lot get the boot due to being worse than useless.

CarrickMcJoe

Aiyana Enough Yearbook wrote: »

Ms Cash is looking for a job no??

Thought she's a secret shopper in Penny's....

TallGlass

I'd also like to address the 20hrs. You can make a claim but to do so you've to condense your working hours into 3 days. If you work 4 days then you won't get the welfare payment. Good luck finding a main stream employeer in retail agreeing to that. It's mainly 4 hour shifts two nights a week and 6/8 hour shifts on weekends.

LirW

I'm in the situation right now that I'd like to work, I'm at home with my 18month old and we live rural. There are places hiring but they expect Mo-Sun 8am - 10pm flexibility. My partner with a long commute and at the moment we only have one car and it simply wouldn't work for me and my schedule. If I take driving and childcare into account my wage would drastically go down plus I'd rarely see my partner.
It's probably an entirely different thing in a few months time.

I see that it is ideal for young people with little commitments and no family to take care of. But the temporary staff gets the worst hours and it simply doesn't suit anyone with a family (given they actually wanna see their spouses too).
I worked in a retail/service job before, the hours were awful and I was a single mother with a toddler. I had full time childcare sorted out and stated that I am available on weekends sometimes if I have enough notice. At the end I had to work every single weekend and got either the early or late shifts that I struggled getting childcare for. Fortunately I found something else and quit, never looked back.

Springfields

YFlyer wrote: »

I'm doing my PhD at the moment at the University of Limerick. Currently ran out of funding. Would do retail work in the weekend, evenings or night, if offered.

Go out to the crescent shopping centre if you have transport or are willing to use buses. There will be lots of positions going there for Xmas. Their ads will say fully flexible but if there is that much of a shortage of workers they will consider you. If you say you will be available late night's and all weekends I'd be surprised if you don't get something..just be upfront once you get the interview and be clear about the hours you can comit to. (Note you may need to say your flexible to get the interview in the first place ),

titan18

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote:

The best solution for companies struggling to find employees is higher wages.

Higher prices then for the rest of us which means cost of living increases substantially, public sector wages go up cos unions strike, Dole payments go up, more people shop online cos of the decreased competiveness of local stores which results in people out of jobs.

Good idea. No wonder this country is fcuked.

Someone under 25 on €100 free dole money would be hard pressed to get up at 7am and do a full days work when the welfare system is giving them money for sitting on their arises doing nothing.

punisher5112

Don't forget, payments are to be increased and full Christmas bonus.

I really can't understand why so much is done for long term unemployed.

Franz Von Peppercorn

titan18 wrote: »

Higher prices then for the rest of us which means cost of living increases substantially, public sector wages go up cos unions strike, Dole payments go up, more people shop online cos of the decreased competiveness of local stores which results in people out of jobs.

Good idea. No wonder this country is fcuked.

None of that is true but it’s the typical economically illiterate bollocks that people spout.

There’s no need to put up prices if you raise wages for temporary workers. Just take a temporary hit in profits, made up by the increase in revenues you get by having more staff.

titan18

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote:

None of that is true but it’s the typical economically illiterate bollocks that people spout.

There’s no need to put up prices if you raise wages for temporary workers. Just take a temporary hit in profits, made up by the increase in revenues you get by having more staff.

No, it is true. It's not like youd pay temporary staff more per hour than permanent staff, so it's a permanent hit in profits, and many stores need that profits at Christmas to make up for the drop throughout the year.

Wages go up and prices go up. It's not a viable business anymore for a lot of places without it.

It also means companies competing for the same pool of workers (call centres, bars, restaurants etc) have to increase wages too otherwise they lose staff.

Yer Da sells Avon

Deleted User wrote: »

Someone under 25 on €100 free dole money would be hard pressed to get up at 7am and do a full days work when the welfare system is giving them money for sitting on their arises doing nothing.

I'm over 25, so I was getting almost twice that on the dole, but I was still desperate to get off it. Sitting on your arse doing nothing gets old very quickly, especially when you've no money to do anything.

Franz Von Peppercorn

titan18 wrote: »

No, it is true. It's not like youd pay temporary staff more per hour than permanent staff, so it's a permanent hit in profits, and many stores need that profits at Christmas to make up for the drop throughout the year.

Of course you can pay them more.

Wages go up and prices go up. It's not a viable business anymore for a lot of places without it.

Prices don’t track wages. If they did hotel prices would be where they were in 2010. The price is what the consumer will pay. If a retail business can sell more stuff with more employees then it doesn’t mattter if the margins on those items are less provided they aren’t zero.

It also means companies competing for the same pool of workers (call centres, bars, restaurants etc) have to increase wages too otherwise they lose staff.

God forbid that wages ever go up. We should have stayed with pre famine wages.

Ave Sodalis

Deleted User wrote:

Someone under 25 on €100 free dole money would be hard pressed to get up at 7am and do a full days work when the welfare system is giving them money for sitting on their arises doing nothing.

Ah yes... I am 24 and currently working part time. Before that, I was on the dole because I also study a postgrad part time and it's very difficult to find a job that would work around me. I have a 40 euro a week student loan. Basic maths would tell you I have about 65 euro after this loan payment gets taken out of my bank account (under 25s get 105). Please explain to me how I am happy enough paying for food, bills, petrol etc on that amount?

I should also point out that I volunteer which often means I'm up at 6 in the morning. How does that fit into your narrative?

I can't believe I've been sucked into another dole thread. It's full of the same people who just love to stick their noses up at people and act like they're some better human, where as I would much rather be around people who have a smidge of empathy and don't make ridiculous sweeping statements with no benefit except to fill some bizarre narcissistic desire.

titan18

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Of course you can pay them more.



Prices don’t track wages. If they did hotel prices would be where they were in 2010. The price is what the consumer will pay. If a retail business can sell more stuff with more employees then it doesn’t mattter if the margins on those items are less provided they aren’t zero.



God forbid that wages ever go up. We should have stayed with pre famine wages.

Why would any permanent staff bother staying in a place where they could get paid more if they went permanent elsewhere and have a good chance of being kept on. Pissing off your existing staff by paying people with less experience more is retarded.

When do you ever see the cost of business going up with out it being passed on to the consumer? The vast majority of time costs go up, prices increase to offset it.

Only way to increase the labour pool for these jobs is immigration or lowering social welfare so people have to get off their ass and work.

Samuel T. Cogley

Ave Sodalis wrote: »

Ah yes... I am 24 and currently working part time. Before that, I was on the dole because I also study a postgrad part time and it's very difficult to find a job that would work around me. I have a 40 euro a week student loan. Basic maths would tell you I have about 65 euro after this loan payment gets taken out of my bank account (under 25s get 105). Please explain to me how I am happy enough paying for food, bills, petrol etc on that amount?

I should also point out that I volunteer which often means I'm up at 6 in the morning. How does that fit into your narrative?

I can't believe I've been sucked into another dole thread. It's full of the same people who just love to stick their noses up at people and act like they're some better human, where as I would much rather be around people who have a smidge of empathy and don't make ridiculous sweeping statements with no benefit except to fill some bizarre narcissistic desire.

So you were on the dole but not available to work?

punisher5112

punisher5112 wrote: »

Don't forget, payments are to be increased and full Christmas bonus.

I really can't understand why so much is done for long term unemployed.

Because this country doesn’t like to leave people in poverty when they struggle to find a job? You realise as well you can’t just sit on your arse on jobseekers. You have regular meetings with the officer handling your claim where you must prove to them you’re actively seeking work. No ones happy to sit around on €100 a week for several years. It’s attitudes of businesses that rather older people who are more experienced, younger workers aren’t given a chance to get used to working.

aaabbbb

The people who would typically do these jobs would be students etc and it seems that most retailers want employees who can be at their beck and call when suits the employer but not have any flexibility towards the employee.

I'm currently in college and applying for part-time jobs. The majority of those I've seen advertised want people who are fully flexible Monday through Sunday and are willing to work every possible hour (or none) depending on the employers need that week.
These are terms that just won't suit those who typically engage in part time work. If the employers were willing to be more flexible then they might not have such difficulties hiring staff.

punisher5112

Damari Worried RamrodMGS wrote: »

Because this country doesn’t like to leave people in poverty when they struggle to find a job? You realise as well you can’t just sit on your arse on jobseekers. You have regular meetings with the officer handling your claim where you must prove to them you’re actively seeking work. No ones happy to sit around on €100 a week for several years. It’s attitudes of businesses that rather older people who are more experienced, younger workers aren’t given a chance to get used to working.

€100 you're having a laugh....

That's only very young.....

RasTa

Ave Sodalis wrote: »

Ah yes... I am 24 and currently working part time. Before that, I was on the dole because I also study a postgrad part time and it's very difficult to find a job that would work around me. I have a 40 euro a week student loan. Basic maths would tell you I have about 65 euro after this loan payment gets taken out of my bank account (under 25s get 105). Please explain to me how I am happy enough paying for food, bills, petrol etc on that amount?

I should also point out that I volunteer which often means I'm up at 6 in the morning. How does that fit into your narrative?

I can't believe I've been sucked into another dole thread. It's full of the same people who just love to stick their noses up at people and act like they're some better human, where as I would much rather be around people who have a smidge of empathy and don't make ridiculous sweeping statements with no benefit except to fill some bizarre narcissistic desire.

Why aren't you teaching when doing your masters

punisher5112

punisher5112 wrote: »

€100 you're having a laugh....

That's only very young.....

Uh that’s under 25?? You get €107.70 from 18-24.

When you’re 25 you get €152.80

And 26 and over you get the full rate €198.

Yes you will get rent allowance or HAP & a medical card, but on jobseekers there’s no bus passes or any other such thing. So living on €107 isn’t going to see you living like a king. God help you if you’re a smoker.

Ave Sodalis

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

So you were on the dole but not available to work?

I was available to work, otherwise I wouldn't have been allowed on the dole.

RasTa wrote: »

Why aren't you teaching when doing your masters

It's not an option. The course is also distant learning. It's a taught course, rather than a research one so all the theory is done at home.

Samuel T. Cogley

Ave Sodalis wrote: »

I was available to work, otherwise I wouldn't have been allowed on the dole.

But you wouldn't take a job unless it fitted around your studies?

Ave Sodalis

Samuel T. Cogley wrote:

But you wouldn't take a job unless it fitted around your studies?

Within reason, yes. For example, the job I had to quit when I got my course were very difficult to work with, and there was no way I would have been able to complete my course when working with them. I wasn't going to quit a course that could potentially lead me to a 6 figure salary and I would love doing and have wanted to do since a child, to work for a failing supermarket with horrible people for a salary that barely hit 5 figures.

I'm not sure why I need to explain myself to you though. I have a large folder of documents, and was thoroughly grilled by the welfare office. I highly doubt someone on an internet forum will catch something within a few lines that they didn't.

Samuel T. Cogley

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

But you wouldn't take a job unless it fitted around your studies?

That sounds an awful lot like most students? What a shower, trying to further their education. Cowboys the lot of em.

leggo

mikemac2 wrote: »

Every generation says this and when you were a young ‘un it was said about you too

I hear what you’re saying and generally I’d agree that every generation complains about their youth, but it wasn’t the case for me. This was pre-recession and I remember my mates and I all trawling the local shopping centre with CVs once we hit around 16. It was weirder if you didn’t work because jobs were so easy to come by, I got my first retail job on my lunch break from school with a 5-minute interview from the manager at the till. In the Celtic Tiger years everyone was money mad and you were considered a sap if you weren’t making or going after as much money as you could. Now you’re seen as a sap if you’re working when you don’t have to be.

Again there are pros/cons to both but in this particular topic I feel that’s a con. Not everyone can start Facebook or Uber, there needs to be people to ring up your clothes or serve your McDonalds, and if you’re making nothing on the latter because you’re intent on doing the former, then you’re just a delusional poor kid.

Lia_lia

I think if a student, for example, was willing to work part-time they would already have a job all year round.

I worked in hotels when I was a student part-time at weekends and full time (70 hour weeks..fun times) during the summer. You'd be surprised at the amount of students that are extremely picky about where they want to work part-time.

Also, many people just like being on the dole. Lots of people on the dole have cash in hand jobs where they come out with more money so wouldn't be going for these kinds of jobs advertised. Enraging but true.

Richard Hillman

I think there 3 types here

1. People who just don't want to work

2. People who kinda want to work but are unemployable in a service type industry

3. People who want to work but are of an older age, have good CVs or experience, that management don't want them there because they may stand up themselves.

From the CEO of a retail lobby group...

When asked whether retailers should further increase wages to attract more staff, Fitzsimons said: “There is wage inflation generally in the market and a lot is made of the minimum wage.
“More important than monetary compensation is the whole brand and experience and the willingness for the individual to work for one brand or another.

Right, so the industry is complaining about being unable to hire seasonal workers while peddling that line at the same time? Ahahaha...fúck off.

riffmongous

I remember this years ago, maybe it's grand if you are living in a city or town but if you were outside at all you needed a car to be available at all working hours as buses don't run late.. of course you don't make enough to run a car and insure it.. You won't make enough to pay the rent to live near the job either.. I'm so glad I made it out of that trap

Jellybaby1

In my teens and twenties I worked full time 9-6 in an office. When we were saving for a mortgage we both worked in Saturday jobs. The thing is there was such a thing as weekend work, but these days the working week is seven days. They want 'flexible' staff which basically just means at their beck and call. Some people stretch to it but others can't run in to work at an hour or two's notice which is what I have seen family members have to do. Could employers go back to a five day working week for full time staff and just hire weekend staff to do weekends? There doesn't seem to be what we used to call 'overtime' in the retail trade any more. When my daughter worked in retail ten to twelve years ago she could work overtime hours at the weekend. My son, also in retail, gets nothing extra for working weekends.

Richard Hillman

punisher5112 wrote: »

Don't forget, payments are to be increased and full Christmas bonus.

I really can't understand why so much is done for long term unemployed.

This is a very valid point.

If you are on minimum wage and work for the 6 weeks up to Xmas on a 37.5 hours per week contract, including tax you get €322 per week by 6 = €1932. Take away public transport (27.50 pw and about €15 pw for lunch) x 6, you end up with €1676.

6 weeks in the dole, plus your bonus makes it €1386. That's an extra €290 for 6 weeks. 225 hours over 6 weeks is €1.29 per hour.

That's without general work expenses. You may have to provide your own clothing etc. If you have a child, you may have to put the child into a crèche, so you will be well out of Pocket

Zero-hour contract, what's not to like. They'll be lining up from Skibberean to Buncrana.

GhostyMcGhost

Deviso wrote: »

https://fora.ie/retail-christmas-staff-shortages-4264300-Oct2018/

I get the country is almost at full employment. But youth unemployment is still at 13%. I'm 22 and work FT. If I was unemployed I'd be applying to anything I could get. Is this not the general attitude?

Great! maybe they might stay shut for Stephens day this year

Mousewar

punisher5112 wrote: »

I unfortunately have to deal with the public and it's draining.

Give out for anything, make up complaints, harassment, threats of violence, have been attacked numerous times etc etc etc.....

You're dead right. They're Fuckers. Every single last one of them!

milehip

iamwhoiam wrote: »

milehip wrote: »

Listen to Christmas carols 8 hours a day while dealing with the general public, many of who are on a heightened level of stress because of the time of year,for minimum wage, all while dressed like an elf?
Sure anyone on the dole would jump at the chance.

There are many people working in retail who have pride in working for a wage and not languishing on the dole .

Hmm! OK, i don't doubt it,but this thread is not about them,it's about the inability of firms to fill seasonal positions.

milehip

suicide_circus wrote: »

milehip wrote: »

Listen to Christmas carols 8 hours a day while dealing with the general public, many of who are on a heightened level of stress because of the time of year,for minimum wage, all while dressed like an elf?
Sure anyone on the dole would jump at the chance.

and there in lies the problem. Minimum wage in an elf costume should look like winning the lotto to anyone who is on the dole long term.

Yeah your self-esteem would be at rock bottom anyways so I guess the only way is up.

LirW

riffmongous wrote: »

I remember this years ago, maybe it's grand if you are living in a city or town but if you were outside at all you needed a car to be available at all working hours as buses don't run late.. of course you don't make enough to run a car and insure it.. You won't make enough to pay the rent to live near the job either.. I'm so glad I made it out of that trap

That's kind of the crux for me and plenty of others that I know where I live: being at home with the children and if you take a job that requires full flexibility every day of the week between childcare and running a car to the next town(s) with employment opportunities when you're looking for a service job, you'd hand over your pay directly to a minder/babysitter and the car. For us at the moment it pays off more having me at home for another while.

the_syco

So, they cannot find people to work anti-social hours on minimum wage during the busiest time of the year, and they are shocked?

I'm shocked that they won't pay their staff more.

Samuel T. Cogley

Ave Sodalis wrote: »

Within reason, yes. For example, the job I had to quit when I got my course were very difficult to work with, and there was no way I would have been able to complete my course when working with them. I wasn't going to quit a course that could potentially lead me to a 6 figure salary and I would love doing and have wanted to do since a child, to work for a failing supermarket with horrible people for a salary that barely hit 5 figures.

I'm not sure why I need to explain myself to you though. I have a large folder of documents, and was thoroughly grilled by the welfare office. I highly doubt someone on an internet forum will catch something within a few lines that they didn't.

Damari Worried RamrodMGS wrote: »

That sounds an awful lot like most students? What a shower, trying to further their education. Cowboys the lot of em.

The difference is the point of the dole is to be looking for, and available for any work. Seemingly the welfare office were happy enough with the his efforts, that's good enough for me, but there are plenty of people on the dole and forwhatever reason, including studying, not looking for work.

whisky_galore

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

The best solution for companies struggling to find employees is higher wages.

Offer peanuts and all you get are monkeys.

erica74

I think retailers are too strict with their hiring criteria. I'm employed now but 2 years ago I applied to Penneys, Debenhams, Tesco and Argos for the Christmas period but didn't even get called for interview because I didn't have "relevant experience". However, I do have 13 years work experience dealing with the public daily, not in a retail position, and excellent references. If retailers are having trouble filling positions, maybe they need to loosen up the hiring criteria.

suicide_circus

people want retail staff to be paid more with proper working hours but they don't want these changes reflected in the price of products.

Ave Sodalis

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

The difference is the point of the dole is to be looking for, and available for any work. Seemingly the welfare office were happy enough with the his efforts, that's good enough for me, but there are plenty of people on the dole and forwhatever reason, including studying, not looking for work.

"That's good enough for me" is exactly what the problem with these kind of threads are. It's not up to you. It does not matter one bit what is good enough for you, but these threads insist on sh*tting all over people despite this. It is up to the welfare office to decide what's good enough. Studying in itself is not a good enough reason to get welfare payments. I had the poor college's administrator's head light with phone calls needing this document, and that document to prove that I can study and work full time.



If it wasn't good enough for you, what would you have done?

The J Stands for Jay

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Zero-hour contract, what's not to like. They'll be lining up from Skibberean to Buncrana.

If it was really attractive, you'd have said Baltimore to Malin.

CrankyHaus

whisky_galore wrote: »

Offer peanuts and all you get are monkeys.

Not all retail pays peanuts. In my local Aldi they have hiring signs up : €12 per hour or 14 if you have experience. That's not bad for the job, the latter rate is nearly twice what I was on for a relatively challenging college job less than 10 years ago. I know the German retailers get their pound of flesh but still it's not minimum wage.

Squeeonline

Temporary work with no benefits are typically paid more under the name of "agency" workers. I'm glad people are refusing to work for minimum wage and terrible conditions. Starve the companies until they offer more.

Skarlett Black

They seem to be looking for people to be available for a full 40 hour week but will only offer between 4 and 15 hours.

I'm almost at the end of my current contract and my next wont be starting until after the new year so I'm looking for something to tide me over the Christmas Season.

Anyone I have spoken to wants me to be available at all hours but can only guarantee me at a minimum 4-6 per week. Now, I wont survive or pay my rent on 4-6 hours a week. The hours would be doable if I was able work a few of these jobs BUT that doesnt suit them as they require you to be fully flexible and available whenever needed.

Sephiroth_dude

erica74 wrote: »

I think retailers are too strict with their hiring criteria. I'm employed now but 2 years ago I applied to Penneys, Debenhams, Tesco and Argos for the Christmas period but didn't even get called for interview because I didn't have "relevant experience". However, I do have 13 years work experience dealing with the public daily, not in a retail position, and excellent references. If retailers are having trouble filling positions, maybe they need to loosen up the hiring criteria.

Seems a lot of employers for low skilled jobs like the Tesco's etc are looking for experienced people these days, how is anyone suppose to get a leg up on the working ladder if you need experience and give you a chance ? A subway near me was looking for a deli assistant with two years experience recently.