Gap Inc. announced plans on Thursday to hire part-time workers ahead of the holiday season to help pick and pack online orders and staff its call centers.
It didn't give an exact number but said the new roles follow its hiring of more than 50,000 people in the first half of 2020 "to meet the changing needs of its customers."
"We know the holiday season will be different this year and are committed to helping our teams provide our loyal customers with a safe and seamless shopping experience for all their gifting needs," said Sheila Peters, head of Gap's people and culture.
Like many other retailers, Gap said it is expecting a surge in its digital business. It is also looking for extra staffing for its contact-free services, like curbside pickup. Gap said staffers for its customer call center will be allowed to work remotely during the coronavirus pandemic. Its fulfillment center workers will also be able to choose which hours to work, Gap said.
Gap won't be hosting a job fair this year to recruit holiday workers. Instead, it will screen applicants online, where job seekers can apply in less than three minutes.
Walmart said late last month it plans to hire 20,000 seasonal employees to help pack and ship online purchases in its fulfillment centers. Kohl's has also started hiring for the holidays at its stores, distribution and e-commerce fulfillment centers, declining to say how many jobs it's looking to fill.
Gap shares are down almost 4% this year. The company has a market cap of about $6.4 billion.
