Morrisons, the fourth biggest commercial property supermarket chain in the UK has announced that it is to create 7,000 jobs in 2012 as the commercial property retailer continues to focus on expansion.
Roughly 25 per cent of all households in the UK are not within driving distance of a Morrisons outlet and the commercial property company aims to prove this.
On the day that numbers showed UK unemployment had hit a 17-year high of 2.64 million, the commercial property retailer revealed plans to open 25 new stores next year.
The full and part time positions which Morrisons will advertise will be in a variety of roles, ranging from skilled jobs for butchers, bakers and fishmongers-as it uses its “market street” idea –skills you’d find in a traditional shopkeeper-as well as general supermarket vacancies and fresh food productions.
The majority of the both full and part-time jobs will be filled by people in the local region where the new stores will open, nevertheless around a quarter of the vacancies will be filled nationwide.
In addition, somewhere in the region of 300 full or part time jobs will also be advertised at Morrisons new distribution facility in Bridgewater, Somerset as the commercial property retailer looks to improve its supply chain and distribution logistics all over the UK.
Norman Pickavance, Human Resources Director said: “Despite the difficult economic conditions, Morrisons continues to have ambitious growth plans and that means we will be searching for people to join us in the communities in which we operate.”
He further added: “At a time when the number of young and long-term unemployed continues to increase we will provide opportunities for many people and help them build a career in retailing. That means we won’t just be providing a job, we’re committed to training our new colleagues so that they have the capability to move from the shop floor to the top floor.”
Meanwhile last month, the commercial property grocer reported strong sales over its three quarter period, as total sales volumes excluding VAT rose 4.6 per cent and like-for-like sales grew 2.4 per cent compared to last year and Pickavance trusts that the company is in a good position to continue growing.
He commented: “We feel that the catalyst we are providing is key to moving people from being excluded to being included by providing people with work, dignity and opportunity.”
Commercial property supermarket retailer Morrisons will also be continuing its Futures Programme where it looks for 1,000 new leaders of the future.
Meanwhile Morrisons is meeting its customer needs by increasing the opening hours for its stores across the UK.
The change to opening hours which took effect from 3rd May is part of a drive to make the trading periods for all Morrisons stores easier for shoppers to remember while also reacting to their changing shopping behaviours.
Research conducted over the last two years among shoppers at Morrisons has shown that customers would like to see extended store opening hours, as well as having more reliable opening times throughout the week.
Morrisons Group Retail Director, Mark Harrison said: “At Morrisons we are committed to staying in tune with our customer’s changing needs and it is clear from our research that shoppers’ lifestyles are changing with people working longer hours or working different shifts.”
“By ensuring that our trading periods remain the same from Monday to Saturday this makes it much easier for customers to remember while extending our opening hours in areas where there is the demand it means shoppers can access the products and services they need, when they need them.”
