Amazon has hired around 12,000 seasonal workers in Germany ahead of the Black Friday and Christmas shopping rush, the company has said, marking an increase of roughly 3,000 compared with last year.
The temporary staff will work at the company’s logistics sites, performing roles such as package sorting. Delivery drivers, who operate as contractors, are not included.
Most seasonal staff began in October, with the remainder starting in November. Contracts run until the end of the year. The hiring surge is partly due to new logistics sites, including two distribution centres.
Amazon Germany employs around 40,000 permanent staff. It said the additional seasonal workforce is necessary to handle the expected surge in orders during the peak holiday period.
Amazon has operated its own delivery service in Germany for 10 years, during which it has delivered roughly five billion packages.
According to the German Federal Network Agency, Amazon is the country’s second-largest parcel carrier after DHL, handling between 15% and 25% of deliveries.
Seasonal fluctuations are common among online retailers and parcel services. DHL also temporarily increases its workforce during peak periods.