Attraction of seasonal workers in retail chains – free accommodation Business

The sudden coronavirus pandemic in Lithuania, which caused the economic recession in the country, is also responding to seasonal work. During the quarantine activity, hotels, restaurants and merchants were forced to stop, generally looking for the largest number of employees during the summer year, who are in uncertainty about the future of this year.

Rita Karavaitienė, Marketing Manager of job search portal CV-Online, realizes that this year there are fewer seasonal job offers and more applicants for temporary jobs.

Firstly, because this year the number of offers to go abroad to work has decreased significantly: job search portals are dominated by seasonal job advertisements in Lithuania.

“This year is unique: More and more people are unemployed, but not as many seasonal jobs. Stable seasonal jobs are offered in agriculture. In previous years, there were job offers in the UK; today it is more difficult to go there. There were also many offers to go to the tourist centers in southern Spain, Greece. There are no such job offers this year. There are job offers in the Scandinavian countries, but not as much as last year “, R. Karavaitienė reviews the trends .

This year is more or less: There are more and more unemployed people, but there are not so many seasonal jobs, says R. Karavaitienė.

However, an analysis of seasonal job ads in Lithuania shows clear differences from previous years, even here. Palanga leads this year, and there are far fewer offers to work at Druskininkai or Birštonas than before.

“Since Druskininkai or Birštonas are more related to health than leisure, the season is delayed there, there are not so many job offers,” says the labor market expert.

Search for temporary workers: two months later

Another feature of this year is that employers began preparations for the summer season much later. According to R. Karavaitienė, in previous years, companies started looking for temporary workers in April, but this time the offer of temporary jobs is only gaining momentum.

“It just came to our attention then. Overall, there are fewer seasonal jobs this year, as most of the job openings went to tourism, hotel and catering workers. As quarantine conditions began to decline, companies they started looking for workers gradually. Maybe in mid-June and the necessary team will be assembled, “emphasizes R. Karavaitienė. According to her, the heat of the search for seasonal workers is currently being felt.

Young people between the ages of 18 and 23 are more interested in seasonal work. Sixteen-year-olds are also much more active this year, but R. Karavaitienė regretted that this summer is probably the worst moment for them: as the number of unemployed increases, employers have a choice.

“It is easier for employers to choose those who are already 18 or older because there are fewer restrictions on working hours and other requirements. It is clear that at sixteen they would like to work, but there is no way. We recommend that you try volunteer work, “said the labor market expert.

This trend 15 minutes Renata Keršienė, public relations manager for Rimini, confirmed that the company was very interested in minors in seasonal work on the coast. However, there is no priority for minors this year.

“Because certain restrictions need to be observed when hiring minors, for example, they are not allowed to work with a cash register in the alcohol department, this year we kept the minors interested and able to work in reserve. they need additional employees in the periods around the big summer holidays: Jonines, Žolines, when the number of vacationers increases, the workload increases, ”said R.Keršienė.

Retail chains attract employees overnight

R. Karavaitienė warns that there is a greater interest in seasonal job offers, where accommodation is also offered.

“People see that advertisement as an opportunity to work and relax, for them it is an offer of a field of work and leisure,” says R. Karavaitienė.

She notes that it is not uncommon to offer a seasonal job along with an overnight stay. Summer worker accommodation is offered by larger hotels, remote homes, seeking area supervisors and financial aides, as well as retail chains.

Indrė Baltrušaitienė, a representative of the Iki retail chain 15 minutes He said that this year, as it has been for several years, the retail chain is looking for employees for seasonal work at the Iki store in Šventoji during the summer. Free accommodation is offered for staff from other cities.

According to I. Baltrušaitienė, the opportunity to work on the “Iki” beach in the summer is offered for the first time to its employees: those interested are temporarily transferred to work in the Šventoji store. A job advertisement on the beach hung and in chain stores.

“This year, the job advertisement received a lot of interest. This was probably due to labor market conditions dictated by the coronavirus pandemic. The store team has already formed: this year we are looking for 24 employees, and among the selected people there are a couple of our existing employees, ”said I. Baltrušaitienė, adding that the apartment is rented to employees in Šventoji.

According to her, about 50 candidates applied for a job at the Šventoji store, mostly young.

The staff was found without much effort

Representatives from other retail chains also note that this year the interest in seasonal work on the coast is higher: consultations for those who want to work in the summer have started to flow even without publishing such job offers.

“Although this year we did not organize job fairs due to quarantine, we did not post job announcements in cities, we did not go and we did not meet potential employees in coastal cities like Kretinga, Plungė, the number of candidates increased several times.” 15 minutes said R. Keršienė, public relations manager for Rimi.

Retail chain Rimi is looking for employees in Palanga and Šventoji for the summer, where it opens seasonal stores every summer.

R.Keršienė reported that employees who come for seasonal work from other cities and districts further from the seaside and do not have the opportunity to go to work every day, the company has been accommodating them in a large house for several years. If acquaintances and friends are employed, they stay 2-3 in a room.

Not only candidates from the coast or nearby cities and districts of western Lithuania, but also Kaunas, Šiauliai and Vilnius apply for seasonal work.

For seasonal work, Rimi looks for administrative staff first: shift managers, department managers, cashiers. They are employed for a longer season and begin work earlier, in late April / early May, and work until early September. Other staff, such as classrooms, staff in closed apartments, are employed throughout the summer.

It is interesting that, as R.Keršien da realizes, it is not only young people running for Rimi: the majority of the candidates are between 19 and 25 years old and 40 years old or older.

“Currently, seasonal store formations have been completed, some 50 seasonal employees have been hired. Their numbers will continue to grow. We have also compiled a list of potential employees; this may be necessary in the summer when the scope of the work increases during holiday periods, ”reported R. Keršienė.

Lidl Lietuva public relations representative Lina Skersytė 15 minutes He claimed that Lidl Lietuva is also looking for seasonal employees on the coast, but priority is given to network employees from other cities: employees receive full payment for accommodation, additional daily allowances are paid for each business day.

It is true that Lidl Lietuva has currently announced the selection of external candidates to work in shops on the coast, both in Palanga and Klaipėda, but they are not paid accommodation.

Maxima has her own bedroom on the beach

Maxima also draws employees to work in Palanga and Nida by offering free accommodation: In Nida for over a decade, the retail chain has had its own bedroom with separate dining rooms, access to a washing machine, separate areas, and men’s and women’s rooms.

“Generally, the accommodation we provide is in a strategically convenient location, i. Not far from the store where you work. In Nida, for example, the bedroom is in the same building as the store, only with a separate entrance. ” 15 minutes he told me Ernesta Dapkienė, Director of Maxima’s Department of Communication and Corporate Affairs.

According to her, each year Maxima hires several hundred employees for seasonal jobs in resort stores and other cities. About 800 people were hired last year, and a similar number is expected to be hired this year. From June to the end of August, the commercial network offers seasonal work to ATMs, vendors, room staff and stevedores.

E.Dapkienė added that seasonal employees are currently also subject to additional motivational measures: separate bonuses for work results and season worked, all store employees receive free lunch.

The representatives of the retail chains highlighted that there are also cases in which, after working in the summer in the coast, temporary workers move to work in the stores of the big cities.