Dive Brief:

• XPO plans to hire 6,000 or more seasonal workers for its U.S. contract logistics operations, 1,000 more than in 2016, largely due to e-commerce growth expectations, a company press release reported.
• The company predicts a strong showing in omnichannel offerings this year, which it believes will create many opportunities for its retail logistics customers. XPO particularly seeks staff with a strong work ethic who wish to strengthen their logistics skills with a company that focuses on safety, training, and technology.
• XPO's seasonal hiring push is in line with big hiring sprees conducted by other logistics and e-commerce companies like Amazon, FedEx and UPS as the industries prepare for their biggest season.

Dive Insight:

Though slightly later than other logistics companies, XPO is following their lead in hiring thousands for peak season.

With one full week left in the month prior to the official start of peak season, logistics companies are outdoing each other with the number of new hires they're seeking. UPS is looking for 95,000 with the promise of some benefits even for part-timers, while Amazon began early: 50,000 new hires were sought in August. Wages are higher and some past hiring rules are no longer in force in order to lure workers in our current strong economy.

All signs are pointing to a busy holiday season in which teams of workers pick, pack and present merchandise for eager consumers. Swelling the payroll for a brief month or two is one thing; the real issue is how many of the newly hired will stay on at the various companies recruiting them. UPS has written openly about retaining good workers, as has Amazon. However, it's non-logistics employers who remain a wild card: will retailers like Target and Macy's, who also hire heavily for the holidays hold on to their seasonal staff? That ambiguity may prompt job seekers to pursue e-commerce and logistics jobs instead of traditional retail.