Delivery group set to recruit thousands of staff ahead of its busiest quarter

Liverpool-based parcels delivery group, Yodel, is preparing to hire thousands of new staff members on the run-up to its busiest quarter of the year.

Last month Yodel secured an £85m funding package that will enable it to invest in plans for further automation and modernisation over the next three years, particularly focusing on the acceleration of consumer Out of Home (OoH) deliveries.

The investment was supported by a consortium of investors including PayPoint and IGF (Independent Growth Finance).

However, Sky News reports that the business is also seeking to raise millions of pounds in seasonal financing linked to its recruitment drive for more than 3,000 couriers and warehouse staff during the coming weeks, which take in November’s Black Friday and the Christmas trading periods.

The new roles will offer flexible working, allowing couriers to undertake deliveries around their existing schedules.

Yodel also said there is a potential for some temporary roles to become permanent.

The group, which was previously owned by the Barclay family, expects the volume of parcels it handles to increase by more than half during the next three months. It currently makes more than 190 million deliveries, annually, from sites across the UK.

Mike Hancox

In February this year Yodel was rescued in a takeover deal by a privately-funded consortium, protecting thousands of jobs.

Its chief executive, Mike Hancox, said: “As we head into the busiest time of year for retailers, we’re expanding our workforce to meet the boom in demand for parcel deliveries as the ecommerce market continues to go from strength to strength.

“We’re committed to supporting our network of couriers and providing a competitive range of benefits.”