Labor shortages are forcing British companies to raise wages to attract and retain employees. Now Amazon.Com IncThe UK subsidiary has joined in recruiting staff for the upcoming shopping season, promising bonuses of up to 3000 pounds as soon as they sign up.
The e-commerce giant is currently advertising a number of jobs with high bonuses across the UK. One of the positions is a temporary warehouse worker in Exeter, UK, with an entry bonus of £3000, while the signing bonus for a job at the company in London is £2000. Many other warehouse positions offer bonuses of 1500 pounds.
In London, the basic hourly wage is 11.10 pounds an hour, while overtime pay can be as high as 22.20 pounds. The average wage for a warehouse worker in the UK is £10.16 an hour, according to job search website Indeed.
Amazon.Com Inc's generous signing bonus reflects the current labor shortage in all industries in the UK. There is a shortage of an estimated 100000 truck drivers in the UK, disrupting shipments, empty store shelves and a backlog of goods at ports and gas stations. At the same time, industries including agriculture, warehousing, food processing and hotels have warned of a severe shortage of workers.