The decision by authorities to urge people to stay home amid efforts to curb the spread of the new coronavirus increased demand for delivery services, leading companies to change their employment plans accordingly. Some 10,000 additional jobs are expected to open up in the field, sector representatives predict.
The closure of cafes and restaurants and the restriction of free movement of those over the age of 65 have further caused a boom in demand for take-out services. Orders for door-to-door delivery services have already increased by over 50% compared to a regular day before the pandemic.
Chairman of the Electronic Trade Operators Association (ETİD) Emre Ekmekçi said that there are currently 250,000 field workers in Turkey for those kinds of services. Over 150,000 of them are cargo workers – both from the private sector and the Turkish Post and Telegraph Organization (PTT) – and over 100,000 are motorcycle couriers.
He noted that they foresee a 10% increase in the employment rate of both the e-commerce and delivery sectors.
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) E-Commerce Parliament Chairman Öget Kantarcı, who is also the general manager of one of the leading e-commerce sites in Turkey, GittiGidiyor, said that the door-to-door services which are carried out commonly in Istanbul, Ankara and western Turkey’s İzmir province will gain ground in other provinces as well in the coming period, bringing an increase in employment.
A Turkish startup, İsteGelsin, which delivers fruits, vegetables and meats, has already hired 100 additional employees in a week. İsteGelsin CEO Sedat Yıldırım said the rate would increase by the growing demand.
After the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed, Turkey took many steps and announced a range of measures in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Government institutions and bodies have ramped up efforts across the country, including the temporary closure of schools, nightclubs, cafes and other social spaces. Municipality workers have been disinfecting and cleaning public places while the public has increased the use of medical masks and gloves along with disinfectant products. The number of coronavirus patients in Turkey, despite the efforts, increased by 561 Wednesday, taking the total number of infections to 2,433, while the death toll topped 59.
Migros to hire 1,000 employees
Turkey’s supermarket chain Migros said earlier it will hire 1,000 people in the next two weeks for its online delivery services to meet the increased demand for online orders during the coronavirus outbreak. According to an announcement by the Turkish retail giant’s HR department, the new hires will be responsible for the collection and preparation of online orders at the company’s warehouses and chain stores.
The company has also started to offer a free online delivery option for people over the age of 60 after the outbreak.
CarrefourSa, on the other hand, said that it would shift the market employees from time to time to the virtual market and make temporary recruitment if needed.
Burhan Akgül, chairman of the Motorcycle Couriers Association, said that the courier service staff had been very busy lately as people prefer to cook in their homes due to fear of the virus and thus carry out their grocery shopping online as well.
"There is an increase in kitchen needs rather than food orders," he said.