The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in the retail industry. While some companies, such as Amazon, are hiring more workers to meet the surge in online shopping, others, such as Walmart, are making cuts to adapt to the changing market. The contrast between Amazon and Walmart is particularly striking as they have been rivals in the retail space for years.
Amazon has announced plans to hire an additional 100,000 employees in the United States and Canada. This is in addition to the 175,000 employees it hired earlier in 2020 to cope with the increase in online orders. The company has seen a surge in demand as more people choose to shop from home due to the pandemic. The new hires will work in Amazon’s fulfillment centers, delivery networks, and other areas.
Meanwhile, Walmart has been forced to make some difficult decisions in the face of the pandemic. In July, the company announced that it would be laying off hundreds of workers in its stores as it moves to automate certain tasks. The company has been investing heavily in e-commerce and online grocery delivery, but it has struggled to compete with Amazon in these areas.
The two companies are taking very different approaches to the challenges posed by the pandemic. Amazon is expanding its workforce to meet the growing demand for online shopping, while Walmart is cutting jobs to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Only time will tell which approach is more successful in the long run.