Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

Holiday Hiring By the Numbers (Infographic) Check out these mind-blowing stats on seasonal employment and holiday spending.

By Carly Okyle

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

We all know that in order to keep up with high demand during the holiday season, many companies hire more employees. This makes sense when you consider that about 20 percent of all retail sales are generated during the holiday season and that nearly all Americans celebrate a winter holiday. Still, the statistics on holiday hiring could surprise even seasoned veterans of the retail industry.

While holiday hires account for half of all new hires in the fourth quarter, their distribution is uneven; more new employees can be found at hobby, toy and game stores than anywhere else. At the same time, big-name department store retailers such as JC Penney, Macy's, Wal-Mart, Kohls and Target are collectively responsible for an estimated 300,000 hires, in some cases, increasing their staff by almost half. Meanwhile, the U.S. Postal Service hires fewer workers than both FedEx and UPS despite delivering more packages than those two companies combined.

While you have visions of dollar signs dancing in your head, read on to see other figures in the infographic below, courtesy of human-resource firm Addeco.

Click to Enlarge+
Holiday Hiring By the Numbers (Infographic)

Related: Tips for Running an Awesome Holiday Marketing Campaign (Infographic)

Carly Okyle

Assistant Editor, Contributed Content

Carly Okyle is an assistant editor for contributed content at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Models

How to Become an AI-Centric Business (and Why It's Crucial for Long-Term Success)

Learn the essential steps to integrate AI at the core of your operations and stay competitive in an ever-evolving landscape.

Business News

'Creators Left So Much Money on the Table': Kickstarter's CEO Reveals the Story Behind the Company's Biggest Changes in 15 Years

In an interview with Entrepreneur, Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor explains the decision-making behind the changes, how he approaches leading Kickstarter, and his advice for future CEOs.

Career

Is Consumer Services a Good Career Path for 2024? Here's the Verdict

Consumer services is a broad field with a variety of benefits and drawbacks. Here's what you should consider before choosing it as a career path.