UPSTATE, S.C. (WSPA) – When the COVID-19 pandemic first began and the possibly of lockdowns loomed in the air, people rushed to grocery stores to buy essentials such as toilet paper and bread.
Now stores are frantically trying to keep up with demand to keep essentials stocked on shelves.
Ingles is looking to hire up to 5,000 new employees within the next few weeks and chief financial officer, Ron Freeman said safety of both employees and customers is his top priority.
“Schools and restaurants are closed and a lot more people are going to grocery stores, we’ve had a pretty substantial increase in the amount of people visiting the grocery stores,” Freeman said.
The increase in shoppers has caused Ingles to establish more safety precautions such as social distancing markings at the registers, sanitizing anything that is frequently touched and they are in the process of installing plexi glass shields at each register.
For the people needing temporary or full time jobs, he says all you need is to have basic experience.
“Retail experience, knows how to run a cash register, skills we could use to keep the store stocked,”Freeman said.
Freeman told us that forklift operators, and those with warehouse experience are encouraged to apply.
In February, Ingles assisted employees who we’re left without a job due to the closing of all Earth Fare stores through their One Team, One Community initiative, but this one is much bigger.
Freeman told me this current hiring initiative is a direct result of the affects of COVID-19, to help both the company’s need for employees and those who have lost their jobs within the past few weeks.
“We will take those application and literally it’s apply today and go to work tomorrow if it’s a match,” Freeman said. “It could really be that quick and thats for both in our stores and warehouses.”
For more information on where to apply please visit the Ingles employment website.
