A recent report highlights the questionable hiring practices by retailers during the holiday season.
- Retailers are using platforms like TikTok to hire young staff on gig contracts.
- Major brands such as Lush, Urban Outfitters, and Gymshark are involved in this practice.
- There is a debate over the lack of basic employment rights for these gig workers.
- Unions express concerns about the potential exploitation of young workers.
Retailers have been attracting attention for their unconventional hiring methods for the busy Christmas season. By leveraging social media platforms like TikTok, companies have been recruiting young workers on gig contracts, sparking debates over employment rights. This trend has been identified among several notable retailers including Lush, Urban Outfitters, Uniqlo, and Gymshark.
These retailers have resorted to using gig apps such as Temper and YoungOnes, which boast thousands of UK users. Influencers on TikTok, with considerable followings, are promoting these platforms to attract a young workforce eager to find temporary employment during the festive period.
Tim Sharp, a senior policy officer for employment rights at the Trades Union Congress (TUC), expressed concerns saying, “This is a worrying new development.” He questioned the logic behind workers performing regular shop duties without basic legal protections. Traditionally, agency workers were hired for these seasonal roles, granting them fundamental rights like holiday pay and minimum wage. But, the current approach leaves many gig workers without these essential benefits.
Further compounding the issue, companies like Urban Outfitters went as far as to advertise positions explicitly targeting “friendly young people” for freelance sales roles. Although the advertised pay rate of £12 an hour is above the minimum wage, the employment terms require workers to reapply daily for new shifts, creating job instability.
The potential loopholes in statutory employment rights legislation are being highlighted by the TUC, warning that such practices could expand as more companies tap into the gig economy. The issue is underscored by the BRC, which has recently highlighted the rising aggression and violence towards retail workers, detailing an increase of 1,300 incidents per day during the Christmas rush.
The pressure on retailers to adapt during the holiday season raises serious questions about the balance between operational needs and worker rights.
