Black Friday Boom: Hourly Workforce Braces for 132% Increase in Shifts
Sydney, Australia – 12 November 2024 – With the busiest sales season of the year fast approaching, shift workers across Australia are preparing for a significant increase in hours and shifts, shouldering the critical workload required to keep businesses operating during the holiday rush. However, the efforts of these workers have historically gone unseen and underappreciated.
80% of the world’s global workforce is made up of shift workers – they are the unsung heroes who ensure groceries are stocked, hospitals are staffed, products are manufactured, and cities remain safe day and night.
Deputy, the global people platform for hourly work, is projecting shift workers across the retail sector will see an 86% increase in hours worked and a 78% rise in the number of shifts during the sales weekend. Hospitality workers are projected to see a 19% rise in hours and a 16% increase in shifts. However, the most significant increase is projected amongst Australia’s service workers — those typically employed in industries like postal and delivery services. Workers in these sectors are projected to experience a 105% increase in hours and a 132% increase in shifts, highlighting the significant effort required to sustain businesses and communities during the year’s busiest shopping weekend.
Deputy celebrates shift workers with Shift Worker Sunday
Shift workers are critical to society and, yet, are often unrecognised. That’s why, Deputy launched Shift Worker Sunday — a day dedicated to recognising shift workers and showing gratitude for all they do to keep our world running.
Celebrated on the 24th of November, Shift Worker Sunday calls on businesses, patrons and community leaders to commit to recognising and appreciating shift workers. Additionally, it emphasises the importance of creating opportunities for learning, career development, and growth, ensuring shift workers can build a more secure and prosperous future.
“Shift workers are the backbone of our economy, and their contributions will be more critical than ever during the holiday season. Their work sustains the infrastructure that keeps our lives and businesses functioning, and it’s essential to recognise their role in maintaining the stability of our communities and economies," said Deputy’s CEO, Silvija Martincevic.
“At Deputy, we believe supporting shift workers goes beyond seasonal recognition. It’s about providing them with predictable hours, fair wages, and opportunities for growth throughout the year. I encourage business owners and leaders, especially those who employ hourly workers, to join us and pledge to commit to meaningful actions that make a real difference for this essential workforce.”
In the lead up to Shift Worker Sunday Deputy is hosting a unique activation in Martin Place, Sydney, on Friday, November 22nd, between 11am and 3pm. The team will be giving away Gelato Messina in exchange for Gratitude, encouraging attendees to write a thank-you note to a shift worker in their life in exchange for a sweet scoop. These notes of gratitude will be digitised and published on the Shift Worker Sunday website.
“We're excited to see both Deputy customers, partners, and shift workers join us in Martin Place for this event,” said Dom Newman, Senior Director of Brand Strategy and Digital Experience. “This is our way of showing that recognition can be meaningful, fun, and community-driven. Gratitude has the power to brighten someone's day, and this activation allows us to publicly acknowledge the hard work and dedication of shift workers in a tangible way.”
To learn more about the vital contributions shift workers make to the Australian economy, visit https://www.deputy.com/au/shift-worker-sunday.
About Deputy
Deputy is the global workforce management platform for shift work. Its intuitive software strengthens employer-employee connections, streamlines compliance obligations, and revolutionizes how shift workers and businesses operate together, creating workplaces that thrive. Over 375,000 workplaces use Deputy to create better work-life experiences for 1.4 million scheduled workers globally. Visit www.deputy.com, or find us on Twitter, Facebook, the App Store or Google Play for more information.
About Shift Worker Sunday
Shift Worker Sunday, celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of November, is about celebrating the hourly workers who keep our communities thriving through all of life’s moments, big or small, exciting or nerve-wracking — shift after shift. On 24 November, we thank the workers who make daily sacrifices by giving them kudos and shouting out the people and businesses that keep our communities connected and thriving.
