Coles owner Wesfarmers plans to hire more employees this year, particularly in its retail division, bucking the widespread trend of job losses resulting from the economic downturn.
Chief executive Richard Goyder told ABC local radio in Perth on Thursday that the retail and resources conglomerate may reduce staff levels at some of its businesses in 2009 but aimed to have a higher number of employees across the Wesfarmers group at the end of the year.
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The news follows Woolworths' announcement that it would take on thousands of extra staff this year. And it comes as scores of companies cut back staff as they battle to contend with the worsening financial crisis that has gripped the world.
"I can't guarantee this, but I expect Wesfarmers will finish the year with more employees than when we started the year, which would be a good outcome," Mr Goyder said.
"That's because we're opening new Bunnings stores, new Coles stores, new Target stores, and the like.
"There will be some of our businesses where we do employ less people, but I don't think that will be significant.
"We as a company have worked very hard over the last few years to bring good people into the group in a very tight employment market and I'm really loathe to now let good people go.
"We're very conscious of this as an issue."
AAP
