Christmas is always a busy time for NZ Post, and this year it is going to be busier than most due to COVID-19 restrictions around the country.
They need help to deliver every pressie on time and are putting out the call for hundreds of Christmas elves.
Normally, everyday Kiwis can't be Christmas elves - the maximum three-foot height limit and requirement of pointy ears usually stops them, among other requirements.
But this isn't a normal year and NZ Post is becoming the first company to open the job of 'Christmas Elf' up to all New Zealanders.
Yep, that means you!
"It's an extremely busy time and we're looking for people to help us over the holiday period, to get presents under the tree in time for Christmas," says Brendon Main, NZ Post's Chief Operating Officer.
"What we're looking for are people to help us deliver parcels over Christmas. We need people to be out on the road delivering parcels, in our warehouses, to help us sort products to get it to where it needs to be in the country, and for people to help us on the phones answering customer queries."
Online shopping is more popular than ever, particularly in Auckland where physical retail stores remain closed.
"Normally we'd be dealing with about 1.6 million parcels per week, but currently we're dealing with over 2 million per week. We're up 50 percent in Auckland alone at the moment," says Main.
If you're keen on becoming a Christmas elf, there are three main categories to think about:
- Drivers for Couriers: These elves will step into the driver’s seat with New Zealand’s favourite courier.
- Delivery Agents: These elves will be out on the road piloting the mighty Paxsters, on a bicycle or walking.
- CPOs and Processing Officers: These elves work on the frontline, sorting and processing parcels and playing an integral role in delivering Christmas for Aotearoa.
"We're needing people to help us right the way through to the end of Christmas. We're looking for both permanent and temporary people, working different sets of hours: the full details are on our website for people to check there for the role that works best for them," says Main.
The Kiwis who become Christmas elves should earn immense satisfaction from a role that plays a meaningful part in helping millions of New Zealand families have the joyful Christmas they deserve – especially after the last year that was.
"Our team are hugely proud to be essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and they're extremely proud to be doing what they can to get presents under the tree in time for Christmas," says Main.
"Our team has worked very hard over the last few weeks and they're looking forward to getting stuck right in, this Christmas period."
Play your part in helping to deliver Christmas for Kiwis this year, with NZ Post. You can find out more about it here.
This article was created for NZ Post.
