Kroger Seeks to Fill 23,000 Roles During Hiring Event

The Kroger Co. is tackling labor shortages head on again as it hosts its third nationwide hybrid hiring event on April 30.

The Cincinnati-based grocer said in an April 27 statement that it is hiring for 23,000 open roles across all departments, including retail, e-commerce, manufacturing, supply chain, merchandising, logistics, corporate, pharmacy and healthcare. The event will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. ET for virtual interviews and 1 to 5 p.m. local time for nationwide, on-site interviews. 

"After our successful fall hiring event, we are eager to once again open our doors—virtually and in-person—to welcome new members to our our organization," said Tim Massa, Kroger SVP and chief people officer, in a statement. "Hosting a hybrid event allows us to reach and interact with more candidates in the way that works best for them while also showing them the many fresh, uplifting career opportunities available across our company."

Kroger said it offers resources to support and develop associates and make their lives easier in the following categories: wages and benefits; continuing education support; training and development; health and wellness; and other perks and discounts.

Kroger said it has invested an incremental $1.2 billion in associate hourly wages and training over the past four years, including more than $450 million in 2021. This investment in wages has boosted its average hourly wage to $17 and when coupled with benefits, average total compensation is more than $22 an hour, the grocer said. 

Kroger’s continuing education program offers up to $21,000 in tuition reimbursement for both part-time and full-time associates, covering a GED to Ph.D. Since inception, Kroger said this program has benefited 6,789 associates, with hourly associates making up 88.4% of those who have taken advantage of the offering so far.

The company also leverages technologies to deliver on-demand, role-specific training and resources, as well as leadership, career advancement, and diversity, equity and inclusion training.

Kroger said it continues to further support associates' safety, health and well-being by coaching managers to lead with compassion and empathy and through resources like The Well-Being Assistant powered by Magellan Health that is available 24/7 and offers free counseling sessions as well as BetterHelp, another mental wellness resource. The organization also encourages use of Whil, a wellness platform that encourages activities like mindfulness, yoga, and sleep.

Kroger said it provides flexible scheduling, an advance pay option through partner DailyPay, as well as discounts on groceries, electronics, streaming services, travel and more.

Interested candidates can preview available roles and register for the hiring event here. In other hiring news, on April 20, Kroger said it is looking to hire more than 200 associates in logistics and transportation, as well as drivers, as the grocer prepares to bring Kroger Delivery to the South Florida market this summer.