GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn.—Dollar General announced that it will create about 10,000 net new career opportunities in fiscal 2022 through new store, distribution center and private fleet growth, according to a news release. The discount retailer says that the additional jobs will expand its workforce by 6%.
Dollar General recently announced it will open 1,110 new stores, which includes roughly 100 new pOpshelf store openings. The company also plans to add new traditional and DG Fresh distribution centers and further expand its DG Private Fleet network.
Dollar General sees the new positions as growth opportunities for current employees, saying that it “works to provide a pathway for career advancement within the organization evidenced by the fact that approximately 75% of current lead store associates and above are internally placed.”
“We are excited to add new opportunities for individuals to start or develop their career through our growing organization, and we look forward to welcoming new talent to the DG family again this year,” said Kathy Reardon, Dollar General’s executive vice president and chief people officer. “We continue to make meaningful and positive investments in our hometowns through new store and distribution center growth, which allows us to remain dedicated to support our diverse employees with training, development, advancement and education opportunities.”
According to Dollar General, its employees receive competitive wages and benefits including day-one telemedicine eligibility and Dollar General’s Employee Assistance Foundation, as well as health insurance coverage options, 401k savings and retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, paid parental leave and adoption assistance to eligible employees. Dollar General also has training and development programs, which are expected to provide more than three million training hours in fiscal 2022.
Dollar General saw comparable store sales fall 0.6% in the fiscal third quarter, compared with 12% growth during the year-ago period at the height of the pandemic, reports Retail Dive. However, Dollar General stores recorded 28.2% more visits in December 2021 than they did in December 2019, according to data released Feb. 28 by Placer.ai.
As the cost of groceries and goods continues to rise, many consumers are turning to discount retailers to save money. One woman interviewed by CNN said she has started shopping more frequently at Dollar General for basic meats, dairy and eggs. The prices “are a little bit cheaper, but still not as cheap as I'd like them to be," she said.
Discount retailers continue to encroach on c-store territory, and the incursion of dollar stores on the c-store space “represents the greatest immediate threat to the convenience industry,” according to a recent NACS State of the Industry report. Dollar Trees feature a Snack Zone concept in an effort to move additional cold beverages, candy and snacks. Family Dollar—owned by the same company—sells alcohol. Fortunately, many convenience retailers are moving beyond “gas, Cokes and smokes” and embracing a differentiated offer anchored in foodservice.