Wesfarmers, owner of retail groups including Coles and Bunnings plan to employ more staff this year, bucking the trend seen by other sectors.

This comes after an earlier announcement that Woolworths group (grocery store chain) plans on hiring around 7,000 people in the second half of 2009.

thewest.com.au reports:

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 might 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.

“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.

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