Jollyes, the award-winning nationwide pet superstore, has introduced a raft of new support measures for new talent and longstanding colleagues as it looks to be one of retail’s best employers.

The discount retailer, which is now trading from over 100 stores across the UK with over 1,200 employees, is also launching an innovative programme called ‘fur-st impressions’ that lets those looking for their dream job working with animals to bring their pet with them to their interview.

Jollyes people are passionate about pets – in fact, a whopping 96 per cent of colleagues in the business are pet owners themselves. 

The passion and expertise this brings is part of the secret behind Jollyes’ reputation for service – a key building block of Jollyes’ plans as it prepares to more than double its retail pawprint to 250 stores over the next five years.

After a pilot, Jollyes believes making pets part of the interview experience eases the tension of job interviews and creates a more comfortable, authentic environment for both the interviewer and the candidate.

Frank Liddy, Director of the Belfast Mindfulness Centre, was supportive of the Fur-st Impressions initiative. He said: “Bringing your pet to an interview request showcases your authenticity, breaks the ice, and highlights your ability to nurture relationships – qualities that can translate into a warm, collaborative work environment.”

Jollyes has also launched a dedicated recruitment and careers website, which makes its application process and business benefits more transparent for applicants. 

Job interviews can be a daunting prospect, and Jollyes wants to give potential new hires the best chance to succeed. That’s why its new recruitment portal shows applicants what to expect in the interview process, as well as a steer on the types of questions they can expect. 

Job applications have skyrocketed to over 4,500 in its first few weeks following the pilot launch of this new portal – the same level received in the previous three years. 

New perks have also been introduced for current Jollyes colleagues, including a ‘career paws’ scheme, which will run across the business. 

Under the scheme colleagues will be entitled to take a career sabbatical of up to six months, while having an equivalent role within Jollyes retained for them to take up upon their return.

Career paws is the latest in a range of benefits for employees - and Jollyes is constantly looking at new ways to attract the talent it needs to grow at pace.

Other Jollyes benefits include:

• Birthday leave – a day off on a colleague’s special day
• A ‘top dog’ rewards scheme, which allows employees to nominate colleagues they believe deserve a little recognition. Winners receive a ‘Cat Nap Day’ of additional leave on Jollyes, alongside a badge and certificate.
• A ‘pet-eternity’ day for colleagues getting a new pet in the family
• Wedding / civil partnership – a week off for all colleagues on full pay when they get married
• Enhanced paternity leave – two weeks of full pay for new parents
• Enhanced maternity leave – Jollyes parents can now get full pay for six weeks for maternity leave
• A gift when colleagues have a baby, including through fostering or adoption
• An enhanced 20 per cent discount off all Jollyes services
• A discount for a partner or friend - after three months working at Jollyes, colleagues can nominate a second person to get an in-store discount
• Lifetime discount – after 20 years’ service a colleague will qualify for a discount for life
• New long service award badges for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years’ service – Jollyes has some of the most loyal colleagues in retail with a dozen colleagues on the payroll for over 25 years.

These are all in addition to a broader range of benefits colleagues enjoy, including big discounts with a number of partner retailers.

For the first time, Jollyes was named as one of The Sunday Times’ best big companies to work in 2024.

Jollyes people director Claire Goldenberg said: “Our engaging and passionate colleagues are what sets Jollyes apart as they support pet parents in their communities who value their expertise and care.

“That’s why creating the right support for our people, from their very first interview and through their careers here at Jollyes, is so important to our ambitious growth.

“Whether it’s having your four-legged friend by your side to calm your nerves during the interview or having the opportunity to take the career break you’ve always dreamed of, we aspire for Jollyes to be a place where colleagues are able to build a long and rewarding retail career.

“It’s a hugely exciting time for our business, with new investment which will see our store estate and headcount more than double in the next five years. 

“But our success rests on recruiting and retaining the very best people for dream jobs working with animals and giving a helping hand to those that love them.

“That’s why we are always working on new ways we can make a career at Jollyes one of the first to consider when building a retail career.”

Jollyes is now trading from 106 stores across the UK, and will open an additional three stores before the end of 2024 in East Kilbride, Leyland and Cardiff. It recently was named UK Multiple Retailer of the Year at the PetQuip Awards 2024.