22nd December 2025

2026 Benefits Peak

What Peak Season 2025 Is Teaching UK Supply Chains About Workforce Planning in 2026

Peak season has always been the defining pressure point for UK logistics. But Peak 2025 revealed a more fundamental shift: the operational environment is becoming more complex, less predictable, and increasingly shaped by labour dynamics that move faster than traditional planning cycles.

Across fulfilment centres, transport networks, and warehouse operations, one theme has become clear, the organisations best positioned for 2026 will be those that treat workforce planning as a continuous operational discipline rather than a seasonal activity. With new evidence emerging from this year’s data, we can pinpoint the labour trends shaping operational performance and temporary recruitment strategies for the year ahead.

Labour Availability Tightened Again in 2025, Influencing Peak Performance

According to the Office for National Statistics Labour Market Overview (Nov 2025), the UK recorded a 117,000 drop in payrolled employees between September 2024 and September 2025, the largest annual fall in two years. At the same time, the ONS vacancies bulletin shows that employer demand has remained broadly steady.

For logistics, this means a familiar pattern intensified:
high seasonal demand + fewer available workers.

Many fulfilment centres experienced labour pressure earlier than expected, with shortages emerging in October before peak had fully accelerated.

The message for 2026 is clear, workforce planning must begin earlier, supported by more robust forecasting in regions where labour pools are already under sustained pressure.

Hiring Demand in Logistics Accelerated Throughout 2025

Recruitment demand in logistics grew steadily throughout the year. According to OnRec’s sector analysis, Britain’s logistics industry saw a 9% increase in job postings in 2025.

This growth was driven by:

sustained e-commerce demand

omnichannel fulfilment expansion

Increasing returns volume

As a result, many operations entered peak already experiencing competition for limited labour. This reinforced the importance of earlier engagement with temporary recruitment partners and stronger regional workforce strategies.

Portrait Of Happy Black Warehouse Worker At Wood Storage Department Looks At Camera.

Warehousing Growth Continues to Outpace Labour Supply

The UK warehousing and storage market remains on an upward trajectory. IBISWorld’s 2025–26 forecast estimates the sector will reach £38.2bn in revenue, reflecting the long-term shift toward fulfilment-led retail.

However, this growth also highlights a widening imbalance:

warehouse capacity continues to expand

labour availability is not keeping pace

During 2025, this imbalance drove earlier recruitment activity, increased reliance on temporary labour, and greater focus on workers able to move between functions during demand spikes.

As organisations plan for 2026, earlier and more strategic temporary workforce planning will be essential to sustaining peak performance.

Three Factory Workers In Safety Hats Discussing Manufacture Plan

Consumer Behaviour in 2025 Reinforced the Need for Flexibility

Peak 2025 reaffirmed that consumer demand no longer follows a predictable curve. This year’s peak was shaped by:

early retail promotions generating October micro-peaks

weather-driven surges in online shopping

compressed Black Friday activity

shifts in household spending confidence

earlier and more sustained returns activity

Temporary labour played a critical role in supporting this unpredictability. Rigid staffing models struggled. Flexible labour pools are adapted to fluctuating volumes hour by hour.

This operational flexibility will remain essential in 2026 as promotional cycles diversify and consumer buying behaviours continue to shift rapidly.

Revision Of Inventory In Warehouse 2023 11 27 05 04 56 Utc

Returns Have Become a Major Driver of Workforce Pressure

Returns processing is now one of the most consistent operational pressure points during peak. Industry benchmarks indicate that online fashion return rates average around 30%, significantly higher than in-store purchases (Gitnux Fashion Retail Statistics, 2025). This creates increased labour demand for inspection, processing, repackaging, and reallocation throughout the busiest weeks of the year.

During Peak 2025, many operators observed:

returns beginning earlier in the season

high-volume returns overlapping with outbound fulfilment

slower processing when labour wasn’t allocated strategically

Looking ahead to 2026 returns capacity must be treated as a core operational requirement, not a secondary consideration within workforce planning.

Workforce Visibility Tools Are Becoming Operationally Standard

A notable shift in 2025 has been the adoption of enhanced workforce visibility across leading fulfilment operations. Many are now using data to track:

real-time shift attendance

productivity by task

upcoming labour shortfalls

bottleneck patterns

resource requirements by role or function

This level of insight allowed leaders to adjust resource allocation proactively and maintain output during unexpected spikes.

In 2026, such tools will become standard practice for organisations seeking efficiency, accuracy, and consistency during peak.

Multi-Skilled Teams Improved Output and Stability During Peak

Throughout Peak 2025, fulfilment centres using multi-skilled teams reported benefits including:

smoother workload distribution

reduced downtime between tasks

greater accuracy across functions

improved responsiveness during micro-peaks

Cross-trained temporary workers have proven to be one of the most effective ways to build adaptability into workforce models.

As automation expands in 2026 and beyond, multi-skilling will be a key operational advantage.

Workforce Priorities for Supply Chain Leaders in 2026

Start Planning Earlier – – Begin workforce forecasting and engagement from Q2.
Strengthen attraction and retention year-round – – Seasonal returners continue to be essential for productivity and continuity.
Build flexible labour pools – Flexibility has become essential to managing variable demand.
Expand multi-skilling programmes – Cross-training improves throughput, stability, and responsiveness.
Invest in workforce visibility technology – Data-driven allocation reduces bottlenecks and supports accuracy.
Integrate returns forecasting into resource planning – Returns drive significant labour demand and must be planned for proactively.
Strengthen local labour engagement – Regional pipelines will be vital as labour markets remain competitive.

Conclusion: Peak 2025 Sets a Clear Direction for 2026

Peak 2025 has reinforced that effective workforce planning is no longer just a seasonal activity, it is a continuous operational requirement. Temporary staffing, multi-skilling, earlier planning, and improved workforce visibility are shaping the future of fulfilment performance.

Organisations acting now, with a clearer understanding of 2025’s labour dynamics, will enter 2026 with greater confidence, stability, and operational readiness.

Peak season will always bring pressure, but for those adapting their approach today, 2026 will bring opportunity, not uncertainty.

Ready to have that conversation? Contact us today.

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Email: sales.enquiries@thebestconnection.co.uk
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About The Best Connection

The Best Connection is one of the UK’s leading providers of temporary workforce solutions. For over three decades we have proudly served and supported our clients and candidates across multiple industry sectors, delivering our best-in-class customer service.