U.S. employers are seeking a record number of seasonal workers for the holidays this year, according to global outplacement and business and executive coaching firm Challenger Gray & Christmas Inc.

Challenger has tracked 939,300 seasonal hiring announcements from retailers, transportation firms, grocers and warehousing companies, up 11% from the 849,350 announced last year. While the 2021 data are only through October, it’s the most since the firm began tracking direct plans in 2012, according to a report released Thursday.

Large companies such as Walmart Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Target Corp. and United Parcel Services Inc. have each announced plans to hire 100,000 or more workers to handle an expected surge in shopping during the holiday season. Some, including Target, are planning less hiring than last year, and offering existing staff incentive to work more hours.

Grocers such as Aldi and Kroger Co. are each aiming to each add 20,000 workers.

In a sign of confidence about consumer spending this holiday season, retailer Nordstrom Inc. announced plans to add 28,600 workers — the first seasonal hiring binge since 2017.

Other Challenger figures showed companies announced 22,822 job cuts in October. Workers’ refusing to comply with vaccine mandates accounted for more than 5,000 cuts in October, second only to dismissals due to closures.