During the summer months and holiday seasons, businesses often find themselves with an influx of customers and often not enough staff to keep up. Hiring seasonal employees can be key to maximizing efficiency during these busy times. For example, in 2017, Target hired 100,000 temporary workers during the holiday season. With this many new faces on staff for such short periods, it can be tough for management to handle this specific group of employees. Let’s take a look at four tips on how to properly manage your seasonal workforce.
Treat them equally
Happy employees are 12 percent more productive and seasonal employees are not exempt from this statistic. Dividing your team between full time and seasonal employees, or assigning them unpopular shifts could impact seasonal employees’ morale — ultimately lowering productivity with the increased negativity affecting your bottom line. Schedules and pay rates should be consistent across the entire workforce. While seasonal employees may not be around for long, they are vital to business success during these specific times of year.
Set clear expectations
When hiring seasonal employees, honesty is of the utmost importance. Often, applicants view seasonal positions as a gateway to a long-term role. From day one, be transparent with your team on whether or not this is a possibility. Honesty increases employee satisfaction as well as the overall perception of a business. Employers should make it a habit to set the number of weeks or the specific end date and include this on any documents provided to a seasonal employee during the onboarding process.
Don’t cut training short
Fifty-one percent of people say they’re most stressed by the pressure to give and receive gifts during the holiday season. Stressed out shoppers lead to stressed out employees, which is not a formula for success. To stay ahead of any possible issues, all employees — including those who are seasonal — should undergo extensive training to handle any incidents that may arise. By providing seasonal employees with the necessary tools to be successful during their employment, they will be more likely to stand out in their temporary role.
Continue communication
While it’s important to set expectations about employment duration early on, it’s also imperative to continue communication with your seasonal workforce. The holidays are recurring events, as are other busy times of the year. If a seasonal employee stood out and performed at a high level, you’ll want to bring that person back the following year. Creating strong ties with your seasonal workforce will help you build a pipeline of hires in advance rather than scrambling last minute to be ready for the influx of consumers.
Creating a strong and prepared seasonal workforce starts with proper training. Want more tips on how to best train various types of employees? Check out our blog on how to build a productive training program!
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