The holiday season presents a unique staffing challenge for companies looking to capitalize on the annual surge in demand. One approach is to increase the workload of existing staff members. While this is a great way to ensure customers are handled by experienced staff members, it can also lead to higher stress levels, more absenteeism, higher turnover and lower customer satisfaction.
A better approach is to bring in seasonal workers who can help with the busier schedule, without placing an excessive burden on existing staff members. Companies looking to take this second approach should consider the following best practices.
Review Data from Last Year
Going over the worker schedules, staffing levels, sales figures and other important data can help you figure out if your staffing levels are at the correct levels for the current season. Focus in on anything that might require additional staffing, such as higher than average sales in the evenings compared to the rest of the year.
Get Ahead of the Holiday Rush
If you are currently scrambling to put together your holiday staff, so are your competitors. Therefore, it’s critical to start the hiring process early. If you are going with a temporary staffing solution, reach out to your staffing partners or contact agencies, if you don’t already have one that you use. You can also consider posting jobs for seasonal positions at local colleges and coffee shops. Your full-time staff can also be a great source of referrals for seasonal jobs.
Don’t Ignore the Onboarding
Doing paperwork isn’t fun but putting it off or not handling it properly could result in a nightmare. If your company is doing its own seasonal hiring, make sure your managers have the time to properly handle all of the necessary onboarding. If you are using a staffing partner, make sure you’re communicating with the agency so that everything is handled properly.
Provide Adequate Training and Resources
Don’t just assume that people with previous experience can hit the ground running. Every workplace is different, and it is critical to make sure seasonal staff are properly trained.
That being said, you don’t have to train seasonal employees on every aspect of your business. Just make sure they have the knowledge they need to succeed through the holiday rush. Make sure your full-time employees understand their role and how to support seasonal workers. Provide your managers with enough time to give seasonal staff the right training. Provide your seasonal workers with the supplies that they need.
Let Our Experts Help Your Company Make the Most of This Holiday Season!
The days are hectic enough without having to handle seasonal hiring. At Headway Workforce Solutions, our recruiters are well-versed in staffing up for the holidays and we can help your company develop a targeted seasonal staffing solution. Please contact us today to find out how our expertise can benefit your business.
