Thanksgiving doesn’t just bring turkey and pumpkin pie. It also ushers in the challenge of finding seasonal employees to handle the holiday rush. Just like any good recipe, it requires the perfect blend of ingredients. With equal parts strategy, patience, and determination, your company can gobble up great seasonal talent. Here's what to know.
What Is Seasonal Hiring?
Seasonal hiring is employing workers for a short, defined period to help organizations meet the increased demand during specific times of the year. Businesses use seasonal hiring to handle temporary spikes in activity because of holidays, weather changes, or particular events.
According to the Hiring Lab, seasonal job openings have reached pre-pandemic levels this year.
Fly in the Gravy (5 Challenges of Seasonal Hiring)
While seasonal hiring meets increased demand during busy periods, it's not always a smooth process. Companies need to be ready to manage obstacles that can impact productivity and customer satisfaction.
Some of the most common issues that can prolong, obstruct, or derail a seasonal hiring strategy are:
- Managing the short time frame. Employers usually have only a fraction of the time to hire seasonal employees compared to permanent ones.
- Finding quality folks to hire. With the temporary nature of the job, many workers see seasonal roles as short-term gigs. This can lead to a smaller pool of experienced or motivated talent. Companies may struggle to find employees who are dependable, skilled, and ready to work.
- Overcoming stiff competition. Businesses often face stiff competition during peak hiring periods, since multiple industries (retail and hospitality, for example) compete for the same candidates. This year, according to Challenger, Gray, & Christmas, retailers will add 520,000 new jobs in Q4. With every business hunting for those same high-quality seasonal workers, you’re essentially in a turkey trot race for talent.
- Fully vetting the talent. It’s tempting to cut corners and not background and drug screen seasonal hires. After all, screening takes time and can be expensive, and they will only be there for a few months, right? Wrong! Checking the claims on a new hire's application and resume is crucial for verifying the applicant is qualified and keeping the workplace safe.
- Retaining them through the season. Just like scoring that last scoop of mashed potatoes, keeping seasonal workers engaged and committed through the entire period can be tricky. Since many seasonal employees know they’re only with your company for a short time, they may lack the same level of motivation and loyalty as permanent staff. This can leave you short-staffed at critical moments.
7 Tips for Ensuring You Hire Good Seasonal Talent
Now, onto the secret sauce. Here are our award-winning tips to make sure you hire great seasonal talent.
- Prep early. Don’t wait until the week before Thanksgiving to start your hiring process. Get the word out as soon as possible. This gives you enough time to find, hire, and train the best candidates, instead of letting your competition hire them first.
- Get creative with your job postings. Highlight the perks of working for your business. Flexible hours, product discounts, wellness benefits, and a great culture may sway the applicant your way. Make your business the most attractive option for potential hires. But…
- …Represent the role accurately. Nobody wants to order turkey and dressing and get a day-old hot dog! Be transparent about what the job entails. If it’s fast-paced with unpredictable hours, say so. It’s important to set clear expectations. Misleading job descriptions can cause seasonal workers to walk out like they've just been served mystery leftovers.
- Use technology to streamline hiring. Don’t stir the pot by hand when you could use an electric mixer! Modern hiring platforms and apps make it easy to review resumes, schedule interviews, and even onboard employees. For example, technology like Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) systems can help you move quickly and efficiently.
- Look under the lid. Seasonal employees may not be sticking around for the long haul, but you should still do background checks. It’s like serving undercooked turkey…risky and avoidable. These temporary staff members still represent your company, may handle sensitive information and cash, and interact with customers. A thorough screening helps protect your reputation and ensures you bring trustworthy people onto your holiday team.
- Prioritize training. No one wants to feel underprepared, especially during the stressful holiday hustle. Ensure your training is both quick and comprehensive. Proactively create a training plan that covers the essentials without overwhelming new hires.
- Keep the door open for future opportunities. Give your best seasonal workers a reason to return. Thank them for their good performance and offer the possibility of future work, whether that’s next year’s holiday season or even a full-time position.
Seasonal Hiring Success IS Possible
Finding and hiring the right seasonal talent can be as difficult as juggling an overflowing plate. But, with the right strategy, patience, and a bit of creativity, you can build a temporary workforce that represents your company and serves your customers well.
Proactively tackle hiring challenges by starting early, having a plan, screening your applicants, and training them well.
