Seasonal hiring can be chaotic, and it can often result in regrettable employment decisions. Seasonal employment can frequently leave businesses wanting more for a variety of reasons, including starting the process too late, failing to locate enough eligible candidates for unfilled positions, or employing the wrong people for the job.
Even if you have many eligible applications, your hiring staff may not be able to discover the proper talent for your company’s busiest season if they lack a strategy. Recruiting top prospects for an inflow of hiring activity should not exhaust talent teams; rather, it should empower them, knowing that they are assisting the business during periods of peak demand.
Instead of worrying about the seasonal hiring process, consider some insider tips for recruiting top talent for seasonal employment spikes. But first, let’s define seasonal labor and cover some of the fundamentals, so you can hire effectively during your busiest season.
What Exactly Is a Seasonal Hiring?
Seasonal workers are temporary or short-term staff hired to assist during the peak season of an organization. Normal employees are unable to keep up with the volume or demands made on their firm, thus these workers are employed specifically to assist the company at peak periods.
A garden store or nursery, for instance, may engage summer staff to support the busy growing and planting season. During the holidays, when the store’s volume significantly increases, retail establishments may need additional staff. Or, during tax season, a tax office may hire additional accountants or assistance to meet state and federal tax return deadlines. Regardless of the circumstances, the demand for personnel can fluctuate at a number of businesses.
Seasonal workers can assist firms during high seasons, particularly when hours are extended and demand increases. In addition, hiring more personnel during the peak season can assist bridge the gap between the sudden increase in clients and the existing full-time staff. It is essential to realize that seasonal workers are defined by their function and are meant to enhance your existing workforce. Identifying your peak seasons is perhaps even more essential so that you can plan your peak hiring efforts in advance.
The Keys to Seasonal Hiring Success
Qualified individuals are difficult to locate, particularly for seasonal positions. The rapid process of filling a large number of positions in a short period of time frequently leaves room for improvement on all fronts. There is a talent scarcity in the current labor market, and job seekers have a growing list of expectations for their next employers. Seasonal hiring can be challenging for recruitment teams of any size to handle, but talent teams have found success by employing the following strategies:
1: Commence Early
The ideal time to hire seasonal personnel can be determined by developing timelines based on past experience. Attempt to begin two to three months prior to your busiest season to guarantee that you have top-tier talent lined up. This offers you the opportunity to evaluate applicants, conduct interviews, and train new hires.
Consider your seasonal employment plan in reverse, beginning with the peak season. Suppose your business enjoys peak demand in mid-November. If it takes two weeks to effectively educate employees, you should guarantee that all new seasonal employees have completed their documentation by that time. Then, you may use your hiring statistics to determine the average time required to acquire people. If it generally takes one month to fill a position, you should begin the hiring process in early October.
2: Be the Employer Who Stands Out
Whether you offer better remuneration, scheduling, or simply have a better corporate culture, you must ensure that you have distinguishing characteristics. Your temporary employees will likely feel a sense of pride when discussing and comparing their jobs to those of their peers, contributing to the enhancement of your employer brand and employee loyalty.
3: Don’t Wait for Their Application
Contact seasonal employees early and inquire about their return. Frequently, former employees will be glad that you recalled them. Utilize premier talent acquisition technology to maintain contact with this talent pool prior to the hectic season. This allows them to consider working for you again before committing elsewhere.
4: Create Learning and Training Incentives
Seasonal personnel are not retained over time. They are aware that their time at your organization is limited, thus their objective is to maximize their earning potential. Creating short-term incentives for learning and training objectives might drive seasonal employees to give their roles their full attention. Consider providing flexible hours, gift cards, and free meals in addition to monetary incentives. Also, if possible, consider presenting bonuses at the conclusion of the season to ensure that you are remembered.
