Hiring seasonal help can be essential in getting your small business through the holiday season. It is easy for small businesses to feel overwhelmed by an influx of orders during this period. Many businesses benefit from increasing employees during November and December to meet demand and continue providing a high level of customer service. However, it is very important to understand the benefits of hiring seasonal help and the best tips and tricks for going through this process.
Seasonal employees have the potential to reduce your business’s payroll costs as these employees are typically part-time, do not need overtime pay, and you may not need to add them to your employee roster. Additionally, this can be a great way to have a trial period before permanently hiring a new employee. For example, hiring someone seasonally allows you to train them and see how they function at what is likely your business’s peak revenue period. Then, after the holiday season, you can extend an offer to become a full-time employee if they performed to your expectations. Hiring seasonal employees can also increase morale among your current team members. Current employees often feel overworked during the busy season and additional help allows them to remain engaged and focused on providing great customer service!
Here are several tips and tricks that you should follow as you prepare to hire seasonal employees:
Tip #1: Tailor the Job Description to Seasonal Employees
Write a clear description that explicitly states that the job opening is for seasonal help. It is helpful to include the expected start and end dates of the position so applicants can be sure in their commitment. Providing any other necessary information such as benefits they might be eligible for, what the hour requirements are, and the pay rate is going to be useful for narrowing down the pool of applicants.
Tip #2: Hire Early and Screen Thoroughly
The earlier you post the application, the higher chance you have of finding the right applicants who are the best fit for the position. Additionally, if you start the interview process with applicants early, then you can transition them through the onboarding/training process early. By the time your business picks up, your seasonal help will be fully trained and ready to go! It is also critical that you screen applicants thoroughly. You want to choose someone who is reliable and trustworthy and will represent your business and its image appropriately.
Tip #3: Create a Training Program for Seasonal Help
Training programs for all employees are useful because it puts everyone on the same page and prepares each employee for their role. For seasonal help, it is crucial to get them acclimated in a much shorter time period. You could shorten your training program used for regular hires and add in information that is specific to holiday products or promotions. Seasonal help should be well-versed in anything that is unique to the holiday season so they can promote it to customers.
Tip #4: Ask Current Employees for Referrals and Consider Hiring Minors and Students
Using the resources currently available to you is an efficient way to get seasonal employees. If you have an employee who is really reliable and has been with the business for a while, ask them if any of their friends are looking for a bit of seasonal work! Chances are, this current employee’s friend might be a great fit for the position and you’d already have reference to their personality, if not their work ethic as well. Minors and students who are home for school break are a viable option because they aren’t looking for a full-time position. They might want to make a little extra cash over the holidays without the expectation of working through the next semester.
Tip #5: Utilize Social Media
Your social media presence is important for many factors of your business. It is a free and easy way to promote job openings. Instead of paying to advertise your job posting on a website, you could advertise it yourself for free! If someone who follows you applies, you know that they are already interested in the business. This is great because you want your employees to be excited about what they are doing/selling!
Seasonal help is a fantastic way to supplement your business needs during the holiday season without committing to long-term hires. This process presents significant opportunities and allows for flexibility which many small business owners value greatly.