The most wonderful time of the year will be here before you know it. If it’s your busy season at work, now is the time to start planning. Create a plan of action if you don’t already have one and start implementing it over the next several weeks. This way, you won’t be left scrambling in search of workers during your most hectic time of the year.

Where do you begin? Here are some tips for gearing up for the holidays and maximizing your temporary workforce.

Review past sales trends and patterns.

This is tricky since the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted businesses locally and nationwide. However, take a look at past sales patterns, including last year’s and the year before, to get a sense of peak times, most popular products, and other factors that will impact your staffing needs. This will help you get a clearer sense of how many workers you will require on top of existing full-time and part-time staff.

Talk to your existing employees.

Next, talk to your core staff and ask about overtime and what they’re willing to work. Full-time employees might want to take time off and part-timers could want to step in and earn some extra money. Just make sure you’re communicating with your existing team first, so you know critical information, like who’s going on vacation and who wants to take on extra shifts. This will help you better plan for your temporary staffing needs.

Tap former seasonal workers.

If you have an all-star team of past seasonal workers, make sure you’re tapping them now to see if they are willing to come back. In this climate of pandemic uncertainty, this year might be different from past seasons. You’ll want to make sure you have the right people in the right positions when the time comes.

Reach out now and start assembling your temporary workforce, beginning with those you’ve worked within the past and want to bring back. If any of them have accepted other opportunities or aren’t quite ready to re-enter the workforce, ask them for referrals. They may be able to give you the names of friends and colleagues who are well-qualified for the jobs you’re trying to fill.

Start making hiring decisions now.

Once you know which past seasonal temps will be joining you, you’ll have a better sense of how many new workers you’ll need. Advertise your job openings on your website, social media channels, industry job boards, and ask your full- and part-time employees to post and share opportunities.

Competition is fierce in the job market right now since there’s a worker shortage. So you’ll need to offer pay that’s more than competitive. Even consider other perks, like sign-on bonuses, to further attract the best candidates.

Train and onboard temporary employees.

Once you have a temporary team in place, make sure you train and onboard them properly. They might not need the same comprehensive training full-time employees undergo, however, there should still be a plan in place for getting them up and running.

It should include:

• Making them feel welcomed and like part of the team. Prepare existing employees ahead of time so they can answer questions and help temporary workers.
• Have temporary workers shadow existing workers for a day so they can see the tasks they’ll be performing in action and can better understand what you need them to do.
• Assign each one a mentor or a buddy they can turn to when they have questions or need information on how to perform a certain task.
• Make sure they fully understand your expectations for them, providing clear guidance on goals and how their performance will be measured.
• Communicate company policy, from dress code to customer service protocol, lunch breaks, and any other relevant information.
• Make sure you’re checking in with them and their mentor on performance, to answer questions, and to address any concerns.

In addition, provide them with a training manual and temporary employee handbook so they have policies and expectations in hand in case they need to reference them. It should also include the names and contact information of any person in the company they might have to get in touch with, such as the HR director.

Offer incentives for hard-to-fill shifts.

During the holiday season, you might have a hard time filling certain shifts, even with temporary workers. Be ready to offer incentives if you have to, whether cash bonuses, prizes, and gift cards, or extra vacation days for employees. Your people will be happy and you’ll have those shifts that can be difficult-to-fill covered, giving you peace of mind.

Don’t go it alone. Turn to Murray Resources for seasonal temporary staffing needs.

Ready for help from the experts? As a leading temporary agency serving the Houston area, we have a robust network of qualified temporary candidates, ready to go to work. We can fill your temp positions quickly, with those who are skilled and dependable. You’ll be able to navigate through the chaotic holiday season with more ease and less stress. Simply contact us today to get started.