Simplify Seasonal Staffing with these Smart Strategies

Whether your business needs temporary workers to get through the holiday season or you hire short-term help on a regular basis, the process of finding the right candidates can be challenging. Try applying these strategies to make seasonal staffing easier:

1. Create an ideal employee profile. Even though temporary help may not be with you long, it’s still important you find the right fit for your business. Spend a few minutes to jot down the kind of characteristics a successful candidate should possess.
2. Detail the job description. If you regularly hire seasonal or temporary staff, be sure to consistently update job descriptions based on changes in your business or to add the ideal employee profile information mentioned above. If this is your first time hiring short-term help, ensure your job descriptions are clear about specific duties and expectations.
3. Create a recruitment network. Relying on only one source to find good seasonal help can limit your potential for finding great employees. Consider creating a recruitment network including current employees, trusted referral sources, social media, local higher education institutions, recruitment agencies and online job sites.
4. Standardize your screening process. Comparing potential candidates is much easier when you have a set of standard interview questions for each position. In addition, make sure you perform appropriate background and reference checks—this will help you protect your business and avoid potential issues.
5. Invest in onboarding. You may think it’s not worth taking seasonal employees through a formalized onboarding process. However, by doing so, you’ll save time and money in the long run by not having to answer simple questions, redo work or explain how your company operates. This will also make your candidate feel valued, which is an important part of increasing productivity.

Once you’ve identified your ideal seasonal employees, you can also apply these strategies to complement your existing recruitment process for full-time employees.