It would be nice to just ignore the COVID-19’s impact on the current job market, but, reality check – it’s there. Lots of industries changed their work dynamic, employees changed, everything changed. The result? A bunch of hiring managers face the fact that they need to adjust their seasonal hiring strategies.
Every season brings its own pros and cons. Sometimes the work tasks start to pile up so much that your current employees can’t handle everything. That’s where seasonal hires kick in! The fresh working energy always comes in handy in these situations. By having seasonal employees, you lessen the overall work burden on your company and employees. With the pressure off, you will have a happy, more productive working environment!
You know it’s only logical and fair to pay overtime work. But, when there is so much work to be done, it can really hit your budget. So what can you do to avoid paying overtime? Simply create a working environment where there is no need for overtime. You can do this by hiring seasonal employees that can help out. This way, the work would be spread across the whole company, and you’ll avoid employees that can’t finish tasks and need to work overtime. Quite simple, right?
Every hiring journey comes with some risks. But, with seasonal hiring, things are a bit different. You don’t need to revolve around a specific candidate so much, as they won’t probably be long enough within your company. That feeling is usually mutual. Seasonal hires often look for short, part-time positions and don’t look for long-term employment. If you bump into a candidate that doesn’t suit your company, you have no duty to rehire them. Of course, if the law or contract doesn’t state otherwise. So, this adds up to a less risky hiring journey.
How to Efficiently Hire for Seasonal Positions?
1. Start with holiday hiring ASAP
Even though the American economy is getting better, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment is still at 5.2%. Before the global pandemic, this rate was as low as 3.5%. So, what does this mean for employers? Start hiring now for your seasonal positions! Many job seekers want to work remotely or wish for specific benefits because of the pandemic. That’s expected and okay.
But, these various factors can impact the hiring length and limit your choices. You’ll need to implement safety and health protocols, which can directly impact the hiring duration. Considering all these factors, it’s clear you need to start early to successfully hire this season.
2. Raise the hourly wages
One of the ways to attract seasonal employees is to raise your hourly wage. As we stated, the competition is high, and many employers are willing to offer over $20 per hour for experienced employees. Not to mention signing bonuses. So, take a look at your company’s budget and calculate how much you can afford to offer. Raising your wages might be a smart move this holiday season. Also, it would be good to find other ways to motivate employees.
3. Consider candidates with various backgrounds
When compiling your job posting, be careful with job requirements. Try to adjust them and consider candidates from various backgrounds. This means broadening your talent pool and choosing job seekers with transferable skills. Sometimes, a person doesn’t need to match your exact job needs, as people develop abilities over time. This hiring approach can help you seize various talented candidates. Plus, this might even become one of your recruiting strategies for permanent job positions.
4. Try to hire for long term
An efficient way to stand from the crowd is to offer a chance for permanent employment. Of course, do this if you really mean it. No one likes getting false hopes. By supporting long-term hiring, employees would feel even more motivated to give an effort. Once the holiday season is over, you could analyze and identify top performers and offer them permanent positions.
5. Offer various perks
The bigger paycheck is not the only way to show employee appreciation. To motivate your team members, you really need to go above and beyond. This means providing various other perks. There are lots of creative ways to keep employers eager to work with you. Some companies offer child-care compensation, catered food for the office, extra vacation days… There are really numerous ways to motivate the employees besides payment.
6. Provide flexibility
Flexibility plays a significant role in today’s employment. People are struck hard by the global pandemic, and any version of a flexible work environment can come in handy. This is especially important with seasonal hiring and part-time jobs. Some job seekers need to work multiple jobs. So providing them with flexible working hours can benefit both sides.
7. Lean on referrals
Did you know your current staff can actually help you find new employees? You probably did, but we wanted to grasp your attention. 🙂 But, jokes aside, you can really lean on referrals from your team members. You can offer them perks for bringing new people to your company. Of course, if your budget is a bit tight, try offering some swag or other prizes you think might be beneficial for your current employees.
Don’t forget to spread your company culture as this plays a vital role in attracting job seekers. People need to know why they should choose your company. What value can you provide to them? So, let this be one thing your current team members need to share when luring their friends to your company.
8. Do website optimization
Before you start with your 2021 seasonal hiring, take a look at your website and job postings. What can you do to make them attract job seekers? You should definitely create a Careers/Jobs section within your site. This way, candidates could apply directly through your company’s web page. The other essential thing? Job descriptions! A well-written job description goes a long way. This applies to both regular and seasonal hiring time.
Try to keep your hiring process as short as possible and provide instant feedback for your applicants. Remember, the job market has changed, and it’s full of competitors. So, you need to act fast to seize candidates for this season!
One thing that could make this process a lot easier is the help of the applicant tracking system. This way, your hiring process would be organized, and you wouldn’t have to worry about losing candidates within the pipeline. Not to mention that VIVAHR can bring some real A-Players to you! And what’s the better way to start this holiday season than having some qualified team members around?
