Seasonal Staffing Best Practices – Part I | Allegiance
September 18, 2017 | Staffing Blog
Seasonal staffing is a chronic headache for recruiters and HR professionals, but these problems can be alleviated and minimized through proper preparation, managed service providers and by following the advice below.
HR Preparation
It’s wise to approach seasonal staffing like full-time positions through preparing detailed job instructions. Some employers assume because it is short-term, they don’t need to invest in training, but the opposite can be true. In short-term hiring situations, it’s critical to set proper expectations because temporary staff must quickly learn to perform their duties well. Specific directions and descriptions will increase performance and reduce turnover rates.
Word-of-mouth Advertising
Placing ads online and in print media is no longer the only way to attract job candidates. Small- to medium-sized business owners don’t always need to advertise job openings because referrals through staff and their family and friends is easy and free. In this situation, employee can act as a screening tool to informally discuss how well the potential hire will fit into the culture and master their duties.
Prioritize Returning Seasonal Staff
Temporary employees who meet expectations should be encouraged to return the next season. This is ideal for people like teachers who are out of work or college students who are out of school during the summer break. Making these candidates the first choice will reduce the burden on HR staff and reduce the training burden on supervisors. This is why most HR professionals reach out to past successful temp employees to verify if they are available before the season starts.
Connect with Colleges
As mentioned above, hiring college students can be reliable and rewarding. Seasonal hiring through campus recruitment is possible through cultivating relationships with career offices, school administrators and community colleges. Career counselors will appreciate the resources because it makes their job easier. Many higher learning institutions maintain employment websites for employers to upload job ads and descriptions. College students who perform well and like the company may turn out to become full-time employees in the future.
Streamlining hiring processes and clarifying hiring policies will help with temporary talent management. Part two will cover interview structures, performance-based tests and employer branding.