As spiders and pumpkins get replaced with ribbons and lights, and well before carolers start warming up their voices, many companies—including probably some of your clients—will be shopping for better ways to staff up for the holidays.
Ho-ho-hold on there … It appears nearly a third of you have already started your holiday shopping, at least according to Gartner research. In fact, some folks start stocking up on their seasonal surprises as early as July—and we bet a few of you got started earlier than that. But we digress.
Looking for the perfect “gift?” After all, “Shop till You Drop” season is almost here. Contingent workers can make all the difference in creating a bit of holiday magic for customers.
Keeping track of those workers’ hours is not always a jolly-old process for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) either. Scheduling can be much more complicated than trying to follow assembly instructions on that new toy for the kiddos. Only 75 steps?
That’s why PrismHR has the perfect gift to help with your clients’ scheduling efforts. Toy assembly help, well … 😰
Making Spirits Bright
Alas, holiday retail sales are expected to increase by only 2.3% to 3.3% this year, which is down a percentage point or two from 2023, according to Deloitte research. E-commerce, on the other hand, is expected to experience good tidings with sales expected to jingle bell rock up 7% to 9% year over year.
Retailers are only expected to add 520,000 new jobs this year—down from 564,200 last year at this time, according to research from global outplacement and career transition company Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. Even so, that’s still a half-million new faces that need to be onboarded and added to the schedule. We’re guessing some of your clients plan to be part of that holiday-hiring fun.
Regardless of whether it’s seasonal workers in department stores selling merch, hospitality staff working holiday parties, or people packaging and shipping holiday joy, managing contingent staffing can be an onerous task for SMBs. Especially when it comes to hiring the right people.
4 Ways Clients Can Staff Up for the Holidays
Your clients can use several strategies to help improve their holiday hiring, according to staffing firm Altres. That includes these tips:
- Flexibility is More than Just Tinsel: Those holiday cookies aren’t going to make themselves, so seasonal employees might need some time to get ready for the holidays, too. Instruct your clients to try baking in some flexibility by taking deliveries early, etc.
- This ‘Gift’s’ a Keeper: Sometimes there is not enough of a good thing. Hiring for the holidays could be a good tryout for a longer-term role with the company. Having a dashboard that can easily display hours worked, overtime, etc., could be a great stocking-stuffer of information to use to determine who might be a candidate for a longer stay.
- Why Wait for the Holidays to Send a Letter? Even if your clients aren’t able to hire someone full-time now who is really slaying it as a contingent worker, advise your SMBs to keep in touch with the best of the best even after Auld Lang Syne gets sung!
- Who Doesn’t Love a Holiday Bonus? Some temporary workers might not have the same sense of commitment to your client’s business as a year-round worker would. Tell them to consider offering a bonus after the holidays for contingent workers who are punctual and show up for their shifts like clockwork.
’Tis the Season … Every Season
Whether it’s holiday season or the middle of May, managing scheduling and other Time & Attendance matters matters. It’s often challenging to keep track of scheduling, especially when contingent workers get sprinkled into the mix.
We’re sure many versions of this spirited conversation take place on a regular basis:
“Can I have Tuesday off?”
“Well, who’s going to cover your shift?”
“Um …”
It’s a naughty-or-nice scenario where the manager must either choose between being short-staffed or having to reject the request. Now throw a bunch of seasonal workers in the mix looking for shifts and potentially seeking certain days off to be with friends and loved ones for the holidays, and you get a cornucopia of potential complications.
Freshly Baked Treat
With innovations like Auto-Scheduling and Recommendation Engine, PrismHR’s new Workforce Management solution gives employers the option of allowing employees to swap and drop shifts through a mobile device so workforce scheduling becomes a holiday treat rather than a batch of sour eggnog.
We all know the holidays can be stressful, so why not offer your clients the gift that keeps on giving: PrismHR’s new Workforce Management? We’ll get it all wrapped up for you with a bow.
