The year is positively flying by, one second it was January, we blinked and now it’s October… crazy right?! Before we know it, Christmas decorations will start to appear in shops and the holiday season will be truly upon us.
We know what you’re thinking… “another Christmas already?!” For good reason too. Christmas is both an exciting and chaotic time for retailers. Australians spend in excess of 26 billion in the holiday period making it the biggest earning period for retailers.
With the holiday season fast approaching it’s Seasonal Hiring time for many retailers. Seasonal hires—also known as holiday hires or Christmas casuals—allows retailers to keep up with the demand that is notorious over the holiday season.
While the spike in sales is warmly welcomed, it can be challenging to find the right seasonal hires for the job. Often retailers have to hire at a much larger volume and much quicker than they are used to. This is known as high volume recruiting. Whether this is a dozen or a thousand employees, any amount of hiring higher than usual can feel daunting. All the typical recruiting challenges apply, except magnified.
Often retailers lack the hiring infrastructure and tools needed for high volume recruiting. Many forget to make a proper plan, attempting to hire too late and end up missing the boat on the best recruits. This makes for a stressful holiday season. Suddenly you turn from Santa into the Grinch.
So what steps can you take to avoid this? We’ve made you a list (and checked it twice) of some of our top tips below.
Assess Your Needs
Before even thinking about hiring employees for the holidays it’s important to evaluate your needs. Think about the previous years, and consider how equipped the store is to deal with the demand, what time frame this demand extends over, and how much additional help you will need. Don’t forget to check with existing employees about their holiday schedule, and get a clear picture of how much they will be able to help.
Look Internally
A great way to help find candidates that suit your businesses needs is to ask your current employees for referrals. Not only does this cut down on the time it takes to find employees, but it also means you are likely to find candidates that are similar to your current employees. Plus they come recommended by your staff.
Early Bird Gets the Worm
It’s important to begin the hiring process early to get the edge on other local retail businesses who are potentially trying to attract the same employees. Mark your calendar two months before the holiday period begins as it is a good time to start recruiting. If you aren’t sure, do some research and see if other retailers have begun posting ads.
Be Crystal Clear
When posting advertisements for jobs, the key to attracting the right candidates is a clear description. Seasonal employees are often uni students, school students or already have extra jobs, so providing as much information as possible is key.
Consider Temporary Help
For high-volume recruiting, it might pay to consider investing in seasonal hiring consulting to help carry the load. Manually processing applications as you do for usual hiring is likely to be impossible for high volume recruiting. Instead, consider what tech solutions may help streamline your hiring process. For example, pre-employment testing software can help you connect with the right candidates.
To Wrap It Up
Finally, don’t forget that once the busy season has come and gone it pays to stay in touch with the seasonal staff you hired. Store their contact details and maintain a relationship throughout the year. A great way to do this is by sending them store discounts. By keeping up the communication it means that they will be keen to hear about your hiring opportunities the following year.
If you’re looking for help with your seasonal hiring we can help – Contact us here! Good luck and happy recruiting!
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