November 3rd, 2016 | Sterling

This is the season to be hiring: Tips for recruiting seasonal workers

There’s no getting away from it – the festive season is almost upon us. With many businesses experiencing a peak in demand at this time of year, employers will most likely turn to seasonal workers to help them handle the increased workload. However, it’s absolutely vital that you manage any hiring spikes as effectively as possible – otherwise it really won’t be the season to be jolly.

It was recently reported that online retailer Amazon expects to recruit more than 20,000 seasonal workers in the UK in the run up to Christmas. John Tagawa, Amazon’s vice president of UK Operations, said: “The thousands of seasonal associates who join us at this time each year play an integral role in helping us deliver an exceptional experience for our customers during the Christmas season.”

This time of year – and indeed any holiday season – is obviously extremely busy for industries such as retail and hospitality, but there will be times throughout the year when businesses in other industries will need to take on extra workers to cope with increased demand. For instance, the tourism and leisure sectors may need to boost employee numbers in the summer months, while finance and accounting staff will find themselves more in demand at the end of the financial year.

Yet whatever industry you are in, and whether you are planning on hiring two, 20 or 20,000 temporary staff, you must still ensure you source and select the best candidates to help meet demand, enable you to take advantage of any rise in trade, and ensure you minimise any risk of making a bad hire. Here are some tips to optimise your seasonal hiring.

Create Clear, Specific and Up-to-date Job Ads

If you hire seasonal workers every year, don’t just rely on last season’s job posting as it could now be out-of-date. Make sure you update any details if necessary, and include clear, accurate and relevant information so that you don’t waste time flicking through hundreds of CVs from people who aren’t right for the job. Before posting the job ad, think about exactly what you need for the seasonal work you are offering, so that you can set clear expectations and source high-quality candidates.

Look in the Right Places

When it comes to deciding which channels to use to source the best seasonal candidates, you need to think about where your seasonal talent is likely to search for jobs. This could be career sites, university/college job boards, social media, local newspapers and so on. Take the time to research the most effective channels for reaching seasonal job seekers so that you can tap into the richest talent pool possible.

Don’t Skip Background Checks

Some hiring managers may not be clear on the importance of background screening when it comes to hiring temporary or contract workers. Worryingly, our Background Screening Trends 2016 Report revealed that just over half of organisations screen their non-permanent workforce, compared to 91% who screen full-time, salaried employees. While there is the temptation to cut corners when recruiting short-term workers by sidestepping background checks, the consequences of this can be huge. You must therefore ensure you perform the same checks on your seasonal workers as you do for your permanent staff, so that you minimise any risk of making a bad hire or damaging your company’s reputation.

Keep in Touch with Returning Seasonal Workers

Some temporary workers may be keen to return the same time next year, so if you’ve been impressed with their work, strive to stay in touch and make them your first choice when the next busy season approaches. This will not only help to streamline your hiring spikes, it will also allow you to concentrate on recruiting other good quality candidates should you need to.

Remember too, that some temporary employees could be potential permanent hires, so keep an eye on any star performers who could one day become a permanent member of staff. This is something Amazon does each year. “As we continue to grow our network, there will be opportunities for people who join us in seasonal roles to transfer to permanent positions,” said Tagawa.

With just a bit of careful preparation and planning when it comes to managing seasonal hiring spikes, you can ensure your business will be armed with a skilled, experienced workforce to help handle any surge in demand, whatever the time of year.

Learn more about how UK human resources professionals think about background screening in our Background Screening Trends 2016 Report.

This publication is for informational purposes only and nothing contained in it should be construed as legal advice. We expressly disclaim any warranty or responsibility for damages arising out this information. We encourage you to consult with legal counsel regarding your specific needs. We do not undertake any duty to update previously posted materials.