Tips for Getting Seasonal Staff Ready

For many companies in America, a temporary increase in workers to cover seasonal demand is a standard course of doing business. From retailers to warehouses to tax preparers, the recruiting and training a short term staff to be the face of the brand to customers is one of the riskiest choices. Here are some pointers from the experts about how to make your ramp up as smooth as possible.

1. Hire for attitude. Make sure your job candidates can maintain a positive attitude in the face of frustrated customers and are resilient enough to endure November 1 – January 15 with the same courteous demeanor. College degrees and years of experience are not more valuable than a smile and positive teamwork on the sales floor.
2. Keep training focused and simple. No one wants to be trained or deliver training for 8 hours at a stretch. Keep training in manageable 3-4 hour sessions. Remember that your hires need to understand the simple ground rules – not the small percentage of exceptions. Just as you would never tell a three year old that the stove is hot, unless all the burner knobs are turned to zero – you don’t have to tell the new hires all of the occasions when the rules do not apply. Keep it simple: what is their responsibility in their role and what are their resources when they are over their head.
3. Put yourself in a position to see and be seen. While it may be tempting to attend to the backroom business or let the new hires stay on the sales floor, your customers will benefit from seeing you more than ever. Holidays and end of the year is often the only time when you will see some returning customers. Make sure to engage with as many customers as possible and demonstrate to new hires the way you expect them to treat customers.
4. Keep it upbeat. Sales figures and long days take their toll, but it is your role as a leader to keep people as upbeat as possible. Find ways to have fun while still delivering outstanding customer service and your temporary workers will be lining up to take on a more permanent position at your company.