'Tis The Seasonal Worker — A Glimpse At The Temporary Employee Workforce This Holiday Season

"TIS THE SEASONAL WORKER A Glimpse At The Temporary Employee Workforce THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Each year businesses prepare for the holiday onslaught by calling in the reserves: seasonal employees. These temporary hired hands help companies get through the busy season without having to keep extra staff year-round. But finding the right employees takes considerable effort and training. We examine the world of seasonal employment: what other companies are doing and how you can successfully hire employees for your business. The holiday season represents UST THE NUMBERS 25%-40% The number of seasonal workers hired to help retail stores during the holiday season is a great indicator of the expectations companies have for their holiday sales. During the recession seasonal hiring decreased considerably, but it has slowly been increasing. of annual sales for many retailers. In 2010, the holiday season represented of all retail sales, 19% This Heliday Season 29% % of retailers will IO% of hospitality- recruit extra help. related businesses will recruit extra help. American retailers will hire anywhere between 480,000-500,000 and temporary employees. SEASONAL HIRING HISTORY 604,000 637.000 T642,000 744,000 696,000 558,000 637,000 496,000 525,000 490,000 475,000 333,000 239,000 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 (estimate) Froih lenp to. Hire of companies hiring seasonal workers this year plan to transition some of З0в their new hires to permanent staff.* The holiday season is the perfect time to try out potential full-time employee candidates. In fact,many companies are doing it. * percentages based on a survey of 2,696 hiring managers and human resource professionals between August 16 and September 8, 2011, conducted by Careerbuilder.com. Think this is a good option for your business? Of the companies that plan to bring seasonal employees on full time, many are looking to identify employees who: 66% 49% 45% 39% 34% GO ABOVE AND Tell their employer Ask to be given MORE PROJECTS. Are OBVIOUŞLY OFFER GREAT BEYOND to provide up front that they INTERESTED in IDEAS on how to do great customer service are interested in the organization something better. and ask what they can FULL-TIME WORK. because they ask do to help instead of waiting to be asked. engaging questions. Many businesses AVOID HIRING SEASONAL EMPLOYEES WHO: 70% 63% 40% 36% 22% LACK FLEXIBILITY/ AREN'T Are mostly interested DISPLAY NO Show up wearing ARE UNWILLING ENTHUSIASTIC in the job because KNOWLEDGE clothes from a to work certain hours. about the job. of the RETAIL about the company COMPETITOR'S DISCOUNTS and its products. STORE. they receive. THE HOLIDAY HIRING BEST PRACTICE GUIDE Practical Steps to Ensure You Hire the Right Seasonal Employees Assess Your Needs Your current staff simply can't accommodate all the needs you expect to have this holiday season. Look at your past sales activity during this timeframe to forecast your needs for each day. Start Early It's true that II percent of retailers are still hiring seasonal employees in December, but if |16 you want the cream of the crop you need to start hiring as early as possible. Think of this as a year-round task. The earlier you begin the hiring process, the more time you have to gauge how well an employee fits in. As the years go by, build a database of former seasonal employees so you can hire the standouts again. Train Often A friendly and well-trained staff will do wonders for your sales, as it sets you apart from the competition-especially if you are a small business that can't slash prices like the big box stores. Take the time and money to train employees on the products they're selling, how to close a sale, and how to properly engage customers. Consider offering them free merchandise and discounts on your products so they become familiar with them. Offer Incentives If you are looking for full-time employees, let the seasonals know this. In a sense, their temporary employment is an extended two-month interview. If they know your intentions are to bring some of them on full-time, they will have an incentive to perform well to secure a future career with the company. Put Them on Payroll Failure to withhold taxes and/or offer the required benefits to seasonal employees could result in big losses for your business. Do your due diligence to ensure that you have them set up properly on payroll, thus avoiding a visit from the IRS or Department of Labor. SOURCE: NRF.COM, CAREERBUILDER.COM, INC.COM mindflash.com