Do you employ seasonal workers each year? If so, you likely rely heavily on your seasonal workforce to keep staffing levels up and productivity high. However, as your busy season rolls along, you may forget about showing these temporary workers the attention they deserve. Motivating and engaging your seasonal employees can be one of the most impactful things you do for your company, especially in attracting the best seasonal talent year-to-year.
As you gear up for your next round of seasonal hiring, here are some tips for engaging these hires:
Invest in ongoing training
Employers often conduct training of their seasonal workers at the front end, condensing an entire training program into just one or two days. Unfortunately, this can be overwhelming for your employees, causing them to feel demotivated within just a couple of days of joining your team. Investing in an ongoing training program can help your seasonal workers become better acclimated with your company, as they’ll be actively learning the ropes of your operations, management and culture. To do this effectively, consider implementing small training sessions over the course of several weeks so your employees can process what they learn over time.
Foster connection
While seasonal jobs are temporary by nature, they still present opportunities to bond with seasonal employees who may have the potential to return next year or become part of your permanent staff in the future. Fostering a sense of connection among your seasonal workers will allow your leadership team and permanent employees to build a strong rapport with them, opening lines of communication and encouraging them to learn about what you have to offer as an employer. Whether it’s occasional team-building exercises or social gatherings, there are many ways you can bridge a connection between your permanent and seasonal workforce.
Show personalized appreciation
Your seasonal workers are a vital part of your team and showing them appreciation plays a huge role in attracting them back to your organization next year. Throughout the duration of your workers’ seasonal jobs, be sure to verbally thank them individually for their work and contributions. Highlighting the specific ways in which they assisted your company will show them their performance, time and talents are valued. Remember, a little appreciation goes a long way!
Though you may not see instant results, engaging your seasonal workers is one of the best ways to improve your hiring and retention outcomes in the future. Getting started with the practices above will put you on track for successful seasonal hiring and performance in the years to come.
Are you in search of seasonal workers for your team? Contact The Liberty Group, an executive search and staffing firm serving 24 cities and their surrounding markets nationwide.
