7 Tips for Hiring Peak Season Employees in Light Industrial

For many, summer is a peak season, and managing the influx in production can lead to exhaustion and burnout for you and your employees.

One way around burnout is by hiring temporary support staff. And since summer is coming much more quickly than anyone wants to admit, now is the time to start the hiring process! 

Tips for Attracting and Retaining Peak Season Employees 

Your strategy for attracting and hiring a team of temporary, peak season employees is the same as when hiring permanent employees. Creating a strong employer brand, posting relevant, clear job descriptions, and hosting effective, intentional interviews are still necessary focus points. However, here are a few other ideas to consider when hiring summer support staff: 

Consider an employee referral program 

One way to find qualified seasonal staff is through referrals from current, qualified employees! Your current employees may have skilled friends and family members looking for part-time, seasonal work. Offer an incentive program to your existing team, inviting them to bring in applicants from their social circles. 

Look for alternative candidates 

You want the right people — people who want seasonal work. Some candidates simply prefer temp jobs or have schedules that only allow for a seasonal, temporary position. Don’t overlook college students home on break, retirees who want back into the workforce, stay-at-home moms, veterans, or people with limited disabilities. They provide unique skill sets and sometimes have more flexible schedules, making them a tremendous asset to your team. 

Other places to look for candidates are niche job boards, previous temp workers, previous, qualified applicants, college career fairs, and staffing agencies. 

Strategize the workflow 

Don’t trick yourself into thinking temp workers don’t find purpose in their work. Avoid the temptation to give them menial, inconsequential tasks. While they may not be able to perform jobs like driving forklifts or operating machinery, streamline the workflow by giving them duties that free up workers with specialized skills. Things such as: 

• Employee referral, standards, strategizing, re-building cartons and totes 
• Inserting literature into packaging 
• Processing shipping labels 
• Bagging and un-bagging inventory 
• Quality control     

Use the same standards 

It’s tempting to hold temps to a different standard and treat them differently than your permanent team members. After all, they’re only there for a short time. But if you want a reputation as an employer of choice for all, treat everyone without bias. The temps work just as hard as the others and provide tremendous service. 

Start now 

We’re only halfway through Q2, but it’s not too early to start the hiring process for peak season. The timing is ideal. Recruiting, onboarding, practical training — bringing that temp up to speed sometimes takes several weeks. So, now is the best time to start before things go haywire.

Be an employer of choice 

Temp workers usually choose jobs with the best perks and highest wages. Make sure you’re being competitive and branding yourself as an employer of choice. Your reputation is everything, and, likely, candidates have already researched your company. 

End of season interviews 

It’s both savvy and wise to hold end-of-season interviews with your temp workers. Learn what they enjoyed about your company, the team, and the work. Is there anything that you could do better as an employer? Are they available next year? Or, possibly, would they be interested in a full-time position? 

In Search of Seasonal Employees?

Are you looking for peak season support staff? We can help! At Career Concepts, we’ve spent 50 years matching the right people with the right opportunities. We’re a great place to start as you build your summer team! So call today, and let’s get started.