Using Technology to Manage Your Seasonal Workforce

Many organizations experience extra busy times, aka “seasons,” in their business cycle. Examples include accounting firms during tax season, retail and shipping companies during holiday season, and hotels, theme parks, and other hospitality companies during summer season. These business seasons can have a significant positive impact on customer service, productivity, and a company’s bottom-line.  

Having a seasonal workforce to help with the increase in business is an essential business strategy. The keyword here being “strategy.” Simply hiring a few extra people isn’t enough. You need to have a plan for recruiting, engaging, and retaining their seasonal workforce. The good news is that today’s HR technology can help in all three areas.  

Recruiting: Source and hire the best people effectively 

One of the first challenges that organizations face with seasonal hiring is figuring out how many people to hire. Today’s HR technology solutions can provide historical data on workforce staffing which can be used in conjunction with operations data to forecast staffing levels. In addition, your HR technology can provide historical information about applicant flow and time-to-fill, so the recruiting team can factor time into the hiring strategy. 

HR technology solutions can also provide data regarding sourcing effectiveness. These tools can tell you which methods produce the most qualified candidates and how long each takes to fill a position. By evaluating these metrics alongside cost and quality of hire, you can determine the best sources for your seasonal employee needs. 

The key to successfully starting off a busy business season is having the right people in place and ready to go as the season starts. Organizations will want to ensure their HR and payroll technologies are up for the task of effectively hiring and onboarding a lot of seasonal employees within a short time.  

Engaging: Today’s employees expect a modern work experience 

Seasonal employees are still employees, meaning they expect a pleasant employee experience just like the company’s regular full-time and part-time staff. It starts with giving them the ability to have an employee experience comparable to their personal lives.  

For instance, depending on the length of the business season, your seasonal workforce might want or need to take a day off, do a shift trade, or change their employee information. Today’s technology allows employees to update their personal information, including payroll tax withholdings through the use of an app. Regular and seasonal employees can also use the app to request time off and trade shifts. It’s a win for both employees and your organization: the company gains valuable data, while employees benefit from a process that feels familiar, much like the apps they already use in their daily lives. 

If there’s one thing that might be different it’s that seasonal employees need to become productive faster … well, because they’re only there for the season. So, using technology tools to help your seasonal workforce be successful and productive only makes sense. 

Learning management systems (LMS) can help organizations provide training to employees quickly. HR doesn’t need to wait for “classes” to fill up to provide training. Employees can attend training when it works for them and the operation. And these online learning sessions would be documented to ensure that everyone is attending training and knows the proper processes.  

Another aspect of seasonal hiring to keep in mind is that you might have current full-time and part-time staff who would be willing to pick up a few extra shifts during “season.” You can train these employees when it works best for them and your operation so they’re ready when needed. Current employees can be assigned a secondary job title and pay code in the payroll system so when they work their seasonal position, they’re paid correctly.  

Speaking of correct pay, part of a good employee experience is getting paid on time and paid accurately. There’s nothing worse than an incorrect paycheck. Especially, if the error can’t be fixed immediately. And by fixed, we mean fixed with a manual paycheck. Having a payroll system that allows managers and employees access to data can help payroll run smoothly and accurately.  

Retaining: Build a seasonal workforce that wants to return 

While the initial intention of seasonal employment is for employees to simply stay for the season, it is possible that they could be potential candidates for regular full-time and part-time opportunities. They already know the company, their manager, the team, and the work. They know your organization’s strengths. And as much as we don’t like to talk about it… they know the weaknesses, too. So, they’ve already bought into the role.  

Even if you aren’t actively looking to convert seasonal employees to regular status, you should be looking for ways to keep seasonal employees coming back next season. Your technology can occasionally send messages during the off season to share what’s going on in the company so seasonal employees feel a part of the team.  

You should also consider inviting your seasonal workforce to company events like summer picnics and holiday parties. They were a part of the company’s success. If your organization offers employee discounts, maybe extend a special discount to seasonal employees as well.   

Not only do these actions show appreciation, it’s also an opportunity to stay connected with your seasonal workforce. Which can mean a lot when it’s time to begin hiring for the next season.  

Wrap up the season effectively - the way you started. Make sure your HR and payroll systems are ready to quickly process the departure of your seasonal workforce and issue final paychecks.  

In Summary: Use HR tech to help your seasonal workforce be productive 

In the business world, an organization’s peak season can make or break their financial forecasts. It’s essential to get this right. That means, hiring effectively and efficiently. Engaging seasonal employees quickly with comprehensive training. Keeping employees happy with a good experience, which includes getting paid correctly. And wrapping up their time on a positive note, so they want to come back next season.  

All along the way, HR technology can provide information, education, speed, and scalability to help your seasonal workforce be their most productive. If you’re looking for more information about how HR technologies can positively impact your seasonal workforce needs, check out our latest guide on Seasonal Hiring: Planning, Hiring, and Engaging Your Frontline Workforce. It’s filled with practical information to develop your highly productive seasonal workforce strategy.