7 Best Practices for Managing Seasonal Employees

Every year, some businesses across particular industries face a familiar challenge: meeting surging demand during peak seasons. From frenetic holiday shopping periods to booming tourist seasons, these temporary spikes require additional personnel to run steady operations and capitalize on extra revenue opportunities. This is the point where seasonal employees end up being critical assets.

Seasonal workers can indeed offer those necessary extra hands. They can also mean a boost of energy to your team. Even so, managing this temporary workforce requires a carefully thought-out approach. This comprehensive guide will equip you with the knowledge and best practices needed to:

• Identify your seasonal needs
• Recruit and onboard top talent
• Keep up with compliance and employee protection regulations
• Establish a positive and productive work environment
• Retain your best seasonal employees

By using these strategies, you can make your seasonal workforce perform at its best during those critical peak periods. You'll also be vetting them for the permanent roles.

What is Seasonal Employment?

Seasonal employees are temporary workers brought on board to address increased business activity during specific times of the year. Unlike the common misconception, seasonal jobs aren't limited to part-time positions. Depending on your industry and needs, seasonal jobs can also be full-time. The particular mark of a seasonal employee is its cyclical nature, meaning the employment period is tied to a specific season and repeats year after year. Basically, seasonal employment is temporary.

For example, a beach resort might hire a team of lifeguards for the summer months, a retail store might need extra staff for a few weeks during the holiday shopping season, and a landscaping company might require additional workers during the spring and fall for pruning and lawn care.

Identifying the Need to Hire Seasonal Employees

Running a successful business is all about anticipation and preparation. Before you dive straight into recruiting seasonal staff, it's critical to identify your specific demands and understand the situations that call for a seasonal workforce. Here are some key factors to consider:

• Demand fluctuations: Does your business experience predictable periods of increased activity throughout the year? For example, retail stores see a significant surge in sales during the holiday season, while tourist destinations experience higher visitor traffic during specific seasons.
• Workload management: Can your current workforce handle the anticipated workload during peak seasons? Adding seasonal staff can help you avoid overburdening your full-time employees, while seeing that tasks are completed on time and customer satisfaction remains high.
• Specialized skills: Do you need temporary access to specific skills or expertise that your existing team may not possess? For example, you might need more lifeguards than usual during summer, or you might want to call up the arborists during springtime only. Seasonal employees are a good fix to that challenge.
• Budgetary constraints: Hiring seasonal employees allows you to scale your workforce based on demand. This can be a practical solution compared to maintaining a larger, permanent staff during slow periods.

Here's a helpful exercise: Analyze your past business data to identify historical trends in sales, customer traffic, and project requirements. By tracking these fluctuations, you can predict future shortages and determine the size and skill sets of your seasonal workforce. And also remember: Don't wait until the peak season arrives to start thinking about seasonal employment. Plan and recruit in advance to make sure that you have the right people in place when you need them most.

Benefits of Hiring Seasonal Employees

Seasonal employees offer a wealth of advantages that can significantly benefit your business. Here's how:

Savings

• Scalability: Seasonal workers allow you to adjust your workforce size to meet fluctuating demand. During peak seasons, you have the extra hands needed, and when business slows, you don't have to carry the cost of unnecessary staff.
• Reduced employment costs: Compared to full-time employees, seasonal workers typically receive lower salaries and benefits (depending on your location and specific role), which translates to significant savings on payroll expenses. However, it’s always a smart move to offer good wages and benefits to attract seasonal employees.

Filling the Gaps

• Staff shortages: Seasonal employees are a lifesaver when you face unexpected staff shortages due to vacations, leaves, or sudden project demands. They guarantee that your business can keep up and running while you search for permanent replacements.
• Increased workload: During peak periods, seasonal workers can support your existing team so they don't burn out and part ways once the season is over.

Access to a Wider Talent Pool

Diverse skills and experiences: Seasonal hiring opens doors to a broader range of talent. Students and young professionals seeking hands-on experience are often drawn to a seasonal job.

Long-Term Hiring Potential

• Identifying top talent: Seasonal positions offer you a valuable opportunity to evaluate potential long-term employees. By working alongside seasonal staff, you can assess their skills, work ethic, and company fit firsthand.
• Fulfilling long-term needs: Seasonal workers who excel can potentially transition into permanent roles.

In summary, hiring seasonal workers is a strategic move that provides cost savings, operational flexibility, and access to a diverse talent pool. The potential to discover long-term talent is an added bonus.

7 Best Practices for Managing Seasonal Employees

Building a successful seasonal workforce requires a two-fold approach: maintaining legal compliance and implementing effective management strategies. Here's what you need to know to deal with both aspects with ease.

1. Ensuring Legal Compliance

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for most employees, including seasonal workers. However, amusement or recreational establishments, such as summer camps, operating for limited seasons may be exempt. Always check your state's labor regulations, as they may have stricter regulations and specific state wage laws. Here's a breakdown of key areas to consider:

• Worker classification: Understand FLSA guidelines for classifying employees to provide proper minimum wage, overtime pay and same tax withholding rules.
• Minimum wage: Pay seasonal employees at least the federal minimum wage, or the prevailing state or local minimum wage, whichever is higher. The Fair Labor Standards Act site still mentions a minimum wage from 2009…
• Overtime pay: Non-exempt seasonal workers who work more than 40 regular business hours in a week are entitled to overtime pay (at least 1.5 times their regular rate).
• Youth employment: Special regulations apply for workers under 18, including limitations on work hours and restrictions on occupations declared hazardous—check specific permitted occupations.

2. Recruiting and Onboarding Top Talent

Attracting qualified seasonal workers starts with crafting clear and concise job descriptions. Highlight responsibilities, qualifications, and benefits offered. Emphasize “seasonal” and “temporary” to manage expectations from the outset.

Here are effective recruitment strategies:

• Previous employees: Reach out to past seasonal staff who impressed you. Their familiarity with your business is a significant advantage.
• Recommendations: Encourage current employees to recommend friends and family seeking temporary work. Offer referral bonuses for successful placements.
• Careers page: Launch your own Careers page so you can run job ads that can be lifted by a job board. The best way to have your own Careers landing page is with an HR tool that creates it for you.

Once you've identified top candidates, prioritize a smooth onboarding process. This includes providing seasonal job training, equipping them with the necessary tools and resources, and if possible, assigning mentors or “buddies” who can offer guidance.

3. Managing Schedules and Time Off

Seasonal work often attracts individuals seeking flexible schedules. Work within your operational needs while offering schedule options whenever possible.

While not legally required, offering paid sick leave or other time-off options can be a huge advantage. Following state and local regulations regarding paid time off for seasonal workers speaks to your commitment to employee well-being and can help with retention.

4. Making Sure Expectations are Set and Met

The ability to communicate is fundamental to a successful seasonal workforce. Set clear expectations from the beginning regarding job duties, performance standards, and company policies. A well-written employee handbook can be very helpful.

Maintain regular communication channels with your seasonal staff. Address concerns promptly and provide feedback to make sure that everyone is on the same page.

5. Providing Support and Resources

Investing in your seasonal workforce starts with providing basic and short training programs to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to perform their jobs effectively. 

Providing adequate supervision and support is also helpful. Assign mentors or buddies who can answer questions and offer guidance. This sets up a sense of community and helps seasonal workers feel valued and integrated into the team from the first moment.

6. Managing End of Season Transitions

At the end of the season, take the time to recognize and appreciate the contributions of your seasonal staff. A simple “thank you” or small token of appreciation can show your appreciation for their hard work.

If certain seasonal employees impressed you, consider offering them the opportunity to return for future seasons. Developing a talent pool of reliable and experienced seasonal workers can significantly benefit your business.

7. Retaining Top Seasonal Talent

Ultimately, retaining top seasonal talent boils down to creating a positive and inclusive work environment where seasonal workers feel valued and respected. This improves their work experience and makes your business a more attractive option for future seasonal recruitment.

A seasonal employee handbook round-up…

By adhering to these seven best practices, you've equipped yourself with the know-how to build a winning seasonal workforce. This approach keeps you in legal compliance, creates a positive work environment, and positions you to attract and keep top seasonal talent year after year.

Consider Implementing Customizable HR Software

TalentHR is a comprehensive all-in-one HR software solution that provides all you need to manage your workforce easily. Applicant tracking, onboarding automation, time-off administration, employee management and performance, and people analytics are just some of the platform’s invaluable features that can make your seasonal employee’s experience much easier and efficient.

TalentHR allows you to launch your Careers page so you can start attracting seasonal workers. It has an AI-assisted job description writer so you can put up the best job ads for seasonal workers. Whether you are a large organization, a small-to-medium-sized business, a startup, or you're actually hiring contractors, this HR software solution can help you manage a workforce will full-time, part-time and seasonal employees alike.

You can register now for free. It takes seconds to sign up.

To learn more about HR solutions that help hire and onboard seasonal workers, visit TalentHR.