Top Tips for Recruiting Seasonal Temps

As the merry folk in your workplace get caught up in the Christmas countdown and ask all sorts of burning questions such as “When are the decorations going up?”, you are quite possibly focused on another countdown.

It could be counting down to the biggest and busiest period for your business. Or the big red X on your calendar could be signifying a major end-of-year deadline. How will you get it all done and still find the time to join in on Secret Santa or show your commitment to Fun Fridays!?

Luckily there is a proven solution. It will not only get you and your workforce through the seasonal highs, but also see you smiling on the other side.

We’re talking about seasonal temps.

For many industries, hiring seasonal temps can be a quick and flexible solution, giving organisations a boost through their busiest period. With the potential pressure of time sensitive tasks or high demand for customer service, temporary staff can seem like a welcome lifeline.

Does recruiting a temporary super team seem like it could be the right fit for your business? Or have you tried it before and want it to run more smoothly next time? Then read The HR Dept's top tips below on getting it right with seasonal workers.

Don’t delay

We all know that the early bird catches the worm. But an early recruitment strategy can go one better – and catch the juiciest worms to continue the metaphor. By planning ahead and starting your seasonal recruitment process early, you can not only increase your chances of attracting recruits. But you can also narrow down your search to secure the best talent, before they are snapped up by a competitor.

Desirable skills for your temporary team will likely include, a positive, can-do attitude and the ability to adapt well to change. Early recruitment is a good way to secure employees with these skills.

Cross the T’s and dot the I’s

Although you can probably afford a streamlined induction process for temporary workers, we advise you not to neglect the paperwork process. It is vital that all employees, temp or permanent, are assigned the correct employment status in their contracts. This is where zero-hour and fixed-term contracts are the perfect answer. Remember to do all the correct “Right to Work” checks or you could face a hefty fine.

Encourage permanent staff to support your temps

Temporary staff usually have limited time to get to grips with the how’s and why’s of a new company. They are also typically only given a crash course in on-the-job training.

So before bringing temporary employees onboard it could be a good idea to remind your existing staff that they need to help and support the temps. This way, if your temporary employees are learning by example, at least you can have peace of mind knowing it is the right one!

For advice on targeted recruitment and how to attract the best temporary talent, get in touch with your local HR Dept today.