Black Friday is just around the corner and right behind it is Christmas and New Years. For many businesses the fourth quarter of the year is one of the busiest and most challenging. Retailers have the seasonal rush, employees are taking time off for vacations before, during, and after the holidays, and at the same time business owners are in an end-of-year crunch to meet goals and get ready for the new year. To help you navigate through the holiday season chaos, temporary workers can often be an essential ingredient.
There are many different roles a temporary worker can fill this time of year. In addition to the common seasonal positions of store associates and customer service representatives, there are many other roles that temporary worker can take on to help relieve strain during the holidays, such as web-developers, sales people, clerical workers, security, and more. Some of the advantages these temporary workers bring to the table include:
- More hands on deck | There is a lot to be done at the end of the year, even without an increase in customers. Temporary workers allow you to distribute tasks more evenly and avoid over-burdening permanent staff.
- Better customer service | With long lines in the stores and long wait times on the phone, patience can run thin for many people this time of year. A little extra help can speed up service and leave customers with a better experience.
- Increased flexibility for all workers | Most of your employees likely have their own busy holiday plans outside of work. More staff means more flexibility for people who want to take time off for their own celebrations.
- Less administrative work for management | Daily administrative tasks can often take up more time than you realize. By delegating some of these tasks to temporary workers, you free up more time for you and your team to finish working on important projects due before the end of the year.
- Better website maintenance | This is the last time of year you want your website to crash, especially for retailers. Adding extra workers to your web team can help fix problems quicker and keep your site running despite heavier traffic.
- Less stress! | The end of the year seems to be stressful for everyone. At work, you can relieve some of that stress and reduce burnout by bringing on temporary staff and lightening the load for all involved.
Now is the time to start preparing for the holiday season and the end-of-year wrap up. You can find more tips on seasonal workers in the article, Seasonal Hiring for Small Businesses: 5 Tips to Prepare to ensure you have all your bases covered before hiring new employees. With the right strategy and the right staff on hand, your small business can reach the goals you have planned for.