The holiday season is fast approaching, meaning retailers and restaurants all across the country are preparing to hire seasonal employees to help with the added foot traffic. Regardless of when your busy season takes place, most businesses rely on seasonal hires to temporarily fill staffing needs. In fact, one major retailer has started it’s seasonal hiring earlier than ever to get ahead of its’ competition. While the gig economy is expected to take up half of the American workforce next year, a recent study found that most employers don’t do much to engage and motivate seasonal hires. So, how can you motivate and engage your seasonal employees, when their job may only last for a number of months?
Create a positive culture.
In retail, the holidays can be a very stressful time. Creating a positive company culture where employees feel supported and valued will help improve performance amidst the stressful time. Seasonal, temporary and gig workers are part of your team no matter how long they are there. If going to work feels inviting for everyone, then everyone will be more likely to stay engaged.
Recognize and reward them for exceptional performance.
Every employee wants to be recognized for their work and treated uniquely. To motivate employees to continuous levels of high performance you should have an employee engagement recognition program in place. Figure out the behavior you wish to encourage and create contests to encourage that behavior. Cashiers and sales associates might compete for the most accurate cash register tallies or the gathers the greatest customer feedback.
Stay in touch.
Keep in contact with temporary employees after they finish their position. Retention isn’t just about keeping permanent employees happy, it’s also about keeping seasonal employees happy to come back next year. And even if they move on employment-wise, they’ll likely refer friends or business your way if they have a positive experience.
