VENTURE CAPITAL POST

The holidays are a lucrative time for small businesses, and since this time of year is busier for your company, you may need to hire extra employees for the holidays. 

If you are wondering how you can go about hiring the best staff possible during this bustling shopping season, here are 3 tips to get you started on the holiday hiring process.  

Be Clear About the Position 

When hiring seasonal workers, it is essential to be upfront about the job description. Let them know if they will have to be on-call, have a flexible schedule, or fixed hours. It's essential to be transparent in the job posting itself for what times you expect them to work, and what kind of contract you will be offering. Being honest at the beginning sets a good precedent, and having expectations outlined will help you avoid any future conflict. 

When it comes to the position itself, you must describe each task you expect from your seasonal worker so that there are no surprises; for instance, if heavy lifting is required. A clear job description will create stronger short-term performances, and will resolve any potential confusion. 

Determine Your Needs for Seasonal Hiring 

Starting a small business is a huge undertaking, and if you are like most companies you likely had to receive alternative funding options from a reputable business funder when you first started out. Since you made the investment and want to stay profitable, you must always take a close look at your expenses and budget. 

You'll want to track your sales data from past years to see how much retail spending you can expect during the holiday season. When you take a look at these numbers, you'll be able to assess better how much traffic you'll receive for your small business, and whether you have the funds to hire a seasonal employee. 

Another way to potentially save money and hassle is by asking your regular employees if they would be willing to take extra holiday shifts. Many employees will likely seize this opportunity to make some more cash over the expensive holiday season. Be sure to stay organized with the schedule so that the process will run smoothly. 

How to Find Seasonal Workers 

Hiring new staff over the holidays can be an extensive process. To save time training seasonal workers, you can think of other strategies. For instance, if you've had seasonal workers before, then reach out to them and see if they are interested in doing this type of work again. 

You could also go back into your records and see if there were any other suitable candidates who you did not hire on before. If you had many qualified candidates to choose from, but could not hire everyone, there may be someone from that list you can get in touch with and see if they're interested in applying for seasonal work. 

Also, your current team members may have contacts that would be an ideal fit for the position. Since you value the opinions and work ethic of your staff members, they will likely have excellent recommendations for contacts of theirs looking for work. 

Now that you have some steps to begin your holiday hiring process, be sure to consider candidates with not just a strong work ethic but that have the right personality that fits with your business. Since your customers are of the utmost importance to your business, you'll want them to have a pleasant experience with all of your staff.