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More people look for temporary work during the Christmas holiday than at any other time of year, so it’s a perfect time to find them. But finding them and training them is only half the battle. The key is keeping them—turning them into your regular team of seasonal employees.
To build a solid temporary team, you will need to invest in training and develop a relationship that includes keeping in contact with them and offering them something they value. Begin by analyzing your needs and deciding how many people will be necessary for your temporary workers pool.
Staffing for the holidays requires early recruiting and carving out time to train the new recruits. Sometimes the temps work out beautifully, fitting in with your other team members and increasing efficiency. But sometimes the fit isn’t as good, and no amount of training seems to help. A pool of trained, dependable employees will give your shop a jumpstart on every holiday.
Determine Your Needs
Temps have a lot to learn in a short amount of time. Limiting their training to a few specific tasks will help both of you. Make a list of what tasks a temporary worker can perform that will improve your shop’s efficiency, productivity, or customer service. Beside each task, include two or three requirements or characteristics ideal candidates should possess. Here’s an example of a typical shop owner’s list:
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Prep work: Pre-assembling, foaming, greening arrangements, pre-pricing, bow making, wreath making, floral product handling, and preparation. Should be able to follow recipes and written instructions and work quickly without supervision.
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Sales: Assist customers and make sales. Help at the front counter with wrapping and bagging. Help tidy up the shop and displays. Needs a friendly, outgoing personality. Should be interested and willing to learn. Previous retail sales work is a plus.
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Phone orders: Answer customer inquiries and take orders. Conduct follow-up calls. Should have the ability to learn new products and have a good phone voice and manners. Attention to detail is a must.
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Delivery drivers: Make local deliveries. Must have a spotless driving record and should be personable and dependable. Knowledge of local streets is a plus.
Christmas probably isn’t the only time you could use extra help. Make a list of the holidays that stretch your shop to the limit—Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, possibly even Easter or during a special annual sale.
After compiling your list, think of the temporary workers you’ve had and which ones are good candidates for specific tasks. Take into account how they melded with your other employees and how easy they were to train. Make a list of their names and phone numbers. Call these people first. If you still need more workers for your pool, there are many ways to find them.
Finding Good Workers
When searching for good temporary workers, don’t ignore your customer base. It’s a great source for potential part-timers. Since they are already familiar with the shop and they obviously enjoy being there, some of your customers might be excited about working for you two or three times a year.
Other good sources to check are:
- Your employees who might have friends and relatives looking for work.
- Parents looking for work when their children are in school.
- Firefighters, police officers, taxi cab drivers, and delivery personnel looking to fill their off-hours.
- Mail carriers.
- School bus drivers.
- Design school students.
- College students.
In addition to these sources, post a notice about your need for temporary workers in church and school bulletins, in your shop newsletter, on your website, and at local hangouts such as recreation/community centers and gyms.
Tap Fundraisers
An excellent solution for temporary staffing can be found in local schools, churches, and organizations that are looking for ways to raise money for projects or equipment. For instance, some charities are looking for ways to earn money and have volunteers willing to work. Their “paychecks” can go straight to the worthy cause.
Booster clubs—drama, sports, bands, FFA—are often trying to raise money for trips or equipment. Parents, many of whom own vans or SUVs, might be willing to make deliveries or do preparation work with their pay going to the current booster club need. Many shop owners have found this to be a perfect way to help their communities and keep a pool of good temporary workers.
Students are also pressed into service. Instead of selling candy or magazines door to door, they can work in your shop and donate the money they make to meet their fundraising goals.
Religious groups are also good sources for these types of partnerships. They are often trying to raise money for missionary trips or youth activities. Parishioners can work at your shop during holidays and donate their pay to the church, synagogue, or temple.
A benefit of working with volunteer groups is that they often want to come back every year, which meets your key objective.
A Sense of Belonging
The people you choose for your temporary workers pool should feel that they are truly part of your team. Naturally, they won’t receive the same compensation or regard as permanent members of your staff, but they should still feel that you depend on them and that their contributions are appreciated and important.
Create a sense of belonging by giving them a playful name—Temporary Troop, Terrific Temps, or Holiday Helpers. Make them feel part of an important “club” by giving them little extras, such as 10 percent discounts all year, or send them a floral arrangement or fruit basket once or twice a year.
Christmas probably isn’t the only time you could use extra help. Make a list of the holidays that stretch your shop to the limit—Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, possibly even Easter or during a special annual sale. Send notices well in advance of each holiday or event to your temporary workers, asking them to contact you if they want to work. You will probably get enough volunteers. If you don’t, call your temporary list and recruit them. A trained employee who has already performed well in your shop is certainly worth catering to and rewarding. Offer to pay returning temporary employees a bonus of five or 10 percent of their total holiday earnings.
Cross-train your temp superstars. This helps you and them. You get a more versatile worker who you can put to good use in several areas of the shop, and the employee learns new skills and gets a morale boost.
Keep adding to the list. As your business grows, you will need more temporary helpers during the busy holidays. Encourage your temporary and permanent staff to be on the lookout for others who would be perfect fits for your shop.
Keep Them Happy
Temporary work offers advantages to people, so keep those in mind and use them. Find out what each worker values most and make sure he or she gets it.
For example, a temp who needs flexible hours can be assigned to prep work so that he/she can choose his/her own work schedule. Temps who have only a few hours every morning available for work can perform prep work for the designers or can be assigned as delivery drivers. Those looking for evening work can also be trained to do prep work a couple of evenings a week, freeing up your designers for orders that require more creativity.
Above all, treat your temps fairly and give them a great environment in which to work. Even though they are temporary, they should feel they are part of a team and share in the success of an important sales period.
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