Approximately 738,800 temporary employees were employed by US retailers last year
throughout
the
festive season. Perhaps even more compelling is that just 60% of agricultural workers
put in
more than six months of the work year. There are many more instances where hiring temp
employees
is necessary. Consider ski areas that only require ski instructors during the winter. Or
places
that only need lifeguards in the summer.
If your company encounters cyclical lows and highs in the consumption of its products
and
services, temporary recruitment, also referred to as seasonal hiring, is the solution.
When
revenues don't completely cover the costs, it will save you several months' worth of
wages
and
taxes.
However, because they are "temporary," transitory labor does not guarantee success
during
the
busiest season. Hiring seasonal workers can provide you with a new set of difficulties.
Temporary Hiring Is Not a Quick Fix
While being completely aware that they're not a regular team member, temporary labor is
typically thrust into the peak days of the year and required to function at the most
significant
level. This approach is risky for a team you'll rely on to see your company through the
busy
season. The answer? Offer temp staff training to your temporary staff. This strategy is
significant for various reasons. The most active season of the year is typically when a
temporary staff is placed and expected to perform.
1. Creating the requirements
Seasonal workers are new hires. They might not be equipped with the necessary
information,
abilities, or familiarity with internal teammates and procedures to be effective
immediately.
Employee training is key to familiarizing
your
seasonal workers with people, processes, and duties.
2. Fostering involvement
Temporary labor frequently recognizes the "temporary" aspect of their employment.
They
are
aware
that they are a temporary member of the group and the business, which may cause them
to
feel
disconnected and disinvested in their task. Making your seasonal workers feel valued
and
showing
them that they are just as valuable to the business as permanent staff will help
them
feel
included. Additionally, it establishes the notion that there are no differences in
the
standards
expected of temporary and permanent employees.
3. Investing in future permanent hires
According to research, 63% of shops intend to employ one out of every ten temp
workers.
They
are
not the only ones, either. While temporary workers may initially be transitory, who
better
to
hire when looking for the best employees to join your company permanently than those
who
have
already met the team, completed the task, and are familiar with the procedure?
Therefore,
why
not ensure they are well trained from the beginning and offer them a fair chance to
demonstrate
their competence?
Best Practices for Temporary Staff Training
You may already be persuaded of the value of training your seasonal workers. But you're
presumably also considering the best way to put this into practice. Here are our top
three
suggestions and strategies to assist you with your temp training.
● Onboarding
A fantastic method to integrate your seasonal workers into the team is to provide
them
with
training before or during their initial week of employment. You can train them in
everything
related to working as a team, technology, business procedures, or the particular
knowledge
and
abilities required for the new function they will be assuming.
Temporary workers are less likely to feel unsure or overwhelmed in executing their
new
function
if they receive this quick training. Instead, they will be competent and at ease
with
the
people, they will be working with and the jobs they must complete. You'll observe
improved
performance in this method from earlier in the season.
Regular Interval Training
While initial induction training is necessary, you should be careful not to burden your
temporary staff with an excessive seasonal training load. You've heard it said: The
secret
to
everything is balance. Therefore, aim to schedule consistent training throughout the
year
instead of planning all of it at once.
In the onboarding process, go over the most critical tools and skills. Ideally, you
should
prioritize the areas essential to carrying out the job. Keep the team-building and
engagement
exercises until later, saving valuable but less critical training. A more sustainable
training
load—one that inspires rather than terrifies—is obtained by scheduling continuous
activity
at
regular intervals.
Even the finest amongst us sometimes find it intimidating to begin a new job. Even more
so
if
you're a temporary employee starting a new group during the busiest time of the year and
are
just deemed temporary. So much for staying in your comfort zone!
Because of this, providing your seasonal personnel with on-the-job training and a
"buddy" at
work might be a valuable strategy for ensuring their comfort and competence. They are
more
likely to pick things up fast and feel like a part of the team when seasonal employees
are
paired with an established, permanent employee.
Creating Lasting Training
The next difficulty after investing in seasonal training is ensuring that all the
knowledge
gained during that training truly manifests as attitudes and behaviors in the workforce.
Here,
management is crucial. The management should encourage employees to use their new skills
in
the
workplace and promote seasonal training. Managers can encourage good employee behaviors
in
part
by rewarding them.
We're talking about rewarding seasonal workers each time they put what they've learned
in
training into practice. This methodology could be anything from verbal praise for
excellent
work
to material rewards like cash bonuses or vacation days. Seasonal workers are encouraged
by
this
kind of appreciation to put their newly learned information, abilities, and skills into
practice.
The Advantages of Digital Temp Staff Training
Setting aside time for training might be challenging. Seasonal workers are frequently
required
to contribute to achieving sales goals and other corporate objectives. This expectation
adds
a
slight inconvenience to training. The logistics of seasonal training don't have to be a
nightmare, though. Even team-building exercises don't require the entire team to be
present
in
the same place. How is that even possible? Through eLearning programs and online training.
Various cutting-edge technologies, including gamification, dynamic infographics,
branched
scenarios, and analytics, are available through eLearning. With these technologies, you
can
develop a convenient, entertaining, and optimized seasonal training program for
retention
and
learning.
Furthermore, season workers can gain information and skills in manageable pieces when
needed
by
using quizzes, discussion forums, and videos. In this way, employees' busy work
schedules
can
accommodate training rather than the other way around.
However, if you decide that online seasonal training is the best option, pick the ideal
LMS
to
conduct your training.