Hiring Seasonal Employees in Retail: Tips, Strategies, Best Practices​
CHAPTER 1   3 MIN

Hiring Seasonal Employees in Retail: Tips, Strategies, Best Practices

Hiring seasonal employees is crucial for keeping your business running smoothly during busy periods.

IN THIS GUIDE:
●  The State of Hiring in Retail

●  When and Why Do You Need to Consider Hiring Seasonal Employees?

●  Hiring Seasonal Employees in Retail

●  Training and Onboarding Seasonal Retail Employees

​●  Managing and Motivating Your Team

●  Benefits and Perks Retailers Offer Retail Staff, Including the Seasonal Ones

​●  Take Action: Get Your Seasonal Hiring Into Shape
Merchant Method 101: What is a seasonal retail employee?

I like how Deputy defines a seasonal retail employee:

“Seasonal employees are employees hired into a position for a short term. They are mostly part-time or temporary workers that help out with increased work demands or seasonal work that arise in different industries. Seasonal employees typically work no more than 35 hours is most states and/or less than six months out of the year.”

For the purpose of this guide, I’m highlighting seasonal retail staff who are needed during busy selling periods.
The State of Hiring in Retail
Before we dive into how to go about staffing up for your store’s busy seasons, I want you to consider the bigger picture:
●  Nearly one-third of retail workers are seasonal (National Retail Federation)

●  It costs $3,500–$24,000 to replace an employee who works at $8/hour (Hiring Smart)

●  In the U.S., retailers hire more than 700,000 temporary employees during the holiday season (Fortune)
So you can see why it’s so important to take seasonal staff seriously. Even if they’re only in your store for a few weeks, they have the chance to make a major impact on your bottom line.
When and Why Do You Need to Consider Hiring Seasonal Employees?
These are some of the times when you might consider seasonal retail staff:
●  Holidays (including the Q4 holidays, as well as others like Valentine’s Day, Easter, Back to School, or Halloween)

​●  Tourist seasons

​●  Pop-ups

​●  Events

​●  Staff shortage

​●  Brand ambassadors
NEXT CHAPTER   3 MIN
2.  Hiring Seasonal Employees in Retail: Attracting Applicants