By the time consumers start hearing holiday jingles in stores, retailers will have made a whole sleigh worth of preparations for the upcoming season. One of these is probably the decision to hire one or more seasonal employees to help out with increased demand. New analyses suggest that demand for seasonal hiring may approach 20-year highs this year, fuelled by lower than average unemployment and scarcity of qualified candidates.
If your small business is planning on doing some seasonal hiring this year, there are important regulations to keep in mind.
For smaller employers who aren’t accustomed to monitoring employee overtime rules, tracking hours, paid time off for sick leave, and general management of part time staff can be tricky in terms of wage-and-hour law compliance. Make sure to read up on the relevant guidelines. With many employers frequently extending holiday hours, it is crucial to stay aware and be compliant.
Though job search website Indeed.com showed a major spike in seasonal employment postings as early as August of this year - showing that it's never too early for small businesses to start looking for the right seasonal hiring fit - it's not too late to bring on the talent you need in the short term even as we roll into December. Don't let the urgency of making a short term hire overwhelm the need for due diligence when it comes to checking a prospective employee's background information to make sure they will not end up costing your business more than they're worth as a seasonal hire.
One last thing to remember about seasonal hiring: the connections you make with employees in short term contracts don't need to be severed when the New Year's ball drops. Building relationships is valuable for both businesses and employees. For instance, if you're happy with how a seasonal hire performed, let them know that they can expect a call back next year. This takes some of the effort out of finding a new set of seasonal employees every year.
Though job search website Indeed.com showed a major spike in seasonal employment postings as early as August of this year - showing that it's never too early for small businesses to start looking for the right seasonal hiring fit - it's not too late to bring on the talent you need in the short term even as we roll into December. Don't let the urgency of making a short term hire overwhelm the need for due diligence when it comes to checking a prospective employee's background information to make sure they will not end up costing your business more than they're worth as a seasonal hire.
One last thing to remember about seasonal hiring: the connections you make with employees in short term contracts don't need to be severed when the New Year's ball drops. Building relationships is valuable for both businesses and employees. For instance, if you're happy with how a seasonal hire performed, let them know that they can expect a call back next year. This takes some of the effort out of finding a new set of seasonal employees every year.
