Do Your Seasonal Employees Feel Valued?

In 2018, there were more seasonal jobs available in the United States than people to fill them. To engage and retain staff, corporate retailers are now offering more robust compensation plans, perks and other benefits to stay competitive. Although increasing hourly pay is great for attracting seasonal workers, that may not be enough to keep seasonal staff productive. Instead, it’s the small, personal gestures that will ultimately win the talent retention battle, because they build loyalty. Continue reading for a few tactics managers can use to engage teams and ensure greater productivity.

First, go beyond standard onboarding procedures. When employees don’t feel properly trained, it can lead to disengagement and unhappiness at work; however, if employees trust that they can ask questions of their managers during moments of uncertainty, this can make all the difference in terms of their psychological safety and their performance on the job. Second, treat everyone equally, no matter their title or whether they are seasonal employees or not. Third, create brand ambassadors. Seasonal workers are only at your company for a short time, but if you can make it a good time, they will become loyal advocates and customers after they leave. The more likely your employees are to recommend your company as a great place to work, the easier time you’ll have recruiting strong candidates, due to an enhanced employer brand and more employee referrals. Fourth, personalize perks. Create memorable moments with seasonal staff, such as volunteering in communities where they reside or bringing in free, healthy food to break rooms. Finally, build up gratitude. Set up a gratitude wall so staff can be reminded why it feels so great to come in to work each day. Research shows that grateful staff are more satisfied with their jobs and are subsequently more engaged and productive.

Read the full article on HBR.org.

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