Holiday Hiring Blues?: 5 Tips to Find the Employees You Need

By: Jim Monroe | 4,727 Reads | 2 Shares

Featured in: Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine: Issue 4, 2018

%3Cp%3EThe+latest+monthly+job+figures+confirm+what+most+employers+already+know%3A+it%26rsquo%3Bs+going+to+be+another+challenging+year+for+retailers%2C+restaurants%2C+caterers%2C+and+hotels+looking+to+staff+up+during+the+upcoming+holiday+season.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EOverall%2C+the+strong+economy+is+proving+to+be+a+double-edged+sword+for+companies+that+rely+heavily+on+an+hourly+workforce.+The+good+news+is+that+business+indicators+are+looking+strong+through+the+end+of+the+year%2C+which+means+that+sales+will+increase+as+people+eat+out%2C+buy+things%2C+and+travel+for+both+business+and+pleasure.+But+with+unemployment+already+at+historic+lows+and+the+economy+continuing+to+add+jobs+at+a+healthy+pace%2C+the+competition+for+skilled+hourly+workers+is+ratcheting+up+even+higher+in+what+already+is+a+tight+labor+market.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3ESnag+is+the+largest+online+marketplace+for+hourly+jobs+in+the+U.S.%2C+matching+our+network+of+some+60+million+job+seekers+with+300%2C000+employer+sites+nationwide.+We+recently+partnered+with+Wakefield+Research+to+develop+the+Snag+Holiday+Hiring+Report+for+2018.+We+surveyed+1%2C000+employers+in+the+retail%2C+restaurant%2C+and+hospitality+space+to+get+a+snapshot+of+what+to+expect+during+the+upcoming+holiday+hiring+season.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EThe+majority+of+employers+we+spoke+with+said+that+to+meet+the+needs+of+their+business+they+will+have+to+hire+more+hourly+workers+during+the+fourth+quarter+than+they+did+last+year%26mdash%3Bwith+86+percent+saying+they+expect+to+face+serious+challenges+in+filling+these+temporary+roles.+A+lack+of+qualified+workers+and+competition+from+other+employers+are+their+major+concerns.+Restaurant+servers%2C+dishwashers%2C+cashiers%2C+bussers%2C+line+cooks%2C+hostesses%2C+and+delivery+drivers+will+be+in+the+greatest+demand+between+now+and+the+end+of+the+year.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Ch2%3E5+holiday+hiring+strategies%3C%2Fh2%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EHere+are+some+of+the+strategies+employers+are+using+to+cope+with+the+tightest+labor+market+in+nearly+two+decades%2C+and+to+make+themselves+an+employer+of+choice+for+a+workforce+that+has+plenty+of+choices.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EGet+a+jump+on+the+competition.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Employers+tell+us+they%26rsquo%3Bve+ramped+up+their+holiday+hiring+earlier+than+ever+before.+In+previous+years%2C+the+bulk+of+seasonal+hiring+took+place+in+October.+This+year%2C+the+number+of+employers+who+began+recruiting+as+early+as+mid-August+has+nearly+tripled+over+last+year.%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EExpand+outreach.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+A+majority+of+employers+%2862+percent%29+have+increased+their+use+of+social+media+to+recruit+hourly+workers+this+year.%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EIncrease+wages.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Two-thirds+of+employers+say+they+expect+the+hourly+wages+they+pay+seasonal+employees+will+increase+this+year%2C+driven+in+part+by+minimum+wage+hikes+in+many+states+and+localities.+Major+retailers%2C+including+Walmart%2C+CVS%2C+Costco%2C+and+Target+also+have+announced+increases+to+their+minimum+wage.%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EBenefits+and+perks.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+To+attract+workers%2C+77+percent+of+the+employers+we+surveyed+said+they%26rsquo%3Bll+be+offering+perks+and+benefits+including+paid+time+off%2C+training+opportunities%2C+child+care%2C+tuition+stipends%2C+health+insurance%2C+and+even+transportation+reimbursement.+Starbucks%2C+Walt+Disney%2C+Walmart%2C+Taco+Bell%2C+Chipotle%2C+and+Lowe%26rsquo%3Bs+are+among+the+companies+now+paying+for+their+hourly+workers+to+earn+a+college+degree+or+other+educational+certificate.%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EFlexible+work+options.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Cava+and+Five+Guys+are+among+the+companies+partnering+with+Snag+in+the+rollout+of+our+new+on-demand+shifts+service%2C+which+enables+employers+to+find+skilled+workers+for+shifts+that+go+unfilled+because+of+turnover%2C+callouts%2C+or+surges+in+demand.+This+allows+employers+get+the+workers+they+need+when+they+need+them+most%2C+while+workers+gain+flexibility+and+greater+control+of+their+schedules.+It%26rsquo%3Bs+a+great+solution+for+hourly+workers+looking+to+augment+their+existing+hours%2C+or+who+need+to+schedule+their+work+around+school+or+family+obligations.%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EWhat+else+can+employers+do+to+recruit+and+retain+the+workers+they+need%3F+Our+research+tells+us+that+employers+can+reap+huge+benefits+simply+by+making+sure+they%26rsquo%3Bre+providing+people+with+a+great+place+to+work.+Logic+dictates+that+when+people+like+their+work+environment%2C+they+are+more+likely+to+stick+around+longer%2C+reducing+turnover+expenses.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EAnd+it+turns+out+there%26rsquo%3Bs+another+financial+upside+to+providing+a+positive+working+environment.+Snag+recently+analyzed+data+for+a+client+with+hundreds+of+retail+locations+across+the+U.S.+and+found+that+stores+with+lower+turnover+enjoyed+3+percent+higher+sales+on+average.+It+turns+out+the+old+business+adage+that+happy+workers+equal+happier+customers+is+true.+Treat+your+employees+well+and+your+business+will+benefit+in+more+ways+than+one.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp+style%3D%22border-top%3A+1px+solid+%23DDDDDD%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%3Cem%3E%3Cstrong%3EJim+Monroe%3C%2Fstrong%3E+is+chief+experience+officer+at+Snag+%28renamed+from+Snagajob+in+April%29%2C+whose+mission+is+to+put+people+in+the+right-fit+positions+so+they+can+maximize+their+potential+and+live+more+fulfilling+lives.+Learn+more+at+www.snag.co.%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E

Published: December 20th, 2018