The holiday season is traditionally challenging from a staffing standpoint, but this year presents an unprecedented trifecta as issues related to Covid-19 continue. There are drastic supply chain bottlenecks worldwide, candidates and employees are frighteningly difficult to find in many industries, and rising inflation looms.

• Case in point: the retail industry: The National Retail Federation projects year-end sales between will rise between 8.5% and 10.5% for a total of between $843.4 billion and $859 billion. The projection tops last year’s numbers and would mark a new all-time high.

What can you do to position your talent management team and your business for a successful finish to 2022, despite this sobering picture?

Here are four common seasonal struggles – and a single solution for overcoming all of them:

Being Overwhelmed by Current Staffing Needs

Right sizing your workforce for the holiday season is never easy. But this year!?! It’s harder than ever to predict. And even when you think you’ve got it right, the situation may change overnight. Depending on your industry, your customer service staff, for instance, may be stretched to the limit as complaints come in regarding those coveted Santa gifts, grocery items, ornaments or lights that simply aren’t available. Or, by the time you get holiday hires onboard and fully productive, the rush is almost over.

Making a Bad Hire

Bad hires are … just bad. At any time of the year, including now. But, they happen to everyone at some point. The key is to minimize them and mitigate the ensuring collateral damage. The last thing you need during the countdown to Christmas or Kwanzaa is employees who call in sick frequently, are consistently late for their shifts, or otherwise fail to pull their weight.

Having Employees Leave Unexpectedly

The sudden departure of temporary – or permanent – workers can leave you in a serious bind. This is another classic HR conundrum that has amplified and morphed into the ongoing Great Resignation of 2021. You need to make sure your recruitment A team is ready to play.

Being Careless or Unclear About Employment Status

It’s the biz, busiest time of the year! There aren’t enough hours in the day. But you can’t afford to cut corners when it comes to confirming the employment status of any new hires you make. Is a worker considered temporary, contractual, seasonal, temp-to-permanent, or permanent? Be sure to clearly lay out all the terms of employment before finalizing a hire. Otherwise, you may face a serious HR headache in the not-too-distant future.

What’s The Answer?

There may be no better time than now to work with an outsource business partner to address your seasonal staffing and HR challenges. Key HR is aligned with leading PEOs and other preferred providers to offer innovative ways to meet all your needs. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.