Make most of downturn with seasonal staff hires

Expert Columnists - Suzanne DeVries - Personnel Matters

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Make most of downturn with seasonal staff hires

By Suzanne DeVries

September 30, 2009

Suzanne DeVries is president and founder of Diamond Staffing Solutions Inc., one of the jewelry industry's leading placement firms and an official American Gem Society sustaining member.

One of the few good side effects of our economic crisis is the increased availability of great talent on the market.

With the fourth quarter nearly here, jewelers are in an excellent position to hire seasoned jewelry professionals for the holiday season--a move that offers the luxury of "try before you buy" staffing.

Jewelers forced into layoffs due to budget cuts can use seasonal hiring as a way to refresh their staffs with experienced salespeople who generally require less training time and can start off almost immediately with a well-developed client list.

Seasonal staffing can push your employee culture in the direction you envision for your business. Most importantly, it provides an incredible opportunity to provide every client with unprecedented levels of attention and customer satisfaction.

Although no one knows what this holiday season will bring, do yourself a favor and start the seasonal hiring process now. Assemble a thoughtful, strategic plan to save yourself last-minute stress and ensure a high-quality staff. If you do not hire these veterans soon, your competitors surely will.

Below are a few suggestions to ensure a smooth process for seasonal hiring.

First of all, consider the four major components of a well-thought-out hiring plan: budget, need, solution and start-up. Compare your current and projected budget with those of previous years. If you have previously hired seasonal staff, can you do so this year? If you have never hired temporary staff, do you feel that you should have?

To determine the number of new hires, write down your needs on paper: This might include covering extra hours, handling a different merchandise mix and reaching out to clients through advertising and a "clienteling" strategy (contacting customers about merchandise they might be interested in). Once you come up with the number of hires needed and determine their responsibilities, consider the cost of training and orientation.

Secondly, make sure your paperwork is intact. Many employers mistakenly believe they do not need to complete paperwork for temporary or seasonal hires, but they actually require the same thoroughness as permanent hires. Double-check your state requirements and consider the following list in regards to legal compliance:

Completed employment application.
Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification.
W-4 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate.
Background checks (criminal and credit).
Professional references.
Written and signed offer letter which states rate of pay and pay schedule.
Signature on company policies.
Emergency contact information.

Amid the stress of the holiday season, having the above information securely on file will bring peace of mind.

Thirdly, embrace these new hires as part of your team. An American Staffing Association survey found that a whopping 72 percent of temporary employees end up being a good fit and become permanent staff members.

An important point: A temp-to-hire strategy works best with a well-planned orientation.

To facilitate good internal communication, formally introduce the new hire to every team member. Partner newcomers with on-site mentors who can answer questions and provide key business information. Provide seasonal workers with lockers or spaces to secure personal items.

Make sure the goals for each new employee are specific, attainable and documented in writing. In a recent study, the IDC Analyst concluded that employees cost businesses $37 billion every year simply because they do not understand their jobs. By keeping the lines of communication open, employers can use temporary hires to reduce short-term costs and invest in their long-term teams. If these new staff members become permanent hires, you just saved future training time.

If cutbacks at your company make you feel as if you do not have the time to hire seasonal staffers, utilize the services of a jewelry-recruiting firm. Many staffing firms can save hiring managers time by facilitating the pre-hire paperwork needed for company records.

Seasonal staffing is an investment; the temporary hiring process should not be taken any less seriously than permanent hiring. Begin the process with a strategic plan, pay attention to the administrative details and thoroughly welcome new hires as part of your team. This relatively small investment will yield huge returns.

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Expert Columnists - Suzanne DeVries - Personnel Matters

Make most of downturn with seasonal staff hires

Expert Columnists - Suzanne DeVries - Personnel Matters

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