When to start preparing for Christmas hiring
The ideal time to begin planning for Christmas hiring depends on several factors, including your industry, the size of your company and your specific hiring needs.
There are general guidelines everyone can follow:
Large organisations with high turnover: These companies often need to replace employees who leave throughout the year. Start planning for Christmas hiring as early as September to ensure a steady pipeline of candidates.
Seasonal businesses: If your business is in retail, hospitality or logistics, you’ll no doubt experience increased demand during the festive period. Consider beginning the recruitment process several months in advance, to make sure you’re adequately staffed during the busy season.
Smaller companies: Although you might have less complex hiring needs, there are still benefits to starting preparations in late Summer or Autumn. This will give you enough time to identify your staffing needs and attract suitable candidates.
The most popular months for Christmas jobs being posted on Job Boards;
- October
- September
- November
Bear in mind, candidates were running thousands of searches for jobs that included the words ‘Christmas’ or ‘Xmas’ from as early as August last year; get ahead of the game and catch their interest now!
Key steps in the Christmas hiring process
Taking the time to develop a robust hiring process will ease the hiring process and save you from unexpected staff shortages. Here are some key steps to help you prepare.
Anticipate your hiring needs:
- Conduct a thorough analysis of staffing requirements for the upcoming Christmas season.
- Identify the critical roles that need to be filled.
- Determine the number of employees required for each position.
- Consider potential attrition rates and plan accordingly.
Develop a recruitment strategy:
- Define target job descriptions and qualifications.
- Create a comprehensive recruitment plan outlining timelines, responsibilities, and budget.
- Decide which channels are best for reaching potential candidates – for example, job boards, social media, and employee referrals.
- Explore additional products to support your campaign; Targeted Emails can help you reach active candidates quickly and very cost-effectively.
- Develop a strong employer branding strategy to attract top talent.
- Create effective job adverts and maximise opportunities to attract quality candidates.
Build a talent pipeline:
- Establish a talent pool – source and engage with potential candidates all year round to ensure a steady supply when you most need it.
- Attend industry events and networking opportunities.
- Leverage social media to connect with passive candidates.
- Build relationships with educational institutions to tap into graduate talent.
Prepare interview questions and assessment tools:
- Develop a standardised set of interview questions to ensure consistency.
- Create assessment tools to evaluate candidates’ skills and competencies.
- Consider using pre-employment assessments to streamline the hiring process.
Onboarding:
- Develop a robust onboarding program to welcome new hires.
- Assign mentors or buddies to support them.
- Schedule training sessions and orientation programmes.
Benefits of early Christmas hiring
Being prepared before things start getting urgent will help reduce stress over the holiday period. Lining up staff well in advance means you won’t get caught out when the season begins.
Similarly, starting the new year with a fully staffed team can alleviate pressure and improve overall productivity.
Here are some of the other key benefits of early Christmas hiring:
Access to top talent: Starting the hiring process early will help you attract and secure a larger pool of qualified candidates.
Reduced competition: Depending on your industry, the Christmas season is often a quieter period for recruitment, which can increase the chances of finding the right candidates.
Improved candidate experience: A well-organised recruitment process creates a positive impression on candidates.
Faster time-to-fill: Having a robust recruitment strategy in place can speed up the hiring process, reducing time-to-fill metrics.
Christmas hiring in key industries
Key industries include retail, distribution, manufacturing and hospitality as the top industries for Christmas hiring.
Tailoring your recruitment strategy to the specific needs of your industry will help you optimise the hiring process and build a strong workforce to drive success during this busy time of year.
Retail
The retail industry experiences a significant surge in demand during the Christmas period. To meet the increased customer traffic and sales targets, retailers need to ramp up their workforce.
Focus on hiring sales associates, customer service representatives, and warehouse staff.
Start the recruitment process in September, to ensure adequate staffing levels for the busy season.
Hospitality
The hospitality industry also witnesses a peak in business during the festive season. Hotels, restaurants, and event venues require additional staff to cater to the influx of guests.
Focus on hiring front-of-house staff, such as waiters, bartenders, and receptionists, as well as back-of-house positions like kitchen staff and housekeeping.
Start the recruitment process in October, to have sufficient time for training and onboarding.
Logistics and delivery
The logistics and delivery sector plays a crucial role over the Christmas period. With increased online shopping and gift deliveries, these companies need to expand their workforce to handle the surge in packages.
Focus on hiring warehouse workers, delivery drivers, and customer service representatives.
Start the recruitment process in November, which will help ensure timely deliveries and customer satisfaction during the peak season.
Conclusion
Don’t let the Christmas period take you by surprise! With advance planning, the holiday rush will find you well staffed and ready to face the additional business coming your way.
Fresh Recruit will be available to support any recruitment requirements you have.