Preparing for the Holidays — It’s Not Too Early!

It seems like Christmas arrives a little faster every year, bringing with it all the holiday rush for most industries and businesses –chaos that can quickly derail your team.

That’s why it’s a good idea to start preparing now before the holidays come in swinging. Here are some tips to get you started:

Look Back to Plan Ahead

The best tool in staying on top of the craziness of the holiday season is to plan ahead. But, of course, the best way to plan ahead is to take a look back.

• What happened last season?
• What extra product, materials, and staffing did you need?
• Did you have to extend your hours?
• Were there common customer complaints you wanted to avoid this year?

Run a complete analysis to help you strategize for all aspects of the season. Certainly, COVID threw a wrench into things, but taking a look at the general trend should give you a good idea of what needs to be done.

Create Holiday Vacation Days Policy

If you don’t already have one in place, now is the time to do it. You can’t operate a team during the holidays with only half a crew. Your holiday vacation policy should include crystal clear expectations and guidelines covering:

• How hours worked during the holidays will be paid.
• What kind of system is in place for requesting time off — is it seniority or first-come-first-serve?
• What is the required lead time for a time-off request?
• Will anyone receive PTO during any holiday closures?

Ensure your crew understands your expectation for coverage during the whole season. Along with having a good idea of the last busy season’s demand, it will guide your strategy for scheduling wisely.

Set Clear Goals

Create a priority list for yourself and your team. What are the most important things you want to accomplish this season? Make sure everyone on the crew is on the same page regarding your goals. A shared purpose and definition of success will keep everyone focused through the commotion.

Regular team meetings to debrief are great for keeping everyone on track and focused on those goals throughout the season.

Ramp Up Training

Empower your employees with the knowledge they need to handle customer and client frustrations, emergency procedures, COVID questions and mandates, customer traffic influx, and anticipated material and product shortages. In addition, training enables employees to act with confidence and competence, a customer-attracting trait.

Consider Hiring Seasonal Workers

It may be that hiring some seasonal workers is in the best interest of the team and your overall goals for the season. Seasonal workers provide extra hands on deck, boost morale, and are less costly than hiring permanent employees. Just be sure to hire them and start training well ahead of the ball game.

Find Seasonal Employees For Your Company

Speaking of hiring seasonal workers, Career Concepts has your back, as always. Call us today, and let’s get started planning for your holiday needs!