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HR CONSULTING

Business Prep for the Holiday Season

28 October 2021

Typically at this time of year, in the HR consulting business we often see 2 types of urgent activity;

  1. Frantic planning for the seasonal up-kick
  2. A sudden down-turn that accompanies this time of year

Is your team and your business ready for the summer holiday break? For those of us who are not quite ready, our HR consulting services has compiled our top 5 tips to take the stress out of the summer season.

 

Business Prep Guide

1. Closing over Christmas and the New Year?

  • If you close your business over the Christmas/New Year period, now is the time to inform the team of the dates of the closure.
  • Depending on the award your employees fall under, you may need to provide three (3) months’ notice of the dates. So, get out the calendar and check when it is best to shut down for Christmas and New Year.
  • Communicate your shutdown dates to the team so they can plan and budget according. Your team will appreciate the heads-up and be able to talk through any issues prior to it becoming a problem.

 

2. Ramping up over summer

  • If summer is your busiest time, now is the time to start recruiting and training the team who will deliver the services and profitability of the business in a couple of months’ time.
  • When you add up the time needed to advertise, review resumes, interview candidates, do reference or other pre-work checks and train your new hires on your systems, there is a lot to get through. Start now for a less stressful and more cost-effective start to the peak period.
  • Keep in mind that if this is a seasonal role, you can engage them as casuals and pay them only for the time they are working and training in the business

 

3. Reviewing systems and manuals

  • As you are getting ready to employ a team for the holiday rush, take a moment to review the current systems and training manuals.
  • What has changed over the past 12 months that will benefit from a quick update prior to the new members of the team starting? Do you have the right people listed as contacts?
  • A little bit of extra time now will save a lot of confusion later.

 

 4. Rostering systems

  • There is smart technology to assist with the business chore of rostering. Using a calendar or excel spreadsheet should definitely be a thing of the past.
  • Stream-lined rostering systems can be extremely affordable and make the challenges of managing employee attendance and ensuring adequate staffing levels pain free.
  • Some of the systems include automated SMS reminders and the option for employees to swap shifts so that you are never left understaffed.

 

5. Planning your team celebrations

  • Regardless of whether your team have worked hard all year or are newly hired, planning how you will recognise the team early can save you a lot of money and really take the stress out of the busiest time of year.
  • There are so many great ways to recognise and reward your team but remember that unused marketing materials are gift appropriate!
  • Step away from the Marketing Collateral cupboard!

 

Truly this is the time to enjoy the holiday season and take advantage of everything it has to offer.
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