How to Build a Peak-Ready Team for Seasonal Demand

As a business owner, navigating your company through expected busy and slow seasons can be tough. Organizations are affected by seasonality by varying degrees, from very little fluctuation to dramatic ups and downs, based on factors like routine customer behaviors and market dynamics. One of the most important aspects of successfully navigating seasonal fluctuations is the strategic management of your workforce. Nobody wants to take the time, effort, and money to hire, onboard, and train employees leading up to the busy season, only to lose them when things slow down. It simply doesn’t make financial or strategic sense. So the key to a continuum of productivity and human resources decisions, when at all possible, is to successfully leverage your team all year long.

Get Your Peak Team Ready

Optimally staffing your business throughout the year starts with having a strong, productive team ready to take on your busy season. Hiring and training the people you need for your peak season requires a proactive plan.

Here are four approaches to consider when strategizing your staffing and training for seasonal peaks:

Consider Alternative HR Solutions: Employee hiring and onboarding costs can be deal-breakers in managing seasonality in your business. While you ideally want to maintain a core team of permanent staff, consider augmenting your team with seasonal contractors. Train key employees in multiple roles to add more flexibility to your staffing options.
Educate Your Team: As you head into busy season, comprehensively train your team in the skills and knowledge they need for the impending onslaught of business. Organize intensive training sessions and workshops. Make sure to include a strong focus on productivity, efficiency, and perhaps most importantly, customer experience (CX).
Communicate with Your People: An informed and aligned team is essential when gearing up for seasonal peaks. Check in with your team and keep them updated on new or emerging dynamics. Maintain an open-door policy to ensure a timely exchange of ideas and concerns.
Give Them Incentives: Acknowledgement can get lost during the throes of busy season, but hard work should be rewarded. Head into your peaks by incentivizing your team with cash bonuses or PTO. A motivated team is more likely to perform well under pressure.

Preparing for the Off Season

The slow season is certainly the most challenging time of year for any business. Do you let people go? Do you keep them on while your HR dollars take a hit? The key to navigating your staffing approach, as always, is thoughtful planning and preparation.

Consider the following HR strategies to mitigate the financial and operational challenges of the slow season:

Cross-Train Top Employees: Do your best to retain a core team of high-achieving employees by broadening their skillsets to address alternate tasks during the slow season.
Offer Flexibility: While you might not be able to keep everyone on the full-time payroll during seasonal lows, offering flexible hours and remote work options to key employees can help retain them until business picks up again in a few months.
Strategize & Innovate: Particularly as it comes off the heels of the busy period, the ensuing slow season is an ideal time for reflection on what worked, what needs improvement, and how your team can get a leg up on the next peak season. Brainstorm with your employees and urge them to get creative, then watch as the innovation in your business soars.
Improve Team Bonds: It is challenging to work on team bonding initiatives during the seasonal ups, so it is all the more important to reinforce those connections when you and your team finally have a chance to breathe. Bonded teams are quantifiably more productive, not to mention that connectedness can dramatically enhance your company culture during the regular peaks and valleys of business.

Click here to read “5 Amazing Team Bonding Exercises That Actually Work.”