In order to anticipate the holiday purchasing season and ensure that customers have a positive experience during this stressful period, numerous retail organizations implemented hiring campaigns last year. Macy’s and UPS employed over 40,000 and 100,000 workers, respectively, while Amazon hired 150,000 employees.
Organizations are currently preparing for another round of mass hiring during the 2023 holiday season, with the objective of satisfying customer demands and developing a strategy for assisting their employees during this taxing period.
Organizations have a distinctive opportunity to prioritize employee satisfaction as they prepare for the forthcoming holiday shopping season. Gallup’s research indicates that organizations with contented employees report earnings that are 147% higher than those of their competitors. There is an additional survey that indicates that employees who are satisfied are 13% more productive, and dealers who are satisfied experience a 37% increase in sales.
The seasonal bustle presents a chance to deliver a robust experience and better retain employees during the hectic and stressful time of the holidays. To achieve this, however, organizations must acknowledge the challenges seasonal employees face, establish a comprehensive game plan and make employee satisfaction a goal instead of a byproduct. It is the responsibility of the organizations to conduct a thorough assessment of the landscape and ensure that their employees are adequately prepared for a successful season.
Land surveying
In order to develop a roadmap, it is necessary to first survey the terrain and identify any potential obstacles that may arise during the course of your voyage. The initial significant obstacle that arises when confronted with the stress of the holiday shopping season is the immense workload. In the United States alone, holiday shoppers spent a record $212 billion on online purchases last year. Like in-person shopping, the increasing online shopping volume also calls for more seasonal employees to handle tasks like processing the orders, shipping and addressing customer inquiries.
Nevertheless, the obstacles extend beyond the sheer volume. In a survey, 88% of employees said the holiday season is the most stressful time of the year, with 77% of respondents finding it difficult to unwind during this period. Employers must remain vigilant of the external pressures and stressors that employees may encounter during the holidays, as it is not always feasible for employees to leave all of their belongings at the door when they arrive at work. It is your duty as an employer to confront these obstacles and assist your employees in effectively navigating this chaotic period. This way, your employees will have the security of a well-organized plan, even if the holiday season is otherwise tumultuous or stressful.
Routing your journey
Once the terrain has been surveyed, it is time to devise a route. Your organization’s capacity to establish seamless employee journeys and offer sufficient support may determine its success or failure in the realm of employee experiences. A shorter training or onboarding period in comparison to regular hires is a common issue that seasonal hires encounter. Many organizations do not perceive the value of a full-length training period due to the limited work tenure of seasonal hires. At first, this approach may appear to be logical and may result in short-term savings of time and money. However, it can also result in frustrated employees who may not feel fully prepared to manage an already stressful season. This stressed attitude will almost certainly be passed on to customers. However, there are alternatives to traditional up-front training, and organizations should investigate flexible solutions that work best for specific requirements.
For example, organizations may opt for a journey that includes a shorter initial training period but provides ongoing on-the-job training to employees, guaranteeing that they have constant access to resources. Organizations should also consider the days they anticipate to be exceptionally busy, such as Black Friday or Christmas Eve, and implement journeys to provide additional training to prepare specifically for those days. Furthermore, organizations should prioritize employee well-being by utilizing employee journeys. This can involve the implementation of mental health programs, appreciation initiatives for employees or regular surveys of employees to monitor stress levels. This will not only improve employee efficiency throughout the season, but it will also address the retention issue, which is a critical concern for organizations that are eager to retain employees for the entire season rather than re-starting midway through.
A successful voyage
When these steps are implemented—identifying potential obstacles, selecting the most appropriate employee journeys, and implementing them—employees will be adequately equipped to confront the demanding requirements of the holiday purchasing season. Well-prepared, employees can provide better services to customers, resulting in improved experiences and increased profits. In conclusion, the data is unambiguous; consumers are directly impacted by the satisfaction of their employees.
To achieve success, organizations must make employee satisfaction a top priority, especially during the holiday shopping season. This is not only an investment that cannot be disregarded in the long term, but it also improves customer experiences, increases productivity, and increases earnings.