Nearly 27 million people hold part-time jobs. For some, their part-time work is their only paid work. For others, a part-time job supplements another source of income. For you, as their employer, the fact that an employee works for you only part-time or as a second job shouldn’t matter. When managed effectively, each and every member of your team will help you achieve your business goals. This applies to any temporary or seasonal employees you bring on board as well. Follow these guidelines to maximize productivity of all your employees, no matter what their schedules are:
Train them equally. To be successful, your seasonal and part-time employees need the same training your full-timers get. This is especially important for topics related to legal compliance regulations and human resources, such as harassment prevention. Think of it this way: a part-time or seasonal employee who does not comply with important rules can do just as much damage to your organization as a person who is there 40 hours per week.
Treat them fairly. If you’re hiring part-time or seasonal employees, it must be because you need them to fill a specific business gap. They are important, or they wouldn’t be there. Your expectations – as well as consequences should expectations not be met – should be consistent for all employees. Show them the same respect you show your full-timers. Remember, how you treat your employees determines how they treat each other and your customers.
Communicate with them fully. To maximize productivity of all employees, you must ensure everyone has the same information. If this is a challenge because of differing schedules or locations, consider distributing your company communications digitally. Broadcast features available in your learning management system are an excellent solution to ensure you’re communicating a consistent message to all your employees.
Ask them for feedback regularly. Part-time and seasonal employees may have a different perspective than your full-time employees. You won’t know unless you ask them! You may also be able to gain important insight into your business by conducting exit interviews with seasonal employees. If they are a good fit for your business, invite them back for the next season or put them on a short-list for a permanent position in the future.
When you maximize productivity of your part-time and seasonal employees, their role at your business will have a full-time impact.
