From holiday shopping to summer vacation to back to school, industries are challenged to source, recruit, hire, and manage a productive seasonal workforce.

The increase in business and hiring activity can be predictable, like that surrounding major holidays and special occasions, or can result from unpredictable incidents like weather events.

With unemployment at near record lows, employers are facing challenges hiring seasonal workers. In 2017, employers reported that it took 14 percent longer for them to fill their seasonal staffing needs than in 2016.

The good news is that seasonal recruiting doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right processes and technology solutions, you can identify your seasonal workforce needs early, recruit and hire strong seasonal employees, and provide them with the kind of engaging, intuitive onboarding and employment experience that boosts their productivity and enriches your organization.

Regardless of which type of seasonality affects your business, there are steps you can take to ensure your organization is prepared to meet seasonal workforce demands. From recruiting and hiring to onboarding and managing a seasonal workforce, we have seven tips for helping you develop an effective seasonal workforce strategy.