SEASONAL WORKFORCES manpower to manage the workload and to cater to the high demand.” Jason Ng, Country HR Manager, Singapore and Malaysia, at Swedish clothing retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), echoes this sentiment. “During the peak season, there will be an increase in sales opportunities and this in turn, requires the organisation to invest more hours in operations to ensure that the customer still gets the best shopping experience,” he shares. “Given that this is a seasonal cycle and usually impacts the organisation during peak shopping periods, it makes more sense to hire part-timers and temporary employees who have more flexibility in working hours.” Companies in the food and beverage (F&B) sector also face tough manpower shortages during peak seasons. Chan Wing Git, Vice President of HR at BreadTalk, says having a roster of non-full-time staff helps it to cope with increased business volumes at specific times of the year. “Part-time workers would be useful in covering the manpower shortages during such periods,” he shares. “There may also be special promotions, such as for mooncakes, where we need additional help in preparing and selling the products.”
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Scaling the factors Seasonal employees are usually required to facilitate, support and complement permanent staff, giving the company some flexibility and also translating to reduced permanent overheads. “The operating cost of hiring seasonal workers is cheaper than the cost of recruiting permanent employees, as the remuneration varies from permanent workers in terms of wage rates, health coverage, statutory leave and other benefits,” Zainudin says. “It is a very cost-efficient option for the employer.” This sort of employment also provides the chance to evaluate a potential new hire before converting them into a fulltime staff member. Zainudin says part-time staff also help to mitigate the effects of high turnover rates among the permanent workforce. Adrian Ho, Deputy General Manager of HR at Eighteen Chefs, says his company uses this strategy for graduate recruits in particular, as they often graduate just prior to the beginning of its peak season in June and July. “These opportunities allow students to have a ‘trial’ at our workplace at their own pace first,” he says. “We can then aim to get them on board when they graduate and convert them to full-time staff. “As the business swings, these part-
time staff can also be adjusted to meet demands and in turn, help us to keep operational costs manageable.” However, hiring seasonal workers is not all chocolates and roses. Some can have a lower sense of loyalty to the organisation, and may also be relatively inexperienced in the role. “They are sometimes less reliable, less motivated, and less committed to their job,” Zainudin shares. “They have lower commitment levels towards the organisation as they are typically younger and less experienced.” The inconsistent productivity levels can elevate training costs, and the time required to get temporary staff up to speed.
How to hire There are two primary platforms that Eighteen Chefs utilises to reach out to interested part-timers. These are through walk-in interviews and by candidates emailing the company directly. Each potential recruit is asked to nominate their preferred outlet location and ideal working hours. The group HR department then forwards that interest to the respective restaurants for direct chats and the formal hiring process. “As part-timers are short-term staff, we try to make their on-boarding processes as hassle-free as possible, without affecting reference checks and documentation,” Ho elaborates. “Sometimes, we collaborate with schools and training organisations that have students who are required to go through work trials.” FJ Benjamin takes a different approach. Part-time and temporary employees there are sourced predominantly via referrals from existing staff members. Word-of-mouth channels are also utilised and the company also occasionally reaches out to previous part-timers. BreadTalk uses traditional job advertisements and recruitment channels for its contingent workforce. The firm also collaborates with schools and tertiary institutions as part of an effort to spread the word on the job opportunities available during school holidays.