For many organizations, the holiday season is the busiest time of year -- one that often requires extra workers to make sure orders are filled, inventory stays on the shelves and customers are happy.

While bringing in casual help expands your company's workforce when it is needed the most, it can present some challenges when it comes to engaging and motivating part-time employees. They may only see you as a paycheque just as you might see them only as an extra pair of hands.

The problem with this short-sighted thinking is that both the employer and the employee may be missing out on a great opportunity. By investing time in the people you hire, even on a seasonal basis, you can lower turnover, reduce the need to retrain while encouraging positive attitudes. Part-timers may only be with you a few weeks, but that's ample time to plant the seeds that can grow a casual worker into an outstanding, full-time employee.

Here are some steps for making your casual workers feel welcome and keeping them motivated during and beyond the season ahead:

Prepare your full-time staff. Before bringing in part-time workers, eliminate the chances of your regular full-time employees feeling threatened by explaining why you need to increase the workforce. Answer their questions and sell your people on the benefits of bringing in part-timers: it lightens their workload and offers them the opportunity to manage others.

Give part-timers proper training. Rather than just throwing them into the pool and hoping they'll be able to tread water, offer proper orientation to part-timers. In addition to describing the duties of their job, clearly communicate your expectations in terms of dress code, personal phone calls, use of company property, etc. Remember, for many casual workers, a part-time job is their first introduction to the world of work, so do not assume they already know what is and what is not allowed.

Understand what motivates them. Everyone is motivated by something different, ranging from immediate gratification to getting one step closer to reaching a long-term goal. Talk to your part-timers and listen for the cues that will help get the best performance from them. For example, a student who may want to be a graphic designer some day might embrace the opportunity to help work on updating your website or create in-store signage in addition to their regular job duties.

Make them feel like part of the team. Include part-timers in staff meetings, invite them to participate in employee-only discounts or events and make them feel like part of the team every day by encouraging them to mingle with other workers at lunch (it doesn't hurt to put out a free welcome spread) and on coffee break. This creates goodwill and fosters a positive working environment.

Give them feedback. Help part-timers develop and get better and better in their roles by providing them with constructive feedback. Give them praise for all the things they are doing right and show them ways to improve their performance or become more efficient in other areas.

Provide real opportunities, not just grunt work. It may be a temptation to assign lower-level tasks to casual workers. It might be a good way for them to become familiar with your company, but if you leave them in this rut for too long, it can be demoralizing. Mix it up by giving part-timers a chance to learn something new and to try their hand at a number of responsibilities, even if they are only shadowing senior staff to start.

Value what they offer. It is important to treat seasonal staff with respect similar to what you would give a full-time employee. If you have a worker who is doing an exceptional job, be sure to start a discussion that opens the doors to future opportunities, whether it is hiring them on a more permanent basis or committing to having them come back next year.

Offer incentives. Reward part-timers for meeting and going beyond your expectations, especially when it positively impacts productivity and good customer relations. The benchmarks could range from perfect attendance to taking the initiative to solve a problem. While a bonus at the end of their employment term is great, it is also important to recognize their effort with praise as soon as possible to help reinforce good behaviour.

-- With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, PhD, CMC, F. CHRP, is founder and president of People First HR Services Ltd. For more information, visit www.peoplefirsthr.com.

RESEARCH:

http://www.careermag.com/articles/eight-ways-to-motivate-part-time-employees-1611-article.html

http://www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/managingemployees/motivationandretention/article22536.html

http://www.giftshopmag.com/2008/summer/gift_retail_management/the_season_to_be_hiring

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 12, 2009 I1