The holiday season is one of the most demanding times of the year for employers, especially in logistics, manufacturing, retail, and customer service. While peak demand presents a massive opportunity, it can also strain full-time teams, create scheduling challenges, and increase the risk of burnout.
A strong seasonal surge strategy can help organizations stay productive, protect employee well-being, and maintain exceptional customer experiences. Here is how companies can prepare effectively while building a more resilient workforce.
1. Balance Full-Time Staff With Contingent Labor
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently reports annual spikes in employment for retail, warehousing, and delivery-related roles during November and December. Seasonal roles help companies stay agile and avoid overburdening core teams during short-term business surges.
A balanced model ensures:
- Full-time employees stay focused on core responsibilities and higher-value work
- Contingent workers support peak tasks, volume surges, and extended shifts
- Organizations maintain greater flexibility as demand fluctuates week to week
Teams avoid burnout and turnover risks by preventing excessive overtime
This is especially important in high-demand environments like e-commerce fulfillment centers, where order volume can increase dramatically in a matter of days.
2. Prevent Burnout Through Smarter Scheduling and Workload Management
Employee burnout remains a significant workplace issue. Gallup research consistently identifies workload, unclear expectations, and lack of support as major drivers. During holiday surges, these factors often intensify.
To protect the well-being of your team:
- Use predictive scheduling tools: Workforce management platforms enable leaders to forecast demand and build schedules that distribute work fairly and reduce unexpected overtime.
- Cross-train employees: According to SHRM, organizations that prioritize cross-training see better productivity and less stress during surge periods. More people can cover more roles, which reduces bottlenecks.
- Encourage reasonable shift lengths: Extended hours may seem like a quick fix, but they lead to fatigue and lower-quality output. Strategic use of contingent labor covers gaps without overloading core staff.
- Communicate proactively: Clear expectations reduce anxiety, especially when teams know what to expect and how the workload will shift throughout the season.
3. Leverage Staffing Partners for High-Volume or Last-Minute Hiring
Even the best plans can be disrupted by unexpected spikes in demand, absenteeism, or supply chain changes. Staffing partners help organizations respond quickly and confidently.
A strong staffing partner provides:
- Access to pre-vetted talent pools
- Rapid deployment of qualified workers for fulfillment, production, customer service, and support roles
- Scalable teams that can grow or contract weekly
- Compliance and onboarding support to accelerate ramp-up
- Recruiting expertise for hard-to-fill or niche roles
Deloitte research highlights that companies with flexible talent models outperform those relying solely on traditional hiring, particularly during periods of volatility.
Whether you need 10 workers or 200, staffing experts streamline seasonal hiring and reduce the internal burden on HR teams that are already stretched thin.
How Eastridge Supports Seasonal and Peak-Period Workforce Planning
Eastridge partners with organizations across logistics, manufacturing, retail, and service industries to create agile workforce solutions that scale without sacrificing quality or efficiency.
Our approach ensures:
- Flexible staffing models: From contingent labor to high-volume hiring, we help teams stay productive during even the most unpredictable seasonal shifts.
- A rigorous and compliant recruiting process: We manage sourcing, screening, onboarding, and scheduling to reduce administrative strain and ensure a smooth ramp-up.
- A focus on workforce well-being: We help employers protect their full-time teams by providing the right level of staffing support to prevent burnout and turnover.
- Strategic planning for future peak seasons: Through ongoing analytics, forecasting, and partnership, we help organizations prepare earlier and operate with greater resilience.
- Prepare for the Holiday Season With Confidence
Seasonal surges do not have to stretch your teams thin. With the right mix of contingent labor, smarter workload planning, and a trusted staffing partner, organizations can meet demand while keeping employees supported and energized.
Explore flexible staffing support to optimize workload during seasonal peaks.