Hired Seasonal Workers? 4 Signs You Should Keep Them Around

Don't dismiss those temporary workers just yet.

The holiday season tends to be a busy one for many small businesses. And if you brought on extra staff to manage the holiday rush this past year, you were no doubt in good company.

But at this point, you may be thinking it's time to cut ties with your seasonal workers. After all, the holiday rush should be behind you, and the same may hold true for the post-holiday rush as well.

But before you rush to unload staff, you may want to consider keeping some of your seasonal workers on board. Here are four signs that it's the right call.

1. They bring skills to the table your other employees don't have

Maybe one of your seasonal workers is an accounting wiz. Maybe another just has a great head for logistics. If your seasonal workers possess helpful skills that your long-term employees lack, it may be worth offering those seasonal staff members an opportunity to stay on board -- even if that means having to let go of some permanent employees. 

Of course, if you have the budget to keep your long-term workers and your most helpful seasonal ones around, even better. In fact, you may be able to have your seasonal workers train some of your full-timers so they can boost their skills and offer you more value.

2. They have a great work ethic

There's something to be said for people who show up to work ready to hustle. If your seasonal workers fit that bill, then those are people worth hanging onto if you can make that work.

3. Business is still booming even after the holiday rush

In many cases, business slows down for smaller operations after the holiday season ends. But maybe that's not the case for you. 

If January has been a surprisingly busy month, it could be a sign of things to come. And in that case, you may want to hang onto your seasonal workers while the demand for your products or services is still pretty high.

4. You're overworked and need to offload some responsibilities

Small business owners tend to have a lot on their plates. If you're at the point where you need to cut your hours to establish some semblance of a work-life balance, then you may need extra hands on deck to make that possible. And in that case, it could be worth extending a longer-term offer to some of your seasonal workers. 

Some seasonal workers don't want to work beyond the holidays, so even if you're willing to keep yours on board, they may not be up for it. But if you're pleased with the work they've done and can justify increasing your headcount, then it's worth having those conversations sooner rather than later.

Remember, at this point, there's a good chance your seasonal workers have been with you for well over a month, so you probably know what to expect from them and vice versa. Keeping them on board could be in everyone's best interest.