What is Seasonal Employment?

Definition

Seasonal employment is when an individual is employed on a temporary basis during certain times of the year, usually to meet a specific need for extra staff.

How Seasonal Employment Works

Seasonal employment involves an employer hiring someone to work for a company temporarily, usually to cover a specific time-bound need. These employees are often on fixed-term or zero-hour contracts and recruited through agencies.

Fixed-term contracts provide the employee with a clear contract detailing the role they will be doing and the period.

Zero-hours contracts mean that employees have no obligation to give an employee work, and the employee has no obligation to take it. Individuals on zero-hours contracts are still classified as employees or workers and entitled to statutory rights.

The agency will officially employ employees recruited through agencies for seasonal employment.

How Long Does Seasonal Employment Last?

How long seasonal employment lasts depends on why the company needs the temporary workers. There is no set timeframe; it can last from a few weeks to several months. Some companies may communicate start and end dates before they employ seasonal workers, whereas others will keep things open.

Is Seasonal Employment the Same as Part-Time Employment?

No. Part-time employees are usually permanent employees who work fewer hours than full-time employees. There is no end date for a part-time employee.

Seasonal employees may work part-time or full-time, depending on the employer’s workforce needs. The position is temporary, so there will be an end date for the work, even if it has not been communicated.

Seasonal Employment and the Law

The Employment Rights Act 1996 protects the rights of employees, including those involved in seasonal employment.

• Seasonal workers are entitled to statutory holidays, sick pay and the local minimum wage. They are also entitled to receive payslips and overtime pay.
• They are also protected from discrimination and should follow the same health and safety regulations as permanent employees.
• However, seasonal workers are often classed as workers rather than employees, limiting their rights, such as those regarding unfair dismissal and pensions.

The Benefits of Seasonal Employment

Seasonal employment benefits both companies and individual workers in different ways:

Benefits for Companies

Allows Companies to Meet Seasonal Demand

The primary benefit of seasonal employees is that they allow companies to meet the demand for their goods or services that arise on a seasonal basis, thereby allowing the company or organisation to be more commercially successful. For companies with a seasonal business model, seasonal workers are critical to their business goals.

Cost Savings for Companies

Increasing the workforce when more employees are needed and reducing it when the busy period has passed allows companies to keep their costs down. Seasonal employees are usually entitled to fewer benefits (for example, the company pension scheme may not include them), contributing to reduced costs.

Helps Companies Be More Flexible

Seasonal employment allows companies to change their workforce depending on the business’s needs. This flexibility can help organisations respond strategically to external market conditions, which in turn helps meet the business goals.

Brings a New Perspective to the Company

Introducing a new and different type of worker can bring challenges, such as issues around integration, different working styles and extra administration. On the positive side, introducing a temporary workforce can also provide a different perspective within the employee body, encouraging permanent employers to see things differently and think more creatively.

Benefits for Employees

Provides Experience of Working

In some cases, seasonal work can require fewer skills or less training than permanent employment, making it more accessible to those who have not yet entered the workforce or are returning from a period away. For example, hospitality work in a busy restaurant or hotel over the summer can provide school leavers with work experience, which they can then include on their CVs for future job applications. Seasonal work can also be a stepping stone to more permanent work, as firms often check their temporary workforce when recruiting for other positions.

Extra Income for Employees

A seasonal job can also provide employees in other roles with a second income, allowing them to top up savings or manage their outgoings for the rest of the year.

Seasonal Employment Examples

Many examples of seasonal employment come from the tourism industry, where demand for services peaks at specific periods of the year.

• Ski resorts
• Water sports resorts
• Restaurants and hotels in tourist hot spots
• Theme parks
• School and summer camps for children that run during the school holidays

However, there are also examples of seasonal employment in other industries:

• Financial firms may employ extra workers to help with tax returns
• Retailers may employ extra workers to help fulfil increased sales over holidays such as Christmas or if they run a mid-season sale
• Farmers may employ extra workers to help with harvesting

How to Successfully Implement Seasonal Employment

As we have seen, hiring seasonal employees can be a very successful approach to managing fluctuating demand for staff. It can significantly contribute to the labour market in the short term by providing workers with skills, experience and income that they may not get otherwise. However, successfully implementing seasonal employment into a business involves careful consideration of the following issues:

• Use data and information from previous years to inform your plans for seasonal workers.
• Understand how seasonal employment fits into wider recruitment and talent strategies. To ensure that seasonal employees are motivated and engaged in their work, the seasonal workforce should be considered integral to the whole workforce and not a poor relation to permanent employees.
• Write clear job descriptions for the seasonal roles and keep communication with the temporary workers open and honest. Most seasonal employees will appreciate knowing where they stand, what the expectations are for their work and how they can give feedback to their employers if necessary.
• Ensure the onboarding process for seasonal workers is supportive and welcoming so that seasonal employees feel part of a team and the wider organisation and are inspired to do their best work. Thinking about the right way to train and develop temporary workers also helps to ensure the company can maximise the value of their work.
• Be aware of the law regarding the employment of people on temporary contracts, especially if you employ seasonal workers from outside the UK.