Strategies to Destress the New Year’s Rush: Hire Now

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It happens earlier and earlier every year. You know the drill: the calendar flips to September and suddenly every retail aisle is packed with pumpkins and ghosts, turkeys and wreaths, menorahs and Christmas trees. Yet, there’s something inherently necessary about getting a jumpstart this time of year. The holidays are more avalanche than season. Once they start rolling, the days blur and all at once it’s January 2nd, and a line of prospects are knocking at your club door.

More often than not, the January rush turns into a New Year crush. The door keeps swinging open, the phone keeps ringing, and another new face is always waiting to be greeted at the front desk. Want to survive thrive in January? Hire early. It’s an all-hands-on-deck month. It’s not the time to find yourself chronically short staffed.

Moreover, early staffing is all the more important when you consider the sizable time investment required for an employee to reach full productivity. According to Recruit Shop, new hires do not become fully productive in a position until one-to-two years on the job.  Even if you don’t expect certain positions to retain the same team member for multiple years, this statistic makes a striking point: acclimation to job responsibilities takes time. A lot of time.

Below are four ways to ensure a successful hiring season:

• Hire Before November: The holiday season tends to be a slow period. Quality applicants are typically scooped up during the fall hiring wave while remaining applicants frequently pause their job hunt due to travel plans.

• Anticipate Staffing Needs: Fully staffed in October may not be comparable to staffing needs during an elevated membership period. Review previous January sales numbers to anticipate the required number of team members.

• Comprehensive Training: Lay out an organized training plan for new hires. Relying on an informal on-the-job training style will likely lead to new staff hitting obstacles they are woefully unprepared for during the January rush.

• Onboard CRM Software: Ensure new staff members remain organized and productive during January by onboarding a CRM software early. This gives staff adequate time to learn the system thoroughly during the slower holiday period. An uptick in prospects and new members can lead to important reach outs falling through the cracks. A CRM automates reach outs to keep prospects and members in touch and engaged.

This article was written by Kevin Talley, digital content coordinator for Club OS, a CRM and sales software. Club OS partners with ABC Financial to provide integrated membership and retention solutions for gyms and studios. We provide a solution for gym owners to communicate with members through automatic emails and texts, easy-to-use scheduling, in-depth reporting, and so much more. For more resources, download our free e-book “Crush the Rush: Proactive Strategies For Winning Big In January”.

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