Seasonal labor shortages create more than open roles. Productivity gets strained, overtime climbs, and safety risks increase during seasonal labor shortages as teams stretch beyond sustainable limits.
When hiring becomes reactive, quality and retention suffer. Workers brought in under pressure are less likely to stay engaged or meet performance expectations. The result is higher turnover at the exact moment the organization needs stability, creating a cycle of rushed hiring and repeated backfills.
Plan for Seasonal Labor Shortages Before They Hit
Seasonal demand may follow predictable patterns, but seasonal labor shortages don’t. Production cycles, shipping surges, and promotional periods rarely change overnight. Organizations that analyze historical data and forecast workforce needs can align staffing plans with business activity instead of reacting once performance is already at risk.
Historical workforce data supports this approach. According to the American Staffing Association, temporary and contract employment in the U.S. typically declines in the first quarter, rises steadily through the middle of the year, and peaks in the fourth quarter.¹ These predictable shifts mirror long-standing workforce cycles across light industrial industries.
Reviewing internal peak-season data alongside these trends allows organizations to anticipate labor needs earlier and secure talent before competition intensifies.
Align Workforce Planning with Production Forecasts
Seasonal planning works best when staffing discussions happen alongside production and operations planning. When workforce needs are part of broader forecasting conversations, you gain the time needed to source, screen, and prepare workers before seasonal labor shortages occur.
This approach reduces emergency hiring and creates a smoother onboarding process, improving productivity from day one.
Build Flexible Talent Pools Instead of One-Time Hires
One of the most common mistakes organizations make when addressing seasonal labor shortages is relying on one-off hiring. While interest in seasonal work has increased up to 50 percent, companies have announced they plan to hire a lower number of seasonal roles than in years before.² The result is a tighter labor market where competition increases, and last-minute hiring becomes less effective.
Reactive hiring may fill immediate gaps, but it rarely delivers consistency across an entire peak period. Flexible talent pools offer a more reliable solution. By maintaining access to pre-vetted workers who are familiar with the environment, organizations can scale staffing levels up or down without restarting the hiring process each season.
Flexible talent pools often include:
- Seasonal workers willing to return each year
- Temp-to-hire candidates who can transition into longer-term roles
- Cross-trained workers who can move between shifts or departments
The strength of these pools depends on worker experience. Role clarity, realistic job previews, and structured onboarding all influence whether workers complete the season and are willing to return. Research from SHRM shows that more than 32 percent of U.S. job openings go unfilled due to occupational mismatch, emphasizing the importance of proper role alignment.³
When workers understand expectations and feel prepared on day one, engagement improves and early attrition declines. Over time, this approach builds loyalty and long-term availability, turning seasonal staffing into a repeatable, dependable strategy rather than a recurring challenge.
Use Scalable Staffing Models to Protect Your Core Team from Seasonal Labor Shortages
Seasonal labor shortages affect temporary roles and place additional strain on your full-time employees. Overtime, burnout, and morale issues become more common when core teams are asked to carry peak demand alone.
Scalable staffing models help balance workloads while maintaining production goals. Supplemental labor absorbs fluctuations in demand, allowing experienced employees to focus on critical tasks. This approach reduces overtime costs, supports safety standards, and preserves engagement across the organization.
Temp-to-Hire as a Long-Term Strategy
Seasonal hiring doesn’t have to be short-sighted. Temp-to-hire models allow you to evaluate workers during peak periods while building a pipeline for future needs. Strong performers can transition into permanent roles, reducing future hiring pressure.
Over time, this strategy turns seasonal demand into an opportunity to strengthen your workforce rather than destabilize it.
Improve Scheduling Flexibility During Peak Seasons
Rigid schedules often worsen labor shortages when demand fluctuates. Fixed shift structures can leave operations overstaffed at times and short-handed when coverage matters most. In these conditions, flexibility becomes a practical way to maintain consistency without overextending your workforce.
Offering adaptable scheduling options can help attract workers who might otherwise sit out seasonal roles. Flexible start times, shift swaps, and staggered schedules make it easier for workers to commit during busy periods while still meeting personal obligations.
Flexibility benefits both workers and employers. When employees have more control over their schedules, attendance improves and last-minute call-offs decrease. For employers, this translates to better coverage, fewer disruptions, and a more stable operation.
Flexible scheduling doesn’t mean sacrificing structure—it’s about building systems that accommodate demand changes while maintaining accountability and performance standards.
Prevent seasonal labor shortages with Horizon America.
Solving seasonal labor shortages consistently requires more than temporary fixes. It requires a staffing partner that understands your industry, anticipates demand, and builds workforce solutions around your operational goals.
Horizon America works alongside employers to plan ahead, not play catch-up. By aligning staffing strategies with production cycles, you gain stability during the times when it matters most.
Don’t wait until the season starts to hire. Horizon America helps employers build talent pipelines and maintain full crews through seasonal peaks. Contact us today to strengthen your staffing strategy.
References
- “Staffing Employment Faced Seasonal Decline in First Quarter of 2025.” American Staffing Association, 18 Jun. 2025, https://americanstaffing.net/posts/2025/06/18/seasonal-decline-in-first-quarter-of-2025/
- Roeloffs, Mary Whitfill. “Here’s Why It’s Harder To Find A Seasonal Job This Year.” Forbes, 16 Oct. 2025, https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2025/10/16/heres-why-its-harder-to-find-a-seasonal-job-this-year/
- “New SHRM Research on the U.S. Labor Shortage: Occupational Mismatch Affects One-Third of Job Openings.” SHRM, 3 Nov. 2025, https://www.shrm.org/about/press-room/new-shrm-research-on-the-u-s–labor-shortage–occupational-misma
