Dealing With Seasonal Changes in Workload

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Some business cycles are as predictable as summer and winter.

No matter what industry you work in, chances are that you'll experience some seasonal change in your organization's activity. For example, if you work in retail, you're likely to have a busy period before the holidays.

Your organization may need to work particularly hard during this time, so that it can generate the revenue needed to survive leaner months ahead.

However, busy periods can be difficult to manage – for you as a manager, and for your team. Unless you plan ahead, you may find that you're short on staff, or that your team members struggle to cope with their increased workloads.

Of course, in many industries, there are also quieter periods. These can happen when customers are on vacation, after major deadlines such as year ends, or after the end of the holiday season.

As a manager, you need to deal with the impact that these seasonal fluctuating demands can have on your team. When you do this, you can ensure that you have the resources you need, that your people feel supported, and that you make the most of each person's skills.

In this article, we'll look at how you can manage seasonal changes in your team's workload.

How to Prepare for Busier Workloads

Many businesses experience changes in workload throughout the year. For example:

• The U.S. Census Bureau records that sales increased by 34.3 percent in December 2022 to $17.3 million, up from $12.8 million in November. [1]
• A record 200.4 million consumers shopped over the five days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday in 2023, up from 196.7 million in 2022. [2]
• And, retailers hired 573,000 extra seasonal employees during the 2023 holiday period. [3]

It can be difficult to scale a business to meet a sudden soar in demand, particularly during seasonal periods. Use the following six strategies to help your team cope with the increased pressures that seasonal demands can bring:

1. Understand the Bigger Picture and Create a Plan

When you start a new management role, it's important to understand how seasonality affects the organization. Look at...