Holiday season often requires some businesses to take on employees for the surge of shoppers and tourists during this period. While in the past businesses might have known what their strategy for hire is going to be for this period, the current situation may have led to some confusion. The unpredictability of the current situation has meant that it is difficult to plan how hiring will take place. But if businesses are looking to onboard staff, they should consider the following:

• Hiring the minimum number of staff required: Businesses should aim to hire the minimum number of staff members that will be required so that they are meeting safety requirements and minimising inefficient spending.

• Practicing safety when onboarding: Ensure that the hiring process takes any guidelines regarding safety into consideration. Conducting online interviews and training new employees on safety procedures is an effective method to tackle
• Conduct health checks and minimise cross- location shifts: Businesses should conduct regular checks and assessments of employees health and restrict employees to one location to avoid infection to multiple

Additional factors to consider

Across Australia, states and territories are at different stages of their COVID-19 recovery. Therefore, businesses should reflect on their circumstances and hire workers that have the skills to support different types of roles that might be needed. For example, a business may choose to hire online support staff rather than retail workers. This would be particularly helpful if it seems that restrictions will remain strict in your relevant industry. Businesses should also explore the support provided by the government for hiring. The Budget introduced support for hiring staff through the JobMaker. Businesses should utilise this benefit particularly during the holiday period. If you require any business advice contact our experienced business advisers.