Successful Summer Hiring
Contrary to what Utah’s current mix of snow, hail, and rain would have us believe, summer is fast approaching. For many Parks and Recreation organizations, one of the biggest challenges that summer brings is hiring the additional staff needed to help with higher traffic, summer programming and other activities. The Research Team of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) recently surveyed park and recreation agency directors to find out what challenges and successes they’d encountered in hiring and retaining a summer seasonal workforce in 2023. Survey responses were reported in their 2024 Summer Seasonal Hiring Report, and while many organizations fell short of their hiring and retention goals, others experienced success and shared some of the tactics that worked well for them.
Some of the successful hiring strategies used to recruit seasonal workers in 2023 included recruiting through high schools and colleges, offering flexible scheduling, offering incentives including sign-on or referral bonuses, and offering free or discounted recreation center memberships with employment. Often the best way to get people to do something you want is to make it easy to do. Several organizations found success in smoothing the path to applying for their seasonal positions by holding same-day hiring events where they conducted on-the-spot interviews and offered conditional employment letters.
With those new seasonal employees hired and in the door, how were Parks and Recreation organizations able to keep them around? Many of the successful tactics touted for keeping employees returning to work were aimed at making the workplace fun and rewarding. Things like end-of-season parties, reward systems, allowing staff to earn apparel, providing food, and building relationships by promoting engagement between leadership and staff were listed as tried and true retention methods. Some successful organizations offered bonuses or increased pay to workers returning for a second season, while others worked to keep in contact with employees throughout the year and even kept them on staff and offered shifts during school breaks to encourage them to return. I spoke with a seasonal employee of the Magna Recreation Center in Magna, UT about her seasonal employment experience last summer and while she enjoyed the work, she especially loved “the community it came with”, and is looking forward to returning this summer having been promoted from pool attendant to lifeguard.
Whether you choose to try some of the hiring and retention methods recommended by other park and rec professionals, or come up with your own outside the box methods for attracting seasonal workers, bringing on a great seasonal workforce can have a positive impact on the ways you’re able to interact with your community. To learn about how Sportsman’s easy-to-learn parks and recreation management software can help contribute to a positive work experience for your team, get in touch with us today!