How Pre-Hire Verifications Power More Efficient Seasonal Hiring for Employers & Help Retain Employees

WITH THE HOLIDAYS QUICKLY APPROACHING, NUMEROUS LARGE EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE U.S. will be adding thousands of seasonal employees to their workforces in advance of the typical end-of-year rush, according to recent Reuters data. In 2023, the retail industry added nearly 500,000 new jobs during the months of October through December to meet increased demand. While the seasonal hiring rate is not expected to be as robust compared to years past according to the same Reuters data, the holidays will likely still bring an annual spike in consumer activity. Because of that, businesses need to think strategically about expanding their workforces in the fall. 

The closer businesses get to the holiday season, the more urgent their need typically becomes for a larger workforce to manage the increased services required by customer demand. It is important for employers to ensure they hire and onboard new employees as efficiently as possible, but they also need to conduct the necessary pre-hire background checks to hire with greater confidence and get the fullest picture of a prospective employee before that candidate begins a new job. 

Data-driven hiring decisions

To make the best informed employment decisions, especially when hiring in high volumes before the holiday season, employers need access to the most up-to-date information about each employee — especially their employment, education, and criminal history. They will often rely on professional background screening firms to support this process.

Equifax supports employers and background screeners by offering data-driven solutions that are powered by the TotalVerifyTM Data Hub. These solutions leverage industry-leading data sources, including employment information from The Work Number®, education data from the National Student Clearinghouse, and criminal data through direct interfaces with a nationwide network of over 3,000 jails and departments of corrections. 

All this data helps foster employment that is built on greater trust and transparency. While a seasonal hiring spike is often followed by a workforce reduction in the first couple months of the next year, some employers may see new hires leave before the holidays are even over. This means employers need to make good decisions about who they hire in September and October to help ensure they are fully staffed for the critical holiday months. A poor hire will often cost a company money — not only due to the cost of recruiting, hiring, and training new employees rapidly, but also because of additional advertising costs, recruiter fees, and new onboarding expenses. Employers may often find it is better to invest at the beginning of the process through verifications that enable stronger hiring decisions, rather than paying more later after a poor hire.

A transformed employee experience

One of the foremost concerns for employers when hiring a seasonal workforce revolves around the rapid hiring process — from recruitment to onboarding. Businesses in the retail, shipping, and restaurant industries need to hire new workers quickly before the holidays, avoiding operational bottlenecks that could hinder productivity and cause them to miss revenue targets. Strategies that enable faster time-to-hire help both employers and employees by helping get better qualified candidates into their roles faster. 

From an employer perspective, after recruiting, interviewing, and deciding on a candidate, employers don’t want to wait longer than necessary to verify employment, education, and criminal history. Research shows that top job candidates are typically hired within 10 days, requiring a faster time-to-hire powered by a more streamlined pre-hire verification process that can often help employers extend a job offer sooner. 

A more informed onboarding process can also help improve the employee experience. Especially in fiercely competitive industries or regions where a limited pool of seasonal talent exists, prompt communication and a smoother onboarding process can help attract top talent. It can also help reduce employee turnover, since Glassdoor research shows that a strong onboarding process can improve new hire retention by 82%. 

As employers aim to attract a larger workforce for the holiday season, faster and simpler pre-hire verifications can help power more streamlined hiring decisions and ramp up staffing for these critical months. Through its industry-leading solution suite featuring employment, education, and criminal data, Equifax is driving innovation and helping employers thrive. 

For more information on how Equifax enables more informed hiring decisions and can help you improve employee retention, visit Equifax Workforce Solutions.