Whether or not your business is seasonal, it likely has a busy season. Perhaps your business ebbs and flows with the weather or the holidays. Either way, you’re likely to be familiar with the time when “free time” doesn’t exist for you as a business owner.

Once you’re able to establish when that busy season is, you should look at what you need to do to make sure your business and employees are ready for it. Helping your team prepare for the busy times ahead can help reduce burnout, lessen turnover and keep your employees happy.

Here are 6 ways you can help your employees prepare for the busy season:

1. Stay positive. Your employees will take the cue from you. Maintain a positive attitude to help motivate your team and yourself.

2. Have inventory ready. Make sure equipment has been tested and is in working order. Have all supplies on hand, based on the amount of business you expect from prior years or from work already booked. Don’t wait until you’re in your busy season to realize you don’t have enough items or find out that an essential piece of equipment is broken. Check all of this ahead of time to keep yourself and your employees positive and stress-free.

3. Establish a schedule. Put together a schedule for your employees that’s not only fair to them but also gets the work done in a timely manner for your customers. Let your employees know what this schedule is as far in advance as possible.

4. Communicate procedures. For full-time employees, the procedures may be the same from year to year, but it’s still important to make sure everyone is on the same page. If you bring in temporary employees to help with the busy season, you will need to review the procedures in detail with them as well. You could even ask your full-time, experienced employees to help with the training.

5. Don’t expect constant overtime. If pushed too hard, anyone can burn out. Don’t expect your employees to work 7 days per week unless it’s asked for by the employee and is acceptable by law. If you’re understaffed, consider hiring temporary workers that can split shifts or work weekends. By giving employees a needed break, productivity will increase.

6. Recognize your team. Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done. Did an employee sign a new client? Did someone identify a better process for your procedures? Perhaps they worked diligently to make sure all of the jobs were done on time. Recognition goes a long way. Show your appreciation by offering employees gift cards to local establishments or by hosting a pizza party over lunch. Providing your employees with well-deserved recognition will keep them motivated and ready for whatever comes next.

If you’re in the green industry and looking to diversify your business, learn about the support and knowledge we provide our business owners to help them succeed.