Make Your Catalog a Preferred Holiday Employer

Recruiting and retaining seasonal workers through the holiday rush is always a challenging task. Tena Perrelli, customer contact center manager for Gardener's Supply catalog, offered the following tips during the panel discussion "Ramping Up for the Holidays," held during the fall conference of the New England Mail Order Association.

* Offer free five-minute chair massages to workers to reenergize them and keep them working at full throttle.

* Offer to those who volunteer to work Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas a drawing for products from your catalog.

* Stage an employee holiday craft fair in which seasonal and permanent employees can show off and sell their handicrafts to their co-workers.

* Ensure that the festive mood lingers through the harried holiday rush by arranging a holiday caroling program for your employee songbirds. On their breaks, they can visit various departments to spread the cheer.

—Donna Loyle, editor, Catalog Success