Getting Seasonal Staff Up to Speed

3. Make training engaging and fun. The word "training" can illicit yawns from some. Therefore training, especially during the holidays when sales soar, should be engaging and interesting to keep associates on track. Gamifying the process with a testing platform can provide a better level of education for trainees and peace of mind for retailers.

4. Skip shipping and printing. Shipping and printing add cost, complexity and latency to the training process, which retailers can't afford, especially during the busiest time of the year. In addition, printed materials also lack the ability to track and report progress. Instead, invest in web-based trainings that are available immediately and always up-to-date.

5. Offer incentives. By rewarding associates with discounts and other incentives for trainings completed, even short-term employees feel ownership for the products they sell, increasing store morale and the customer experience.

With the holidays just around the corner, it's important to remember that companies often live and die based on the quality of their people. With these tips in hand, getting seasonal retail staff up to speed quickly and effectively so your business doesn't skip a beat is entirely possible.

Dave Stockham serves as vice president of business development for eXperticity, a platform for building and rewarding expertise within retail.