Croptober Hiring: How to Staff Up for Success in One of Cannabis's Busiest Seasons

Croptober is upon us, and it’s no secret that your approach to seasonal staffing can  make or break the productivity - and profitability - of your harvest season! As you prepare your Croptober hiring needs, keep these trips and tricks in mind to ensure that come September, you’re staffed up for success.

Don’t Wait To Hire.

As soon as you know what your seasonal hiring needs are, get started! Seasonal cannabis workers typically throw their hats in a lot of rings, so you’re going to want to lock up some talent as soon as possible to avoid the risk of coming up short. The longer you wait the more likely you are to be left with a dried up candidate pool, and that’s one added stress you don’t need to add to your plate during a bust harvest season. The outdoor harvest cycle is reasonably predictable so plan ahead and ensure you have the staff you need to procure those high yields! 

State temporary status clearly in the job description.

We’d even recommend putting it in the job title itself. If possible, put a start and end date in the description so your timing and expectations are crystal clear to applicants. If the hire has potential to become a full-time in the long term, make sure to note this! We regularly hear from our GIGS candidates that the opportunity for temp-to-hire career growth is a major factor in which seasonal cannabis jobs they apply for.

Be clear on the functions of the role.

Just because Croptober hiring season often requires roles that are temporary and shorter in duration, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t clearly define the functions and the skills you need in the position. The more specific you are in your job description, the easier it will be for potential applicants  to assess whether or not the job is right for them. Plus, the clearer you are with the expectations, the easier it will be to consistently assess who is - and isn’t - an ideal candidate.  

It can be easy to just “give it to the temp” when thinking of tasks that need to get done, but this can actually be really demotivating to your seasonal help. There’s is a difference between being a team player and batting clean-up. 

Start With a Trusted Resource.

Oftentimes when teams prepare for seasonal needs like Croptober hiring, they immediately post the job on the open market. Before casting a wide and unwieldy net, ask your current employees or trusted partners to work their networks and see if they have any trusted referrals who are licensed and open to temporary work.  And if your staffing needs require a larger, higher-volume search, consider the network you’re posting on. While mainstream boards like LinkedIn and Indeed may be great for capturing broad interest, finding a ready-to-work candidate (who is actually willing to respond to your outreach) it can often feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Cannabis-specific platforms like Vangst can save you valuable time and money - opening up your job descriptions to the right candidates who are experienced, licensed and ready-to-work - not just looking for any job, looking specifically for cannabis jobs.

Remember: Strong Onboarding Always Pays.

On a temporary employee's first day, don’t make the mistake of outweighing the benefits of a thorough, dedicated onboarding experience. Go over the job expectation and requirements again, make sure everything is understood, and leave room to answer any questions your new employee may have. Make sure to help them complete their new hire paperwork, too - just like your full time staff, seasonal employees still need to get set up and trained on your payroll and timekeeping systems. 

Set them up for a great experience by remembering the human side of the equation, too. Show new employees around, introduce them to their new teammates, and make them feel welcome - feeling engaged and at home goes a long way when it comes to happy, productive employees!  

Pro tip: Make sure you’re covering your safety procedures and reporting processes during onboarding. You want to prevent any accidents that may injure a seasonal cannabis worker and potentially result in a safety audit. You’ll want to be sure all your safety procedures are in effect, and well-communicated to all workers on site - temporary and permanent staff alike.

Equal Treatment Matters.

Although an employee may only be working with you on a temporary basis, it’s really important to make sure you treat them exactly like everyone else on your staff. Always remember that seasonal hires are critical to your harvest - and deserving of the same respect and working conditions that your permanent staff have. And since cannabis is an industry built on referrals and recommendations, you always want to make sure your company is on the good side of the conversations that inevitably circulate throughout the cannabis community. Some of them may even join your team permanently after the Croptober hiring season is over!

In Conclusion:

If you need to hire seasonal help, but don’t have the time or resources to get started, look at temp staffing solutions like Vangst GIGS that make it easy to secure reliable hires without taking your focus on other aspects of the business. Wondering whether a staffing solution is worth the investment? Think about the impact of a top-notch, ready-to go seasonal workforce (or a lack, thereof) on your overall harvest goals, and then allocate your Croptober hiring budget accordingly. 

Want more advice, or ready to get expert seasonal staffing guidance right now? Connect with Vangst today to get set up for success with all your Croptober hiring needs