Seasonal onboarding: How to smoothly onboard new hires when many staff are on leave

Bringing new employees into the business during the holiday period can be challenging, especially when your internal teams are operating with fewer hands-on deck.

This is where thoughtful planning and the support of reliable recruitment services become invaluable. By putting a structured approach in place, businesses can confidently welcome new hires, maintain continuity and ensure that the onboarding experience remains professional and engaging. No matter how many staff members are away on leave.

Why onboarding becomes challenging during peak leave periods

Seasonal breaks are essential for employee wellbeing, but they naturally reduce the number of available staff who can support new hires. This can create gaps in:

• Training capacity
• Knowledge transfer
• IT setup and system access
• Supervision and mentorship
• Team introductions
• Compliance and safety briefings

Without a plan, these gaps can affect the quality of the onboarding experience, leading to confusion, delays and a slower ramp-up period.

Companies that consistently hire around holidays, especially those in retail, logistics, manufacturing, hospitality and customer service, need an onboarding approach that is flexible, well-documented and supported by the right staffing partner.

Practical strategies for effective onboarding

The following strategies are designed to help organisations create a smoother, more structured onboarding experience that works, regardless of who is out of office.

1. Use flexible start dates to reduce pressure

During holiday seasons or periods of high leave, it’s not always practical to onboard multiple employees at the exact same time. Instead of bringing in multiple new hires on the same day:

• Allow new employees to start before or right after major holiday periods, ensuring resources are available.
• Create small onboarding groups instead of large cohorts, making the process more manageable for HR and team leads.
• Use shorter, phased onboarding cycles that align with reduced staffing capacity.

With flexible start dates, the organisation maintains better control over the onboarding workflow and new hires receive the personalised attention necessary to begin confidently.

2. Prepare remote and hybrid onboarding options

When in-office support is limited, remote onboarding offers a reliable and efficient alternative. It helps eliminate schedule conflicts and reduces the dependency on physical availability. This keeps the onboarding process moving even when office activity slows down.

A remote onboarding programme can include:

• Virtual welcome sessions to introduce new hires to the company culture.
• Online compliance and HR paperwork, which streamlines administrative requirements.
• Digital training modules that employees can complete at their own pace.
• Recorded demonstration videos for processes and tasks.
• Remote IT setup support to ensure system access from day one.
• Live video check-ins with managers or supervisors to maintain engagement.

Remote onboarding not only reduces logistical hurdles but also speeds up administrative tasks that would otherwise require in-person coordination.

3. Create pre-holiday orientation packs

A well-prepared orientation pack becomes invaluable when much of your team is away. These resources help new hires build confidence, understand their role and familiarise themselves with the organisation before direct training begins.

A comprehensive orientation pack should include:

• Company overview and values
• Organisational structure
• Important HR policies
• Health and safety guidelines
• Job-specific procedures and performance expectations
• Contact list of key team members
• Onboarding timetable or task checklist

Providing these materials upfront gives new hires the freedom to prepare independently, even if in-person introductions and training are delayed.

4. Build a documented training framework

During seasonal periods, informal or ad-hoc training often breaks down because supervisors, mentors or key knowledge-holders may be out on leave. A documented training framework ensures consistency regardless of who is available.

Employers should prepare clear, structured training documents such as:

• Step-by-step workflow guides for daily tasks
• Video demonstrations of key processes
• Checklists to track job duties and learning progress
• Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all core responsibilities
• Templates for reporting, communication and escalation

This framework helps new hires progress independently and ensures training is standardised and compliant, no matter who is present.

5. Use technology to simplify the administrative load

Digital tools allow HR teams to automate and streamline onboarding tasks. An essential advantage when internal staff solutions are unavailable.

Implementing digital onboarding tools ensures tasks can still be completed, including:

• e-contract signing
• Online payroll registration
• Electronic document uploads
• Digital policy acknowledgements
• Automated learning modules

By preparing workflows in advance, HR teams enable new hires to complete large portions of onboarding independently without waiting for staff to return from leave.

6. Conduct post-holiday reinforcement training

Once the full team returns, it’s important to revisit and strengthen the onboarding that took place during the holiday period. This ensures nothing slips through the cracks.

Post-holiday reinforcement training may include:

• Reviewing tasks completed during onboarding
• Filling in knowledge or competency gaps
• Ensuring compliance and safety standards are fully met
• Clarifying new responsibilities as operations stabilise
• Conducting a formal team integration and check-in

Reinforcement ensures new hires feel supported as the business returns to full capacity.

Strengthen your seasonal onboarding with the right support

Seasonal onboarding doesn’t have to be stressful or disjointed, even when many of your team members are on a well-deserved break. With thoughtful planning and the right support systems in place, your organisation can welcome new hires confidently and maintain operational momentum throughout the holiday period. 

By adopting flexible strategies and leaning on trusted recruitment services, you not only minimise disruptions but also create a smoother, more engaging onboarding journey that sets employees up for long-term success.

If your business needs expert guidance or hands-on assistance to manage seasonal onboarding, MASA is here to help. Our team specialises in building tailored staffing solutions and onboarding solutions that keep your business running seamlessly regardless of the season.