Peak-Freak? Crush It With This Playbook
Best Practice Article by: MS-IL Staffing & Packaging
As we enter Q4, peak season staffing solutions become critical for manufacturing and e-commerce businesses in the Midwest. With e-commerce sales projected to grow 6.6% year-over-year, the pressure is on to ramp up production floors for peak season. At MS-IL Staffing & Packaging, we know HR and Operations Directors are juggling tight deadlines and staffing demands. That’s why we’ve crafted a friendly, no-fuss peak season staffing playbook to help you scale smoothly and keep your operations running.
Got a minute? Dive into our five proven tips to make this holiday season your best yet.
1. Audit Your Workforce for Peak Season
Before the holiday rush hits, take a moment to assess your needs. Review last year’s peak season data; hiring numbers, turnover rates, and production goals, to forecast accurately. This prevents last-minute scrambles and ensures you’re staffed for success. For example, with warehousing demands spiking during holidays, knowing your gaps early is key.
MS-IL tip: Our team offers free workforce audits tailored to your facility, pinpointing the right temp-to-hire mix to keep costs lean.
2. Embrace Flexible Temp-to-Hire Staffing
Peak season often means temporary surges in demand for warehouse associates, machine operators, or packagers. Temp-to-hire staffing lets you scale without long-term overhead, avoiding overtime burnout or post-season payroll bloat. According to industry insights, flexible staffing can cut hiring costs by up to 20% compared to permanent hires.
At MS-IL, we provide vetted, skilled workers ready to jump in, ensuring your production lines stay efficient from day one.
3. Streamline Onboarding for Holiday Staffing
Fast, effective onboarding is critical during peak season. Short, targeted training, focused on site-specific safety and core job tasks, can reduce ramp-up time by up to 50%, minimizing errors on the floor.
MS-IL takes this off your plate with customized onboarding programs designed for manufacturing and e-commerce roles. Our process ensures new hires hit the ground running, so your team is ready before Black Friday chaos begins.
4. Build a Reliable Talent Pool for the Holidays
In a tight labor market, finding skilled workers fast is a challenge. Partnering with a local staffing agency like MS-IL gives you access to a pre-vetted talent pool across the Midwest. This cuts through the resume overload and lengthy interviews, delivering workers who are ready for temp-to-perm roles. With manufacturing labor shortages persisting in 2025, our local expertise ensures you get reliable hires who stick around.
5. Stay Agile with Real-Time Staffing Adjustments
Peak season is unpredictable; order volumes can spike overnight. Using simple tools like shift-tracking apps, you can adjust staffing daily to match demand, preventing overstaffing or bottlenecks. With mobile commerce driving 72.9% of holiday sales, agility is non-negotiable.
MS-IL’s on-demand staffing lets you scale up or down with a quick call, keeping your production floors humming through the holidays.
Ready to Conquer Peak Season?
There you have it, your five-step playbook to navigate peak season with confidence. Whether you’re running an e-commerce warehouse or a high-output manufacturing plant, MS-IL Staffing & Packaging is your trusted partner. Our customized staffing solutions are designed to make your holiday prep seamless, from workforce audits to flexible hires.
Don’t let peak season stress slow you down. Contact MS-IL today for a quick chat about your staffing needs. Let’s make this holiday season your most productive yet—together!
