How to Make Your Seasonal Staff Come Back Every Year (Without Relying on Luck)

The problem everyone ignores: seasonal turnover

At the end of every season, thousands of hotels bid farewell to their team knowing that half — on a good year — won't come back. It's taken for granted: that's the nature of seasonal work, they say. But this resignation carries an enormous cost that almost no one calculates accurately.

Recruiting, selecting, and training a new employee takes an average of three to four weeks of administrative work and two weeks of shadowing before the person is fully operational. Multiply that by every open position, and you begin to understand why many hotels open the season with an incomplete team and the first guests paying for a service that isn't yet running smoothly.

The good news is that seasonal turnover isn't as inevitable as we often treat it. Properties that adopt specific retention practices manage to retain 60–70% of their core team from season to season, versus the sector average of 30–40%.

Why staff don't come back: the real reasons

Before building retention strategies, you need to understand why staff don't return. Exit interviews — when conducted — reveal that pay is rarely the primary reason. The most common factors are: disorganised communication, uncertainty about a contract for the following season, a perceived lack of professional growth, and the feeling of being disposable.

A waiter who doesn't know by November whether they'll have a job the following June starts looking for alternatives. A chef whose schedule changes without notice three times in one week decides they prefer a less flexible but more predictable role. This isn't a lack of passion for the work: it's a rational response to disorganisation.

Retention therefore starts with transparent communication and forward planning. Properties that confirm contracts for the next season by September have significantly higher return rates than those that wait until March.

The concrete levers of retention

There are six practical levers that successful properties use systematically. The first is early confirmation: communicate before the season ends whether you want that person back, and formalise at least a written expression of intent. The second is loyalty recognition: progressive pay increases, additional benefits, and positions of responsibility for those who return.

The third lever is training: investing in staff professional development — certifications, courses, role advancement — creates a bond that goes beyond salary. The fourth is accommodation quality: for staff who live on-site, the quality of shared spaces and rooms weighs almost as much as wages in the decision to return.

The fifth lever is communication during the off-season: a message at Christmas, an update in March on the new season's programme, an invitation to the opening event. Staff who feel remembered during the winter are far more likely to return in the summer. The sixth — often underestimated — is technology: staff accustomed to working with modern digital tools tend to perceive the property as more professional and feel more invested in being part of it.

Building a seasonal staff alumni network

The most forward-thinking hotels are adopting an approach that large corporations know well: building a genuine network of former employees who stay in touch with the property. Dedicated groups, seasonal newsletters, invitations to pre-opening private events. This approach requires minimal effort and delivers extraordinary returns: many of these 'alumni' recommend the property to contacts in the industry, multiplying recruitment value.

With OneStaff, the staff directory doesn't reset at the end of the season: every employee who has worked at the property stays in the system with their history, preferences, and skills. When it's time to reopen, a few clicks let you reach out to the best people from last season with a personalised offer. Not magic — just organisation.