Is your workforce ready for the Black Friday surge?

As the biggest retail event of the year approaches, businesses across ecommerce, warehousing, logistics, retail, and customer service are gearing up for the annual Black Friday surge. Transaction volumes spike, customer expectations rise, and operational pressure intensifies — often all at once.

For many organisations, the difference between a chaotic peak season and a profitable one comes down to one factor: having the right people in place at the right time.

We specialise in helping businesses build fast, flexible, and reliable teams that keep performance strong during their busiest periods. Here’s what we’re seeing this year — and how the most prepared companies are approaching Black Friday hiring.

1. Demand for temporary and seasonal staff is higher than ever

Whether it’s warehouse operatives, packers, delivery drivers, stock replenishment teams, or customer service advisors, businesses are increasing headcount rapidly to keep workflows smooth. But the challenge isn’t just finding people — it’s finding trained, dependable, and ready-to-start talent.

2. Speed Matters — but so does quality

It’s tempting to hire quickly to fill shifts, but no-shows can cost more than an unfilled role. That’s why our approach focuses on:

• Pre-screened, work-ready candidates
• Role-specific skill checks
• Clear communication of shift expectations
• Availability verification to reduce dropouts

This ensures our clients get staff they can trust during this critical trading period.

3. Candidate experience directly impacts your customer experience

Seasonal workers are often the face of your brand during Black Friday — whether they’re picking and packing orders or helping customers in-store. A positive candidate experience leads to:

• Higher engagement
• Better performance
• Lower turnover across the season

We provide onboarding support, role briefings, and ongoing check-ins to make sure temporary teams feel supported from day one.

4. Workforce flexibility has become a competitive advantage

Black Friday isn’t just a single weekend anymore — it’s a multi-week peak in demand. Companies that can scale their teams up or down quickly can manage cost, efficiency, and service levels far more effectively.

Our clients benefit from flexible workforce models including:

• Temporary staff
• Temp-to-perm
• Emergency cover

Need support before the rush begins?

At KPI, we help employers stay fully staffed, fully prepared, and fully supported throughout the Black Friday period and beyond. We’re ready to deliver the workforce that keeps your operations running smoothly.

Send us a message or reach out to our team — and let’s make this your strongest peak season yet.