Santa shortage | Seasonal workers are often overlooked and unappreciated - is it HR's problem?

He’s as much a part of Christmas as turkey, trees and carols – but Santa is not quite so easy to find, it turns out.

Small business insurance provider Simply Business analysed over 900,000 policies to find that the number of professional Father Christmases has dropped by 33% since last year.

It’s easy to make a joke of it, but the truth is that seasonal work is often seen as temporary, or less ‘serious’ than full-time work.

Behind the lighthearted element to the news there is a more serious element for HR to consider – that is, the decrease in the number of professional Santas might be indicative of broader trends in seasonal employment. Explore whether there are fewer job opportunities for individuals seeking temporary or part-time work during the holidays.