“It’s probably just an extra piece” (and other new-hire mistakes)

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Why your seasonal hires should ask before they "build"

Clock It

Buddy Punch's newsletter with tips, customer stories and something worth knowing now and then.

Hello! It’s Emily from Buddy Punch back with Clock It, our monthly newsletter! This month, we’re talking about new hires, and with holiday crews starting, the timing couldn’t be better. We’re sending it to you as you’re either a Buddy Punch customer or you’ve checked us out.

“It’s probably just an extra piece”

The last words you’ll speak before the terrible realization that the single, tiny bolt is essential to keeping the whole flat-packed wardrobe from collapsing the moment you hang up your heavy winter jacket. Take a deep breath, because it’s time to undo the last hour of work and start again.

It’s a modern reminder of Chesterton’s fence  (https://d2MnL504.na1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/2O+113/d2MnL504/VWXPH72j3_B2W8mcb0Q481F0ZW2qd3df5XgRCSMcSJS43lcq-W7Y8-PT6lZ3lrN8KpVnyfkJj8VVt3311R_KqZW4RPy6z6glzVYW3l5LHx6cD8XhVDJ8pc7Jz5pmW5B2snm7JYd6fW6rgQHs7K4x_pW4RsmRV49h0HdW63387T221ZxrW349X536VYPcCW1lNL6R8X64ZCW90fH5K9brwVmW1fSj9y7nYzySW1CSJbg2Zp1PFW6kTBsK6939mRW8y01x11Dx4BtW16L9V55pmnmwW1Nxsgp56tcDgW267XKN5S0JH7W8Xtdlh7Yq4PlVwSzLk92vFb4W7--CYW92LNfzW4zp0X35bjp84W4VLmhh2V5SZDN131zX1VNmxdW8dHFZ_3t-f8cf1D-Qrb04 ) — the idea that, if you see a fence and you don’t know why it’s there, it’s best not to tear it down until you find out. Sometimes there really are extra pieces in the box, but it would sure help to know that before you fire up the drill.

This time of year, seasonal hires are joining store floors, warehouses, kitchens and delivery teams all over the country, often just days before the busiest weeks of the year. Some of them will throw away those cute-but-sometimes-inscrutable instructions (https://d2MnL504.na1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/2O+113/d2MnL504/VWXPH72j3_B2W8mcb0Q481F0ZW2qd3df5XgRCSMcSJQC5jMY8W50kH_H6lZ3mjW2fHL6m1fLFRjW5drVGv1qBPJqW6LnvVR8wZkljW8rmQ2V7256lcW6cmjfj4Y4xldW1Hmhlh1WZcTXW3MgtwC6PcZkYN6nGgpPnmV1RW4PSwdv5yL-kgW26SS5N2npM21W6D_F_l99T-rrW7YsRnf5WlmQvW7yTjxn50j1zqTwCWV7w5DsRW7xY04t1-djgyW29pbWX7bM7Q8W5hQFTN4sxlsHW3FcdbB44yyWdW98s06R4H-f6nW5X_lfK99kBSkVFQqfn53g3S3W3BxZmQ6CHCGSW6W0D8b6v-r7_W1C3fYY40TQF_W84mxBC7v6NcRW34qhZ83-3wtwN7fS_1G-g3RZW8xqvW63RcmXpW8QFZMn2RXYT-W26JdSz4q3hNyVnFP-H4ByGYVW7TTW8F92yKlzf7KxXWx04 ) and start building. If they know what they’re doing, they could save a bunch of time. Others will be more curious, paying attention to what’s already been set up, asking questions and listening carefully before they take action. With seasonal staff, you don’t get months to find out which kind you’ve hired. You might get one or two shifts.

Managing Big New-Hire Energy blog (https://d2MnL504.na1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/2O+113/d2MnL504/VWXPH72j3_B2W8mcb0Q481F0ZW2qd3df5XgRCSMcSJSn3lcq-W8wLKSR6lZ3l-N9cxh_TLqLsLW2N6sCq2_lr06W2KdW-34knQWBW97hp_g8zvXhsVndMx68wJyPdW5W_WVn3639bzW2c9Zv01XDkpRW5XrcVk25LCSfW7pFV7x44kX-ZW2Fp5TL7zrgYfN14TLzsGMGwxW1L6fg_356wGBW1XYj1J7LDk_4VNb4vt76XvpCW2G7RzD1BLWBMW3g99wp2XDMx4MxpgNgKBHZlW7Wnnfy62zBBwW5sW1dT2HwNtRVpKtQR7p0fWKW2G0zr_1rMFmnW2GsQBH6TFfWrVFrwG73XjrTjVjm9J37wQnVNW1HxS_97wjy4JW93VNmW11mT4HW5GkkQq4bzhwPW2LlBrC5JT45Cf4GYG9g04 )

Both types of people can be valuable additions to your company, and on the blog recently we’ve discussed how to harness that new-hire energy (https://d2MnL504.na1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/2O+113/d2MnL504/VWXPH72j3_B2W8mcb0Q481F0ZW2qd3df5XgRCSMcSJSn3lcq-W8wLKSR6lZ3l-N9cxh_TLqLsLW2N6sCq2_lr06W2KdW-34knQWBW97hp_g8zvXhsVndMx68wJyPdW5W_WVn3639bzW2c9Zv01XDkpRW5XrcVk25LCSfW7pFV7x44kX-ZW2Fp5TL7zrgYfN14TLzsGMGwxW1L6fg_356wGBW1XYj1J7LDk_4VNb4vt76XvpCW2G7RzD1BLWBMW3g99wp2XDMx4MxpgNgKBHZlW7Wnnfy62zBBwW5sW1dT2HwNtRVpKtQR7p0fWKW2G0zr_1rMFmnW2GsQBH6TFfWrVFrwG73XjrTjVjm9J37wQnVNW1HxS_97wjy4JW93VNmW11mT4HW5GkkQq4bzhwPW2LlBrC5JT45Cf4GYG9g04 ) and direct it somewhere useful. And if you’re bringing on extra hands for the holidays, our 12-week seasonal staffing guide (https://d2MnL504.na1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/2O+113/d2MnL504/VWXPH72j3_B2W8mcb0Q481F0ZW2qd3df5XgRCSMcSJSn3lcq-W8wLKSR6lZ3mjW1R7HJC5W024wW8vK17Z9gN2vsW5XDxmT8t01dmW8q0bQh502lkZW6tzflD9m17XDVqyTTl5rflYcN3_hB7QMDGlSW842T8F5MNxn_W8dh0gz9lgT4xN2WL5fF261QvW8Hk7j31F7KKrN6xQwcl5LySmN2wfKRvl6zmcW53SG6w1-Q5wYW1kHgmX3YQ93YW2LHn6P28-l2sW84yr9x8ZlyJ8W1B7rQw28BgRmW7k-CHB2tRcVvW6LQtJG1SKqRqVsTfS37K8gRhW5dzm_n66dzSzW4z3xYg2hySpWW4901bW2J6TD2W5SLqcp2pnFT0W3LrD0K5f_sM4W1gryNP4jZsG3W3Bj8nT5QK0CWf6j6ywP04 ) walks through hiring, onboarding and scheduling them.

You’ve spent a significant amount of time and money to find and hire those people, even if they’re only with you through January, so you’ll want their first few weeks to set them on the right path to success. For an example of an effective start, consider Anna Pawly, practice manager at Heart of the Valley Pediatrics (https://d2MnL504.na1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/2O+113/d2MnL504/VWXPH72j3_B2W8mcb0Q481F0ZW2qd3df5XgRCSMcSJS43lcq-W7Y8-PT6lZ3m-N8Vklq5tDx6hW7kjldK93jRC2W5-Tj933hdTjrW2ZJY1j1P3-h0W672s2G89WY7KVzCb2g1TsHttMLhdQk2jDKcW7TmPC818Pg1rW7RH8d41BPPWhV5nZ-b1mbTMxW4ZrPwt79qb_PW54ry3b2R9Y6QW4PwQZ9304NXHW2mpQw-8JTjBkW7sdB0Z5FKL21W69qDD37Yf9ZQN6xrmnQSNCv4W5LtMj73SgVG6V-7hmN1PtXpsW35j_6H8Vdh-PW435KlY4MYj1sN65F1zHDcHp8W1KnHnL8Vpbt_W2Pr7Kb5-9DsfW45bj4w2KMRYQW1LPt1S7Rmtmff8xkHYd04 ) . Anna joined the small team with fresh eyes and a curious mind, noticing what seemed to be holding them back.

First Few Weeks blog (https://d2MnL504.na1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/2O+113/d2MnL504/VWXPH72j3_B2W8mcb0Q481F0ZW2qd3df5XgRCSMcSJS43lcq-W7Y8-PT6lZ3m-N8Vklq5tDx6hW7kjldK93jRC2W5-Tj933hdTjrW2ZJY1j1P3-h0W672s2G89WY7KVzCb2g1TsHttMLhdQk2jDKcW7TmPC818Pg1rW7RH8d41BPPWhV5nZ-b1mbTMxW4ZrPwt79qb_PW54ry3b2R9Y6QW4PwQZ9304NXHW2mpQw-8JTjBkW7sdB0Z5FKL21W69qDD37Yf9ZQN6xrmnQSNCv4W5LtMj73SgVG6V-7hmN1PtXpsW35j_6H8Vdh-PW435KlY4MYj1sN65F1zHDcHp8W1KnHnL8Vpbt_W2Pr7Kb5-9DsfW45bj4w2KMRYQW1LPt1S7Rmtmff8xkHYd04 )

She didn’t knock down fences until she made sure to ask why they were there and had found other options that could make everyone more efficient and happier. That worked because of Anna’s approach, but also because of the openness of the existing team to listen to a newcomer. On a shift-based team, the fences look different: where to punch in, how to swap a shift, when breaks happen, why safety gear isn’t optional.

In your own business, what are the essential “fences”, and what are remnants of old structures that no longer make sense? How would a new person find out? Is your documentation up to date, and is there a way for someone to safely ask the question? Does a new hire know why you track time the way you do (https://d2MnL504.na1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/2O+113/d2MnL504/VWXPH72j3_B2W8mcb0Q481F0ZW2qd3df5XgRCSMcSJSn3lcq-W8wLKSR6lZ3l-N9cxh_TLqLsLW2N6sCq2_lr06W2KdW-34knQWBW97hp_g8zvXhsVndMx68wJyPdW5W_WVn3639bzW2c9Zv01XDkpRW5XrcVk25LCSfW7pFV7x44kX-ZW2Fp5TL7zrgYfN14TLzsGMGwxW1L6fg_356wGBW1XYj1J7LDk_4VNb4vt76XvpCW2G7RzD1BLWBMW3g99wp2XDMx4MxpgNgKBHZlW7Wnnfy62zBBwW5sW1dT2HwNtRVpKtQR7p0fWKW2G0zr_1rMFmnW2GsQBH6TFfWrVFrwG73XjrTjVjm9J37wQnVNW1HxS_97wjy4JW93VNmW11mT4HW5GkkQq4bzhwPW2LlBrC5JT45Cf4GYG9g04 ) , or just that they have to?

One tip from our seasonal staffing guide: don’t try to teach seasonal hires everything. As one contributor put it, new staff are “ready when they can do one narrow job unsupervised, not when they have been shown everything.”

Good onboarding takes time, but it pays off this season and the next, because your best holiday hires are the ones worth inviting back. Don’t leave your newest team members with a handful of unlabeled bolts and a cartoon of a man under a giant question mark. Give them something to work with!

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12 November 2026 · 17:00 UTC