What happened
Mohamed Basma, general manager of small business services at ADP Canada, wrote a practical piece on how small employers can staff for a sudden rise in customer demand, as reported by Talent Canada. His starting point is a city expecting a large influx of visitors. Restaurants, retailers and hospitality operators plan the promotions. The staffing often gets less thought.
He sets out four points. Overtime looks like the fast fix but can inflate payroll and wear people down over several weeks. Hiring should start before demand is fully visible, so recruiting and training are not rushed. Accurate time and attendance records give owners a clear view of labour costs and scheduling gaps. And burnout should be watched for early, before it shows up as errors, missed shifts and turnover.
He cites ADP Research's Today at Work 2026 report: more than one-third of Canadian workers say they put in six or more unpaid hours a week. Those working 16 or more are more likely to report feeling unproductive. Note that the author works for a payroll and HR technology provider, and the piece reflects that view.
Why it matters if you are hiring
Peak periods are a hiring decision, not only a scheduling one. If you run a restaurant, a shop, a warehouse or a seasonal operation, the question is which roles you can fill with temporary, seasonal or part-time workers so your core team is not carrying every extra hour.
Timing matters most. Roles posted once the rush has started are filled under pressure, and new people are onboarded by staff who are already stretched. Posting four to six weeks ahead gives you time to screen, train and schedule shadow shifts.
There is also a cost question. Overtime at a premium rate for weeks on end can cost more than adding a part-time or contract person, and it carries the risk of losing the experienced employees you can least afford to lose. In Canada, overtime rules and statutory obligations vary by province, so check your own rules before you model the numbers.
One thing to do this week
Pull your last two busy periods and add up the overtime hours and their cost by role. If one role accounts for most of it, write the job description for a temporary or part-time hire now, and set a start date ahead of your next peak.
Staffing for demand you can see coming is far cheaper than staffing for demand that has already arrived.
Traverse helps employers across Canada and the US fill temporary, contract and seasonal roles in operations, manufacturing, sales and finance, so a busy period does not run on overtime alone.