The holiday season may not be here yet, but for manufacturers, warehouses, distribution centers and logistics operations, peak season staffing is already underway. 

Retailers are preparing for another busy holiday period. The National Retail Federation (NRF) forecasts that total U.S. retail sales will grow 4.4% in 2026 to $5.6 trillion.   

But it’s not just demand that’s changing. The traditional peak season timeline is shifting earlier too. NRF has reported that retailers have brought merchandise into the country earlier in the year in response to tariffs and other supply chain uncertainties.  

For manufacturing and logistics operations, that means demand for temporary workers and seasonal labor may begin well before Black Friday. Here are key workforce considerations businesses should keep in mind as they prepare for the 2026 holiday season. 

Peak season is starting earlier 

The holiday rush is no longer limited to November and December. Retailers and supply chain partners are moving inventory earlier to prepare for consumer demand and respond to uncertainty.  

For manufacturers, warehouses and distribution centers, this can create longer periods of elevated activity. Manufacturing and warehouse staffing plans built around a short holiday window may not provide enough coverage when demand starts rising earlier or fluctuates throughout the season. 

Rather than planning for one holiday surge, businesses should prepare for demand that can build across multiple waves. For example, flexible staffing and on-demand staffing can help operations add workers as volumes increase without permanently expanding their full-time workforce.  

eCommerce is increasing warehouse staffing demand 

Online shopping continues to put pressure on fulfillment and distribution operations. 

During the 2025 holiday season, consumers spent a record $257.8 billion online, up 6.8% year over year. Twenty-five days saw more than $4 billion in online spending.  

Higher eCommerce volumes can create warehouse staffing needs across picking, packing, sorting, loading, inventory and other fulfillment functions. For logistics providers, maintaining throughput while meeting delivery expectations requires enough workers available when order volumes rise. 

Plan ahead for holiday labor shortages 

Planning ahead can give businesses more options when peak demand arrives, but staffing needs can also change quickly. 

Waiting until the busiest weeks to start recruiting can make it harder to fill critical roles. A proactive seasonal staffing strategy gives manufacturers and logistics companies more time to identify labor gaps, establish staffing support and determine where temporary staffing can have the greatest impact. 

Common holiday staffing needs can include: 

• Warehouse associates 
• Material handlers 
• Pickers and packers 
• Loaders and unloaders 
• Production workers 
• Shipping and receiving workers 
• Inventory workers 

Use temporary workers to reduce overtime pressure 

When staffing gaps emerge, overtime can seem like the fastest solution. But relying too heavily on existing employees can increase fatigue, absenteeism and turnover during an already demanding period. 

Temporary staffing provides another option. Bringing in temporary workers can help cover open shifts, support increased production or fulfillment volumes and give full-time employees more manageable workloads. Businesses can also scale their workforce up or down as demand changes rather than maintaining a larger workforce year-round. 

Faster onboarding helps keep peak season moving 

Adding workers only helps when they can become productive quickly. 

Manufacturing and logistics employers should have an efficient onboarding process that provides clear job expectations, role-specific training and the safety information workers need to perform their jobs. 

Working with an experienced staffing agency can also help businesses access workers and support the onboarding process before demand reaches its peak. 

Combine technology with a flexible workforce 

Automation, scheduling tools and other workforce technologies can help manufacturers and logistics companies improve efficiency and operational visibility during high-demand periods. 

But technology does not eliminate the need for people. Even highly automated facilities still rely on manufacturing and warehouse workers to operate equipment, manage inventory, fulfill orders, load shipments, inspect products and keep operations moving.  

The strongest strategy meets your facility where it is and provides a flexible workforce that can scale alongside demand. 

Meet holiday demand with manufacturing and logistics staffing support 

A proactive manufacturing and logistics staffing strategy can help businesses prepare for holiday demand while maintaining the flexibility to respond when needs change.  

PeopleReady provides temporary, seasonal and on-demand staffing solutions for manufacturing, warehousing and distribution operations. Our local teams help businesses access workers for production, warehousing, material handling, shipping and other logistics roles as demand changes.