Retail Staffing: How to Use Q3 to Identify Your Top Holiday Performers

As summer wraps up, some retailers think Q3 is a quiet lull. But smart specialty store leaders know it’s the ideal moment to identify holiday top performers—and gain a strategic edge before the busiest season hits.  

Rather than scrambling to hire and train in October, Q3 can be used as a filter to assess who already thrives in your stores. With the right performance tracking and engagement tracking in place, you can build your holiday team from the inside out.  

Why Q3 matters for holiday retail staffing

According to Forbes, companies should constantly prepare for seasonal needs by tracking internal trends early: 

“Work on continuously building a pipeline for your future needs…utilize technology to analyze your workforce and recruitment data to spot key trends.”

Q3 is the right time for that analysis. Sales may dip slightly, but performance signals become clear—who’s adaptable, proactive, and reliable? This quieter quarter becomes a testbed for identifying who to retain and elevate ahead of the holidays.  

1. Track task completion and conversion at the individual level

Use performance dashboards to track: 

-Task compliance

-Sales conversion rates

-Average transaction size per associate

-Productivity by shift

This data lets you move beyond gut feeling to data-backed staffing decisions. You’ll clearly see which employees create complete what’s asked and who drives revenue on the floor.  

As Forbes Human Resources Council writes:  

“Analyze business objectives and align skill sets, enabling smarter internal mobility and better long-term workforce planning.” 

For a deeper dive, check out our post What if Businesses Could Drive Top-Line Sales Growth Without Increasing Labor.  

2. Use dashboards to build internal “Bench Strength”

Q3 is when your next shift leads, department stars, or floaters reveal themselves. By surfacing performance insights at the associate level, you can build a retail bench: high potential employees ready for greater responsibility.  

These individuals may not be your top sellers today, but they show signs of coachability, consistency, and cross-functional potential. Don’t let them fly under the radar.  

3. Gamify Q3 to keep engagement high

August and September are ideal for friendly internal competitions. Try: 

-Weekly leaderboards for task completion or positive feedback 

-Recognition for the most improved or most consistent performers  

-Micro-bonuses or shoutouts for hitting small productivity milestones 

Gamifying performance creates an engaged and motivated team while giving you visibility into who rises to the challenge without external pressure.  

4. Flip the narrative: Q3 as the filter, not the lull

Many retailers see Q3 as a dip in traffic and pull back labor hours, but that’s a missed opportunity. When customer volume is manageable, you get more breathing room to coach, observe, and analyze individual performance.  

According to this Forbes article:  

“Tight control over labor may mean profit at the expense of customer satisfaction…Budget-driven staffing often leads to long lines or poor experience.” 

Instead of tightening labor without a plan, use Q3 as your talent testing ground for a smarter way to prepare for Q4 success.  

What to look for in Q3 retail execution tools

The right technology makes it easier to identify and elevate talent during Q3. Look for tools that offer:  

Feature	How it helps in Q3
Real-time dashboards	Track KPIs like sales per hour and task completion
Performance visibility	Identify strengths across all store teams
Scheduling flexibility	Test top staff in different shifts, zones, or responsibilities
Engagement tools	Recognize and reward behaviors you want to scale

The result? You don’t need to wait for the holiday rush to start hiring. You’ll already know who’s ready to step up.  

Final takeaway: Don’t fall short for Q3 labor planning

Q3 doesn’t have to be quiet. With the right tools and mindset, this quarter can help you: 

-Identify high-potential employees

-Re-engage seasonal or part-time staff

-Build a stronger holiday team from within

Use Q3 to invest in your people now and you’ll walk into Q4 with confidence, clarity, and a head start on the competition.  

Book a demo with us today.