Top 6 Workforce Strategies for Logistics Companies This Christmas

Every year, Australia’s logistics sector faces its toughest stress test: the Christmas peak. For operations managers, HR leaders, and company owners, it’s the season when demand skyrockets, margins tighten, and the preparedness of your workforce either makes or breaks performance. 

In 2024, Australians spent a record $69 billion online during the lead-up to Christmas — a 12% jump on the year before. That translated into staggering delivery demand: Australia Post alone moved over 103 million parcels in just nine weeks. On the single busiest day, they delivered 3 million parcels, that’s 2,400 every minute. Add to this Qantas Freight’s 50,000 tonnes of seasonal freight and Amazon’s 1,800 new casual hires, and the message is clear: without sharp workforce planning, the holiday season can quickly descend into chaos. 

So, how do Australia’s logistics leaders prepare their people for the biggest surge of the year? Let’s break it down. 

 

Market Insights: A Bigger, Longer, Tougher Peak 

The “Christmas rush” isn’t just December anymore. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Boxing Day sales, the peak now stretches across eight to ten weeks. In 2024, 7.6 million households shopped online in November and December alone. 

This has pushed major players to scale their workforce earlier and harder. For logistics leaders, the insight is simple: peak season is longer, volumes are higher, and the workforce has to be larger, faster, and more flexible than ever before. 

Key Challenges: People, Pressure, and Performance 

The Christmas surge doesn’t just stress supply chains, it tests the people who run them. With the top workforce challenges being reported as: 

1. Labour Shortages: A driver shortfall of 26,000 positions was forecast by the end of 2024, while warehouse operators, sorters, and forklift drivers remain in high demand. 
2. Rapid Training: Seasonal hires need to be trained and productive in weeks, not months. Without efficient onboarding, errors rise and the service falters.
3. Retention Under Pressure: Long hours, weekend shifts, and high workloads risk burning out staff. Many seasonal hires see the work as short-term, leading to churn right when companies need stability.
4. Flexibility at Scale: Meeting record parcel volumes requires 7-day operations, extended shifts, and backup staff ready to step in at short notice. 

Mathew Jannenga, one of Fuse Recruitment’s logistics Recruitment Specalists, has lived these challenges firsthand. With more than eight years of hands-on experience in warehousing and supply chain management, Mathew worked his way through procurement, production planning, and logistics leadership before becoming a Supply Chain Manager at a national sports supplement manufacturer. His frontline experience gives him a sharp understanding of what it takes to keep operations moving during high-pressure peaks. 

As Mathew explains: 

“A business that runs smoothly over Christmas prepares well before December arrives. The quieter months are the time to strengthen demand forecasts, confirm supplier commitments, and secure labour and freight capacity before the seasonal rush hits. By cross-training staff, setting clear delivery cut-offs, and building buffer stock of critical items, you’re not just preventing last-minute chaos, you’re ensuring customer satisfaction.” 

 

Strategies: Building a Workforce That Delivers 

The best logistics leaders approach Christmas staffing as a strategic priority, not a scramble. Here’s how they succeed:

1. Forecast Early, Hire Early

Peak-season success starts months in advance. Use data from previous years, delivery volumes, sales figures, or client demand to anticipate when and where your workforce will need to expand. 

For large organisations, this might mean analysing trends across multiple states or product lines and locking in labour-hire agreements early. For smaller businesses, even a simple spreadsheet tracking weekly freight volumes can help you identify your “tipping point” the moment you’ll need extra hands. 

Hiring early also gives you access to the best talent before competitors flood the market. Many companies, including Australia Post and Amazon Australia, begin their seasonal recruitment as early as August or September, ensuring new hires are trained and job-ready by November. 

Why it matters:
Forecasting and hiring early means you’re not competing in panic mode. It reduces overtime costs, improves service reliability, and ensures your team enters December confident and prepared. 

 

2. Scale with Seasonal Hires

Hiring casuals isn’t optional, it’s essential. Whether you need 20 extra warehouse pickers or 2,000 additional drivers, building a reliable pool of seasonal talent allows your business to absorb surges without burning out permanent staff. 

For national operators, this may involve coordinated recruitment drives across multiple states, backed by trusted labour-hire partners. For smaller operators, it could mean maintaining a local database of pre-vetted casuals you can call on during busy weeks.

Many businesses now treat seasonal hires as part of their long-term pipeline, using the Christmas period to identify strong performers who can transition into ongoing roles. 

Why it matters:
Having the right people in place ahead of time prevents delivery bottlenecks and ensures service quality stays consistent, even when order volumes triple. 

 

3. Build Flexible Rosters

A well-designed roster can make or break peak performance. The most successful logistics companies use flexibility as a competitive edge, balancing business needs with employee preferences. 

For large employers, this might mean offering staggered start times, weekend rotations, and evening shifts to extend delivery capacity. For smaller businesses, it could be as simple as combining part-time and casual rosters to cover fluctuations. 

Flexible scheduling also opens the door to a broader talent pool, students, retirees, and parents often prefer non-traditional hours. Communicate rosters early and transparently to help staff plan their time and reduce absenteeism. 

Why it matters:
Flexible rosters maximise capacity while keeping your workforce engaged. When people feel considered, they’re more reliable, productive, and willing to step up when demand peaks. 

 

4. Train Fast and Cross-Train

Training doesn’t have to be long, it just needs to be targeted and effective. Develop short, role-specific onboarding programs that focus on safety, efficiency, and customer service. 

For larger networks, digital onboarding modules or group induction sessions can help train hundreds of new hires efficiently. For smaller operators, pairing new staff with experienced mentors for on-the-job training can be just as effective. 

Why it matters:
A well-trained, multi-skilled workforce reduces downtime, minimises errors, and boosts morale. During the busiest weeks, that agility can be the difference between meeting deadlines and falling behind. 

 

5. Retain Through Incentives

Keeping your workforce motivated through long hours and high pressure is crucial. Recognition and incentives don’t always need to be costly, sometimes simple gestures have the biggest impact. 

For larger companies, structured reward programs (e.g., attendance bonuses, overtime premiums, or shift completion rewards) can drive productivity. For smaller operators, things like team lunches, fuel vouchers, or early-finish Fridays after peak weeks go a long way. 

Another powerful retention strategy is offering continuity. Seasonal workers are more likely to perform well when they see a future with the company. Letting top performers know they’ll be first in line for ongoing roles or future contract work builds loyalty and reduces training costs next year. 

Why it matters:
High turnover during peak season costs time and money. Motivated workers stay longer, perform better, and create a culture of reliability that customers notice. 

 

6. Partner with Recruitment Agencies

During the Christmas rush, even the best-prepared logistics teams can hit capacity. That’s where specialist recruitment agencies step in, bridging the gap between workforce planning and immediate operational needs. 

Partnering with an experienced agency means tapping into a ready-made pool of pre-screened, compliant, and job-ready workers who can be deployed quickly to meet changing demand. 

For large organisations, agencies can coordinate national-scale workforce programs — supplying hundreds of forklift operators, pick-packers, and drivers across multiple sites, while maintaining consistent onboarding and safety standards. For smaller transport or warehousing businesses, agencies provide flexibility: they can scale up your team with short-notice hires or fill last-minute absences without disrupting production schedules. 

Recruitment partners also shoulder the administrative load — from payroll and superannuation to insurance and Fair Work compliance — freeing internal HR and operations teams to focus on keeping freight moving. Many agencies also track local market data and talent trends, helping businesses forecast and budget more effectively for peak periods. 

Here, Melissa Kennedy, Fuse’s National Manager, adds her perspective. With over 20 years of experience in workforce planning for some of Australia’s largest manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics companies, Melissa has overseen countless seasonal ramp-ups and ramp-downs across the country.  

Melissa advises: 

“My advice would be focused around planning and forecasting in advance (as much as possible) to allow for contingencies. This also allows Fuse as your Recruitment partner to be proactive with sourcing candidate pools to ensure minimal downtime.” 

Partnering with an agency isn’t just about filling gaps, it’s about building resilience. An established relationship with a specialist recruiter means your business can scale faster, stay compliant, and maintain performance standards even when pressure peaks. 

As proud members of the Australian Supply Chain & Logistics Association (ASCLA, formerly SCLAA), Fuse Recruitment remains connected to the heart of the logistics industry. This membership ensures our recruitment strategies align with national best practices, giving both large and small businesses the confidence that their workforce is supported by experts recognised within Australia’s leading supply-chain network. 

 

Why Agencies Are a Force Multiplier 

For HR and operations teams, recruitment agencies aren’t just a backup plan — they’re a competitive advantage. Agencies provide: 

• Speed: Rapid access to hundreds of screened candidates when order volumes spike. 

• Quality: Staff who are already trained, licensed, and safety-compliant. 

• Flexibility: The ability to scale up or down instantly as forecasts shift. 

• Compliance & Admin Relief: Payroll, super, insurance, and Fair Work compliance managed externally. 

Final Word: People Power Peak Season 

The data is clear: Christmas 2024 was Australia’s busiest peak season ever, and 2025 is set to be bigger still. For logistics companies, success will depend less on trucks and planes and more on people, the drivers, sorters, warehouse operators, and casuals who keep the flow moving. 

With the right workforce strategies, forecasting early, scaling smart, training well, and leveraging agency partnerships operations leaders can turn peak season from a headache into a competitive advantage. 

Speak to our specialist logistics recruitment team to learn how Fuse Recruitment can strengthen your workforce this peak season. We also offer complimentary market mapping consultations to help businesses of all sizes gain insights into current industry trends, talent availability, and workforce planning opportunities. Contact us today at hello@fuserecruitment.com to book your free consultation!