Hiring is hard. Keeping great people? Even harder.

Summer staffing comes with challenges—seasonal employees, vacation coverage, school-age kids increasing your ratio needs, and that’s on top of the usual turnover daycare centers face year-round. If you’ve ever found yourself hoping someone with a pulse walks through the door, you’re not alone.

But it doesn’t have to be all scrambling and last-minute job posts. With a few smart systems, you can build a more reliable pipeline, create a better onboarding experience, and cultivate a work culture that makes people want to stay.

Start early—and think ahead

If you’re hiring for summer, the best time to post is… well, probably three months ago. But since we can’t turn back time, start thinking about how you’ll build a hiring rhythm that works ahead of the chaos.

Create a calendar of when you typically lose staff (end of school year, fall semester starts, etc.), and post jobs proactively. Consider what roles you can keep flexible—summer floaters, after-school help, part-time aides—and reach out to former staff or interns before you post anywhere else.

Returning staff are gold. Treat them that way.

Make onboarding less painful—for everyone

You don’t need to host a corporate-style training retreat, but first impressions matter. A smooth, welcoming onboarding experience increases the odds your new hire will feel confident and committed (instead of ghosting by week two).

Keep it simple:

• Have a printed schedule ready
• Assign a “welcome buddy” from your current team
• Walk them through expectations for breaks, ratios, communication, and emergencies
• Give them time to observe before tossing them into the deep end

A thoughtful onboarding plan doesn’t take a ton of time—it saves it.

Build the kind of culture people want to come back to

You can’t control the labor market but can control what it feels like to work in your center. Do your teachers feel supported? Do they get real breaks? Can they ask for help without getting side-eye?

Retention isn’t about pizza parties. It’s about making sure your team feels seen, respected, and not chronically overwhelmed.

Simple ways to build a better culture:

• Regular, low-pressure check-ins
• Clear (and fair) scheduling policies
• Public praise for jobs well done
• Letting staff weigh in on changes that affect their day-to-day

If your center is a place people enjoy coming to—even on Monday mornings—you’ll have fewer open positions to post.

Plan now, breathe easier later

Yes, it’s June. Yes, your schedule is probably already full. But the time you spend now on thoughtful hiring and retention will save you hours of stress in August and again next spring.

You deserve a strong team. Your staff deserves a supportive place to work. And your kids deserve consistency. With the right approach, you can make all three happen.