Staff planning for big sale days (Black Friday)

In Azerbaijan, Black Friday falls in the last week of November, but for warehouses the main load doesn't come on the campaign day itself; it comes in the 3–7 days after it. Orders pile up over a day or two, and then they have to be picked, packed and shipped the following week. That's why staff planning should start 4–6 weeks in advance, with shifts built around exactly that week. A team planned only for the campaign day delays orders.

When is extra staff needed most on Black Friday?

Black Friday has three stages, and each has its own staffing needs. The first is preparation: 1–2 weeks before the campaign, extra stock is received and put on the shelves. The second is the campaign days: in physical stores the checkouts and sales floor are under pressure, while online, orders pile up in the system. The third is the heaviest part: in the following 3–7 days, all the accumulated orders have to be picked, packed and shipped.

Two to three weeks later a smaller wave arrives: returns. You need to plan shifts for sorting them and putting them back on the shelves too.

How to calculate how many extra workers you need

Three numbers are enough for the calculation: the expected number of orders, one worker's hourly pace and the length of the shift.

Pickers needed per day = daily orders ÷ (hourly pace × shift hours)

Example: 6,000 orders have to be shipped in the 4 days after the campaign, i.e. 1,500 orders a day. If one picker picks 30 orders an hour, they do 240 orders in an 8-hour shift. So you need about 7 pickers a day. Do the same calculation separately for packing. These numbers are only an example; take the pace from your own past data. For the forecast, combine last year's campaign volume with this year's marketing plan. On top of that, add 1–2 reserve people to cover no-shows.

When should preparation start?

Relative to the campaign	What needs to be done	Key roles
6–4 weeks before	Volume forecast, shift plan, planning staff vacations	—
3–2 weeks before	Ordering temporary workers, preparing packing tables and materials	—
2–1 weeks before	Receiving extra stock and putting it on the shelves	Goods receiving, loader
Campaign days	In-store sales, receiving online orders	Cashier, merchandiser, bagger
The following 3–7 days	Picking, packing, shipping	Picker, packer, stretch wrapper, sorter, driver's assistant
2–3 weeks later	Processing returns	Sorter, goods receiving

The timings are a practical recommendation. At the end of November, all of e-commerce and electronics retail is looking for workers in the same week, so ordering early gives you more choice.

How to split work between permanent staff and temporary workers

Work that requires knowing the system and the goods should stay with permanent staff. This includes zone leads, system operators, resolving problem orders and final quality checks. Work that grows with volume can be given to temporary workers: picking, packing, stretch wrapping, loading and sorting.

Every temporary worker should go through your company's own safety induction before starting work. After that, a 10–15 minute briefing is enough: which zone, which scanner, who to go to when an error comes up. Assign one permanent zone lead for every 6–8 temporary workers.

What are the most common mistakes?

The first mistake is planning only for the campaign day. Orders come in that day, but the work is done the following week. The second is ordering workers late, because demand for temporary workers rises sharply in the last week of November. The third is adding workers without workstations: if there are no packing tables, scanners and materials, extra workers just wait. The fourth is forgetting the shipping side: you also need loaders and driver's assistants to load the finished parcels.

How to place your temporary worker order

Order separately for each day rather than one number for the whole period. The first two days after the campaign are the heaviest, then volume drops. Reduce the number of shifts to match that curve.

On TEZISH, an order takes 30 seconds: you specify the day, shift, role and headcount. The fill rate is above 90%. Payment is made only for shifts actually worked.

Frequently asked questions

When is Black Friday in Azerbaijan?

In the last week of November. It is mainly a peak period for e-commerce and electronics retail.

On which days is extra staff needed most?

In the 3–7 days after the campaign day. During this time, the accumulated orders are picked, packed and shipped.

When should I order temporary workers?

Start planning 4–6 weeks ahead and place the order 2–3 weeks before the campaign. In these weeks the whole market is looking for the same workers.

Which roles are needed most for Black Friday?

Picker, packer, stretch wrapper, sorter and loader. Before the campaign you need goods receiving, and in stores, cashiers.

All of the year's peak periods in one place: Peak periods of the retail year in Azerbaijan. To order workers for the week after the campaign: TEZISH for businesses.

How many shifts have you planned for the week after the campaign this year?