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Seasonal recruitment tips for small businesses

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As summer approaches, small business owners need to ensure that they have experienced staff in place to cover their business needs over the peak holiday period.

There are a number of recruitment options available to small business owners. Whether you are employing someone for a few weeks or a whole season, it is important for your staff and for your business that you are following the correct Employment Law procedures.

Research from the Department for Business has revealed that many small businesses pay for external advice to help them manage their employment obligations when hiring new team members but all too often this eats into any profits that the summer season can bring.

There is plenty of free advice available to you as a small business owner when it comes to complying with Employment Law to help you keep the costs down. The Government offers a range of interactive tools and free advice on the Business Link website to help you meet all your legal requirements.

Outlined below are five top tips from The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) to help small businesses enjoy some seasonal success.
 

  • Choose wisely – Consider your employment contract options. There are a variety of recruitment options out there, ranging from temps and fixed-term contracts to agency workers. Young people are also a ready source of temporary staff, especially during the summer holidays. Also, think about ways in which your family can chip in to help the business out.
  • Organise the paperwork – Taking on additional staff, including seasonal workers, involves providing new contracts, payslips and other relevant documents. For free advice on how to draft a contract go to Business Link.
  • Define roles and responsibilities – Team hierarchies may change with the arrival of new, albeit temporary, staff. Minimise disruption to your business by ensuring all employees know which operations they will be responsible for and who they need to report to. It is a good idea to give employees their work schedule as far in advance as possible so that they can plan their leisure time around their job. Effective communication is key to ensuring all your staff work well together.
  • Know the legal requirements – When taking on additional staff, there are a number of legal requirements you are required to meet. Be aware that you will need to comply with the Data Protection Act and ensure that employees are eligible to work in the UK. Remember that a temporary worker also requires the same care and attention as a permanent member of staff. It is also important to know your responsibilities as an employer regarding insurance and health and safety.
  • Reward success – Consider offering incentives to your team such as overtime payments or productivity bonuses to encourage motivation. High morale brings loyalty as well as attracting quality employees, so celebrate success among temporary workers as well as your permanent staff, and keep them coming back for more.
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