Effective recruitment is essential for the success of a seasonal business with many businesses doing the majority of their trading during a short period each year. For retailers and those in the hotel and catering sectors, for example, the run-up to Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year and preparation is vital to make this season as successful as possible.

"One of the unique challenges for seasonal businesses is recruitment," said Kim Fletcher, Business Link adviser. "Employers must ensure that they have an appropriate number of employees available and that they are skilled and committed to the job at hand. Think about the kind of business you are and establish what employment options will work best."

Business Link offers the following top tips on how to make sure you can cope with seasonal staffing requirements:

Plan ahead
Plan well in advance to ensure you have the right staff levels in place to meet the expected demand. To help you recruit and retain staff, provide them with schedules in plenty of time so they can plan their lives outside of work. This can include keeping them informed about when to expect the busiest periods so they aren't surprised when there is a surge in work. Also consider offering incentives, such as overtime payments or bonuses, based on productivity. And as it's Christmas for you and your staff team too, why not consider organising a team event to celebrate and to keep morale high? Measures like these can help keep your staff skilled and committed.

Identify your recruitment options
There are many different employment options available to seasonal businesses. The key is to identify the options that best meet your needs. Think about whether you need temporary workers or employees on fixed-term contracts and consider using family or friends to help out at weekends or during school holidays. It is important to get the right balance between permanent employees who work throughout the year and those who work during peak times.

Remember, a surge of new starters has the potential to be disruptive to a business. Minimise the chances of this happening by ensuring that each team member knows what they are responsible for and who they should report to before they start working.

Minimise paperwork
Employing new staff for seasonal periods does not need to be complicated. On the Business Link website you'll find advice, guidance and online tools on a whole range of employment issues such as working time regulations, flexible working and pay and written statements.

Understand the legal requirements
Make sure you understand your responsibilities as an employer, including insurance and health and safety requirements. There are some basics that you will need to be aware of to ensure you meet legislation that applies to all employees. From complying with the Data Protection Act to ensuring that employees are eligible to work in the UK, a temporary worker requires the same care and attention as a permanent member of staff.

To find out more on developing a successful seasonal workforce visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/employingpeople [1]