Christmas can be a tough time of year for business owners, with holiday leave, coughs and colds and an overdose of the festive spirit often contributing to staffing problems. Many firms also need additional staff to cope with increased seasonal demand, especially in the retail sector. Don’t get caught out this Yuletide – follow these simple tips to beat the Christmas staffing blues.

Plan ahead

Although Christmas might seem a long way away, it will inevitably come around quicker than you think. Map out your Christmas staff rotas now, or ideally even earlier, and make sure you have contingency plans in place in case you experience a sudden staff shortage. It’s always best to be prepared, but remember flexibility is the key here. Sticking to too rigid a plan will leave you with nowhere to go if things go wrong – call our experts today if you are unsure how to approach this.

Be an attractive proposition

You will want to attract the best temporary employees – not just anybody who’s available – so it’s worth spending some time working out what sort of brand image you wish to portray. Perhaps understandably, swathes of the UK workforce simply switch off during the Christmas period. The challenge, then, is finding ways to make candidates actually want to come in to work. Developing a friendly, welcoming brand image will make prospective candidates more likely to leave their houses for you as the nights draw in and the cold begins to bite.

Enjoy

Nobody likes a Scrooge, and one way to avoid losing staff in the first place is to show a little Christmas cheer. Don’t go overboard – we are talking about work after all – but little incentives such as bonuses and rewards at the Christmas Party can go a long way towards boosting staff loyalty. Make sure you book your celebrations in advance, and make everyone feel included, especially temporary staff. You never know, they might enjoy themselves so much that they apply for a permanent role. Get those mince pies in the oven and see what happens!

Ask the experts

The best way to deal with seasonal staffing problems is to consult those in the know. Here at Frontline and at our sister site Staffbay.com we are experts in sourcing quality staff at the last minute, and we pride ourselves on providing you with the best candidates to suit your needs. If you are concerned about a potential shortfall in staff numbers this Christmas, don’t delay – give us a call or sign up to Staffbay today.