At the end of last month, here at the XCL Office we got our bake on, for a summer Bake Off!

We had a variety of sweet and savoury treats on offer.

As good as everyone's tasted, there could only be one winner and when the scores were all in, it was Luke's Blueberry and Lemon Tart that pipped us all to the post!

As we move into Summer, this can often bring staffing challenges for many companies. If you’re expecting your business to be particularly busy over the Summer and needing additional staff to help cover this workload, below are a few things you may want to bear in mind:
 

Employment contracts

What sort of employment contract would work best for you? If it’s a case that the workload may vary and in turn the amount of work available isn’t then always consistent, a zero hour contract may be the best option. Or alternatively if you only need people for a set period, to cover a temporary increase in the workload (i.e. over the school summer holidays), then a fixed term contract may be more suitable.

Induction

Making sure you have a thorough induction process in place for your business, will help make it a success. This should include workplace policies and procedures, along with any necessary training, so the candidate knows what’s expected of them, they can familiarise themselves with the place to set them off for a good start – thus reducing the likelihood of issues arising.

Working time

Most company managers will know what the basic working time regulations are and the rules surrounding this, i.e. rest breaks, for those who are over 18. However, it is important to familiarise yourself with working time regulations for young workers, as these are different and often more restrictive.

Fair recruitment

At busy times of the year, it can seem important to get people into the workplace quickly but always remember it still needs to be done fairly. Make sure to keep records of the recruitment process you followed, in case any challenges arise against decisions made, you can then demonstrate that you acted appropriately.