Employers hoping to capitalise on the business opportunities afforded by the London 2012 Games need to start planning their staffing requirements now if they are to secure the talent they need to take maximum advantage, says Adecco, the recruitment services provider of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
Steve Girdler, Adecco's director of London 2012 partnerships, said: "With only one year to go now until London 2012 opens its gates, companies really need to start thinking seriously about how the Games might affect their business and whether they are going to need to take on more staff to meet increased demand or drive growth on the back of this once in a lifetime event.
"It may still seem like a long time away but many businesses are already preparing to staff up and competition for the best candidates is likely to be tough. Although there is now a broad pool of talent actively seeking Games-related jobs for employers to choose from, with such anticipated demand for staff ahead of a fast-approaching deadline, they won't be there forever."
According to Adecco, 60,000 candidates have already registered their interest in Games-related roles on www.jobsforthegames.co.uk the official job board for London 2012 contractor and sponsor jobs, launched earlier this year.
However, despite this already high level of demand from jobseekers, Girdler warns that employers may still struggle to fill vacancies if they delay too long. The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is predicting that tens of thousands of new jobs will be created by London 2012 sponsors, contractors, suppliers and other businesses as they recruit additional staff around the Games.
Girdler added: "London 2012 is a unique opportunity for businesses large and small, particularly in the capital but also in many other locations around the country where Olympics venues are sited. "However, being such a unique opportunity, it also presents challenges which companies need to address well in advance. For instance, forecasting how many new staff are going to be required and what kinds of vacancies will need to be filled is likely to take a good deal of planning. Then if those recruits are going to need to be trained or if additional staff are going to be needed to help capitalise on business opportunities in the run-up to the Games, the clock is already ticking." Girdler also suggests that employers will need to consider what requirements they might have for temporary workers to help cover staff holidays for those who want to take time off to watch or attend the Games. Jobs can be advertised on www.jobsforthegames.co.uk by any business looking to recruit staff in response to additional business created by the Games. Vacancies can range from entry level roles to those requiring more experience, across a range of sectors, from catering, cleaning, security and administrative support to media, hospitality, tourism, sport, leisure and customer services as well as some professional and technical posts. The site has a dedicated 'Recruiter Zone' which enables employers to register and begin posting vacancies and browsing CVs, using a host of search and matching tools to identify future employees. Organisations can also take advantage of a range of advertising opportunities, including job and brand advertising on the site.
