I Need Seasonal Staff
Plan ahead. We'll handle the rest.
Scale up for the peak season without the commitment.
Preparing for a busy season such as a summer peak, Black Friday or Christmas rush? We source the people you need, quickly.
Seasonal Challenges
Your busiest period will depend on your industry.
For retailers, it may be the Christmas rush, while logistics businesses often see demand increase during early autumn. Maybe you are a service business and the summer months bring double your volume.
Hiring permanent employees isn't always practical when increased demand only lasts for a few months. You also can't operate short-staffed during your peak, when you make the most revenue.
Seasonal recruitment helps you bring in additional workers when demand increases and scale back when it returns to normal.
We cover it all
Which industries see the biggest seasonal peaks?
Retail and E-commerce
Black Friday/Cyber Monday, Christmas, Boxing Day, January sales, Valentine's, etc.
We supply seasonal staff in retail stores and call centres across UK locations.
Typical seasonal workforce increase: 20-200 workers per client.
Logistics and Warehousing
August-September (post-summer) and November-December (holiday preparation).
We supply Pickers, Packers, Warehouse Operatives, Forklift Drivers and Supervisors.
Typical seasonal workforce increase: 50-500+ workers per client.
Distribution Centres
For businesses that operate around the clock, having the right staffing levels is essential during busy periods.
We supply end-to-end seasonal recruitment for large-scale hiring campaigns.
Typical seasonal workforce increase: 25-100+ workers per client.
Hospitality and Events
Peaks driven by summer holidays, Christmas, major events and festivals.
We supply Servers, Kitchen Staff, Security Staff and Customer Service Representatives. Our hospitality seasonal staffing solutions handle high-volume peaks effortlessly.
Typical seasonal workforce increase: 10-100 workers per client.
Manufacturing
Q4 or major fulfilment. As a temporary recruitment agency, we help businesses bring in extra staff quickly when demand increases.
We supply Production Operatives, Production Line Workers, Assembly Staff and Quality Inspectors.
Typical seasonal workforce increase: Varies widely.
Agriculture
Harvest season is different for every business.
We supply General Labourers, Machine Operators and Supervisors through agency work assignments.
Typical seasonal workforce increase: Varies widely.
Not listed?
If your business has seasonal peaks, we can likely help.
Contact us about your seasonal requirements to see how we can support your recruitment strategy.
What sets us apart
Work with Us.
We have systems built for peaks.
We don't treat high-volume hiring the same as single-hire recruitment. We have dedicated teams and processes for it.
We use multiple channels.
We don't rely on one source and use a range of recruitment channels to reach the right candidates. Job boards, direct advertising, recruitment events, agency networks, plus our comprehensive database.
Onboarding at scale for larger workforces.
We help you design group induction plans, training schedules, and systems that work for large numbers.
We balance speed and quality.
You need workers quickly, but you also need reliable people you can depend on. We vet and reference-check every candidate before they start an assignment.
We plan recruitment in phases.
We recruit in stages to match demand throughout the season. Early hires start training first and later hires start just before peak. This spreads the training and onboarding load.
We focus on helping you retain reliable workers.
Seasonal staff who return are more efficient than new faces every year. We can help you retain workers, reconnect with returning staff early, and plan re-engagement incentives.
- enquiries@meridianbs.co.uk
- Head Office | Part First Floor, Dakota House, Concord Business Park, Threapwood Road, Manchester, M22 0RR
Timeline from planning to peak
How Should You Plan For Seasonal Hiring?
Being prepared for your seasonal peak involves strategic planning. When you work with an experienced temporary recruitment agency like Meridian, timing is everything.
- 3-4 months before peak
(E.g. June for Christmas rush) You tell us what you need before things start ramping up: how many staff, which roles, and which skills. We start planning recruitment strategies immediately. - 2-3 months before peak:
Seasonal recruitment starts. We advertise roles, search our comprehensive database, and prepare targeted seasonal jobs campaigns. We're actively finding candidates, screening them and setting up interviews. For high-volume recruitment (50+ workers), this is a critical time to ensure the right people are in place when demand peaks. - 1 month before peak:
Initial placements begin and onboarding and training start. Onboarding and training start. People are getting familiar with systems. You're getting seasonal staff in the door and getting them familiar with systems and processes. Some start early to support the steady increase in demand. - Peak season:
We manage ongoing recruitment to replace workers throughout the season, keeping your workforce fully staffed. - End of season:
Contracts end and staff are released on agreed dates. You wind down costs immediately. We take care of the end-of-assignment admin for you.
Why do businesses plan seasonal recruitment in advance?
Leaving recruitment until the last minute can increase costs and limit your options. Starting early means lower cost per hire, better-quality candidates, and proper training. Reducing your risk of staffing shortages during peak periods.
Seasonal Hiring Cost
What's included:
- Recruitment and candidate vetting
- Background checks and compliance
- Payroll
- Holiday pay (if applicable to contract type)
- Onboarding, training and inductions
- Ongoing support
Hourly Markup
As with other temporary staffing, we charge either an hourly rate or day rate per worker. Flexible charging options are available based on client needs. The more people you hire, the more possibilities to negotiate on cost per head.
Volume Hiring
If you plan on hiring 50+ seasonal staff, let's discuss your volume and budget.
Early Planning
Planning ahead gives us more time to recruit and prepare workers, which can help lower your recruitment costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Left FAQ's
Left FAQ's
When should I start planning seasonal recruitment?
3-4 months before the peak period is the ideal time to build your recruitment plan. This gives you time to recruit, train, and avoid panic. You'll also get better rates and higher-quality candidates.
Can you recruit 200+ staff in one period?
Yes. We've handled many high-volume campaigns recruiting large numbers of people. It requires planning, multiple channels, and dedicated management. Let's discuss your needs and how we can support your recruitment efforts.
How do you find so many seasonal workers?
We use a combination of recruitment channels to attract suitable candidates. This includes our extensive candidate database, job boards, paid advertising, recruitment open days, job fairs, geofencing and referral campaigns. We also work with a network of seasonal workers who return to us year after year. The combined reach is large enough to fill most requirements.
Do you collect feedback?
We collect feedback from seasonal workers to understand what works well and where we can improve. This helps us attract similar candidates for the next peak period and improve our recruitment processes.
Right FAQ's
Right FAQ's
What if I don't know exactly how many staff I need?
That's a common challenge for many businesses. We can help you forecast staffing requirements based on previous demand, growth plans, and industry benchmarks. Start with an estimate and you can adjust as the season approaches.
What if the peak season is shorter than expected?
Contracts are flexible. If your staffing requirements change, let us know with as much notice as possible. You only pay for the hours your temporary staff worked. We pride ourselves on agency work built on flexibility.
What if I need to extend the season?
The earlier you let us know your plans, the better chance we have of securing your preferred workers. Many seasonal workers are happy to extend their assignments when given enough notice.
Can you help design onboarding processes?
Yes. We've run hundreds of seasonal campaigns. We can help you put inductions, training plans and scalable systems in place. We can also help coordinate group inductions for larger volumes.

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