Companies planning to take on staff for the 2012 London Olympics have been urged to learn the lessons from the recent Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver.   

Bruce Dewar, chief executive of 2010 Legacies Now, the organisation tasked with creating a lasting legacy from the Vancouver games said that it was vital for employers to plan ahead.

For example, he said that in Vancouver many employers had lost staff because they wanted to volunteer, and UK employers should be prepared for this in 2012.

Speaking at the recent launch of the State of the Nation Report 2010 into the UK’s hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries Dewar said that one year out from the games employers should begin more detailed planning

• what will my customers and my sales be like?
• what will the major players do?
• don’t forget the Paralympics - ensure your premises are accessible for staff with disabilities

Do you need to take any special measures? For example, McDonald’s had moved some of staff to Vancouver from other parts of Canada.

Six months out - be prepared for increased demand for  information from jobseekers

During the games themselves

“Expect the unexpected. People will get so excited and will want to go the games. They will say they are going off for a coffee, but won’t come back.”

“Don’t be afraid to lose some of your employees, but think about the wider benefits to the country of the games. At the same time you need to be selfish and look at your bottom line.”