Maybe you think you can’t afford an HR consultant? Know you could do with a helping hand with those tricky people issues that have been bubbling away under the surface for some time, but wondering whether you can really spare the budget? Considering whether you’d be better off just hoping for the best and carrying on as you are? We …
Don’t ignore it – Pensions Auto Enrolment
Is this one on your radar yet? If you employ just ONE person, it should be. Following a recent auto-enrolment update from the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions), they have predicted that by 2020, £17bn a year will have been put into workplace pension schemes as a direct result of auto enrolment. They also predict that just over 10 …
Are you making these mistakes with your employee handbook?
So with 2017 now well and truly here, it’s a great time to think about making sure you have all your ducks in a row. No doubt you have lots of plans and HR isn’t at the top of your agenda yet but making sure you have the right contracts, policies, procedures and employee handbooks in place can pay for …
Bosses aren’t immune to the January blues
January can be a thoroughly dull and dismal month, and if you’re feeling a bit down in the dumps, then you’re definitely not alone. The festivities are over, the weather is miserable, and there’s pretty much a full six months to wait before your summer holidays will come round. Right about now, you’re probably considering your strategy for relighting a …
What will you be wearing this Christmas Jumper Day?
I was out shopping with my girls at the weekend and you can’t escape the fact Christmas is well and truly on the way. Music is playing, decorations are up and the new tradition of Christmas is blatantly on sale in most shops – the novelty Christmas jumper. Now I love Christmas jumpers (although I wouldn’t be caught wearing one) …
Does the work Christmas party bring you out in a cold sweat?
We’re well and truly into November now and no doubt most workplaces have booked and planned their Christmas party. But it’s fair to say the workplace Christmas party gets its fair share of bad press. From punch-ups and offensively drunk staff, to extra-marital activities and unwanted advances, we’ve all heard the horror stories. I certainly remember a few in my …
Would you have a problem with a tattooed employee?
It’s fair to say that body art including tattoos and the workplace are two things that haven’t traditionally gone hand in hand. However in recent years, things have started to shift. In 2014, Starbucks famously lifted its tattoo ban for its staff in a move that was welcomed with open (and perhaps intricately adorned) arms. The coffee chain is known …
Going for Gold with staff health and wellbeing
Since the 2016 Rio Olympics there seems to have been various stories in the news about health and wellbeing. That isn’t at all surprising, as many people will have been motivated to get out of their chairs and get more active. Long may it last. Even the most dedicated of couch potatoes would have struggled not to feel inspired by …
Stop lying to your employees…
Corporate jargon is something plenty of us use every day without giving it much thought. Maybe you encourage a lot of ‘blue-sky thinking’. Perhaps you suggested to your team that you ‘take things offline’ when you’d rather have a more private conversation about an important issue. Or, a little disturbingly, you might occasionally consider yourself to be ‘punching a puppy’ when you do something that …
Key employment law changes to watch out for this Autumn
So we’ve made it to the final quarter of 2016 and as a business owner, you know it can often feel like there’s yet another new piece of employment law coming along that you need to make sure you’re complying with. We also know it can sometimes be tricky and confusing to keep to date, but I want to make …