Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
The latest guides on employing and managing full or part time staff effectively as a small business owner or sole trader, brought to you in partnership with Sage. Contains advice on employment law, health and safety at work, recruitment, training, redundancy and disciplinary information, employee rights, workplace regulations, and much more.
This section provides expert and in-depth advice articles on all aspects of staff management and human resources legislation. Our aim is to help UK small businesses to hire great employees, manage them effectively and look after them properly.
Other key topics covered in this employing staff section include team management, employee motivation, legal rights and responsibilities, managing absence, maternity pay and leave, taking on new staff, induction programmes, communication, workplace policies, flexible working, job descriptions, employment contracts and related information.
We also provide information on HR tools, templates and resources specially targeted at SMEs as well as suitable training courses and workshops that can help you get the best out of your staff to make a more efficient, more profitable, happy and productive company.
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The Skills for Life campaign by the Department for Education seeks to help SMEs understand all the schemes available to them and help them make the right training choices for their business which, ultimately, could help them plug vital skills gaps in the year ahead.
Employing & managing staff
Employing & managing staff
As an employer, it’s important that you keep track of your employees’ employment rights, so you don’t find yourself on the wrong side of the law.
Employing & managing staff
The new National Living Wage has come into effect for 2025/26. Elaine Pritchard of Moorepay explains what you need to know
Employing & managing staff
An appraisal gives you the opportunity to evaluate an employee's performance, and to raise any concerns or issues.
Employing & managing staff
We take a look at Labour's Employment Rights Bill and how the business community has reacted to the measures
Employing & managing staff
Let’s take a look at the process of finding and managing an overseas employees for your small business and which candidates to pick
Employing & managing staff
Interested in hiring overseas talent? We're delving into Employer of Record - what it is, the pros and cons and if it's right for you
Employing & managing staff
Taking on an apprentice can inject youthful energy and ideas into your company. A guide to how to enrol an apprentice into your small business
Employing & managing staff
Interested in hiring overseas talent? We're delving into Employer of Record - what it is, the pros and cons and if it's right for you
Employing & managing staff
Taking on an apprentice can inject youthful energy and ideas into your company. A guide to how to enrol an apprentice into your small business
Business management
Many small business owners will need to bring in additional support to help their business to scale up and achieve its potential
Employing & managing staff
Childcare costs are rising at an alarming rate. Venetia Leigh of Perkbox Vivup explains what you can do as an employer to help staff
Employing & managing staff
An employee contract is an essential document, so you must get it right. We've provided an overview and a template to get you started
Employing & managing staff
Here, we look at the top ten most common small business HR challenges, and what you can do to overcome them
Business Technology
Landlines as we know them will be scrapped in 2027 – along with a raft of upcoming business changes. Here's how to ensure your communications set-up is fit for whatever the future brings
Business Loans
Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.
Business Technology
With the landline shutdown coming fast, there’s never been a better time to switch to VoIP. Don’t let your small business be left behind!
Export & Import
Many factors can affect products’ journeys from A to B. Here are some tips for best practice for successful shipping in the modern world