Category

Employing & managing staff

The latest guides on employing and managing full or part time staff effectively as a small business owner or sole trader. 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. Sounds good? Then read on…

Employee wants to convert SSP to annual leave

What if an employee wants to convert some of their paid time of work with statutory sick pay into fully paid leave? Alison King shows you options

Employing & managing staff

Employing & managing staff

Varying employee contracts: the law

Alison King looks at the legal position when it comes to varying employees’ contracts and what keys steps need to be taken

Employing & managing staff

Redundancy letter

Nobody likes writing or receiving redundancy letters. Yet they are useful for recapping facts when a staff member is too upset to listen to what you are saying, says Sue Tumelty

Employing & managing staff

Hiring your first employee as a small business

Here are the steps you need to take before welcoming your first employee to your company

Employing & managing staff

Re-employing staff after Covid

Many small businesses have had to make people redundant due to Covid. But you can rehire those same people again, providing you follow the rules, says Sue Tumelty

Employing & managing staff

Do I have to pay staff who are self-isolating?

Do you have to pay employees who are self-isolating full wage because they’ve been pinged by NHS Test and Trace? If so, what help is available?

Employing & managing staff

6 tips to keep your employees happy

Amid the "Great Resignation", small business owners are wondering how to retain their employees – here are six tips to keep them happy

Employing & managing staff

What owners should put in an employment contract

A contract of employment for your first employee must include some terms that are legally binding. Karen Watkins of Rowan Consulting explains what to include

Employing & managing staff

6 tips to keep your employees happy

Amid the "Great Resignation", small business owners are wondering how to retain their employees – here are six tips to keep them happy

Employing & managing staff

What owners should put in an employment contract

A contract of employment for your first employee must include some terms that are legally binding. Karen Watkins of Rowan Consulting explains what to include

Employing & managing staff

Staff and Christmas bonuses

What should you do if a staff member narrowly misses out on a Christmas bonus scheme? Should you make an exception?

Employing & managing staff

Statutory maternity pay UK

A key member of staff tells you that she wants to take maternity leave. What are your maternity pay obligations and how long can they be away for? Sue Temelty has the answers

Employing & managing staff

Dismissing staff on long term sick leave

What should you do if you suspect one staff member is malingering? Deliberate work avoidance can affect your whole team’s morale, says Sue Temelty

Employing & managing staff

Hire slow, fire fast – building the right team

Nearly a quarter of businesses fail because they don’t have the right people in key positions. You shouldn’t be in a rush when it comes to hiring staff, says Mark Wright

Business Technology

How to keep your small business safe online

Here's how Security Service Edge from Vodafone can help to protect your SME from ever-increasing cyber threats

Business Technology

How to grow a global creative agency in record time

Find out how creative agency, Myth Studio, used technology to grow their business and quadruple their staff count in 18 months

Partner content

Attracting and keeping top talent through Total Reward

Employment benefits specialist, Drewberry, explain why you should base your benefits around a Total Reward Strategy

Partner content

5 things every small business owner needs to know before starting

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