Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
This section takes you through every important aspect of how to run a successful business. It offers expert guides and advice articles on the key elements of business management such as employing staff, finding customers, marketing and sales, pricing, people management, office and home working, business technology and everything else an entrepreneur must tackle in order to succeed.
At an employee complaint hearing, handwritten notes were made by us and then transcribed. The original notes were shredded by our HR manager and the employee has now indicated that we have broken the data protection act and is going to make a complaint. Is he right?
Legal advice
Buying and selling a company
As an entrepreneur, you start your company because of your passion for what you are doing. Yet, no matter how much you love your business, you will eventually need to sell it. This guide from SmallBusiness.co.uk offers three great ways to ensure you get the most money possible for it.
Office & home working
New rules governing the landfilling of non-hazardous waste came into force on 30 October 2007 as the final change under the Landfill Directive. So what do the changes mean for your business?
Employing & managing staff
Radical new obligations for employers that hire overseas workers are set to come into effect next year that could have a major impact on small business owners.
Finding and selling to customers
SmallBusiness.co.uk caught up with Tim Slatter, co-founder of speciality cake-maker www.thecakestore.co.uk, a company that took on the larger stores and, in the face of strong competition, has now achieved sales of around £1.5 million.
Legal advice
I run a small business and we may have to go to an employment tribunal regarding an ex-employee for unfair dismissal. He is using the Citizens Advice Bureau to help him, is there an equivalent for businesses? If not, where can I get advice?
Employing & managing staff
If you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of having to discipline a member of staff, you have to ensure the process is fair, especially if the result is that they are dismissed.
Business Technology
The outcry over identity theft on social networking sites like FaceBook and MySpace serves as a reminder of how the openness of the internet can mean rich pickings for fraudsters. Educating your staff about the dangers is key to protecting your business.
Employing & managing staff
If you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of having to discipline a member of staff, you have to ensure the process is fair, especially if the result is that they are dismissed.
Business Technology
The outcry over identity theft on social networking sites like FaceBook and MySpace serves as a reminder of how the openness of the internet can mean rich pickings for fraudsters. Educating your staff about the dangers is key to protecting your business.
Business management
If you are taking on a new contract or have an ambitious plan for growth, it might be handy to learn from project managers.
Business Technology
Are you aware that your old PCs could be breaking the law? The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive finally became UK law in 2007.
Employing & managing staff
A recent survey has found that poor teamwork causes owners of small firms in Britain to stay late in the office, wastes valuable time and adds to employee dissatisfaction. But all this could be avoided by encouraging employees to work more effectively as a team.
Employing & managing staff
No two businesses are the same. Having worked with more than 40,000 companies and millions of employees over the past 60 years, BUPA knows this better than any other healthcare provider, which is why we do things differently.
Partner content
Business broadband offers a host of advantages over standard domestic connections, here’s why you should be considering an upgrade
Partner content
As with any supplier, it’s important to do your research and ask important questions before you select a broadband provider for your business. But what are the must-have things you should take into consideration?
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.