Your guide to minimising conflict in a family business

Being part of a family business can seem like a dream come true for many people.  The opportunity to work alongside your nearest and dearest to pursue your goals and create financial independence is something that can have huge appeal, so it’s no surprise that Harvard Business School has reported that family firms account for two thirds of businesses across …

Five critical actions for managing an employee grievance

If a member of your staff brought up a grievance, would you know how to handle it?  Regardless of how good your people practices may be, and how capable your managers are, you might find yourself in a situation whereby you need to follow a formal grievance procedure. This procedure should be included in your staff handbook, and it should …

Should you snoop on your employees?

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that employers can justify reading  their workers’ online private messages. An engineer in Romania asked the judges to rule that his employer had breached his right to confidential correspondence, but it was ultimately decided that the individual had broken the terms of his employment by sending messages on company time. Interesting, …

Statutory rates of pay 2016

The statutory rates of maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental pay and sick pay normally increase each April in line with the consumer price index.  However, the Government has announced that there will be no increase in 2016 due to negative inflation. The rate of statutory maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental pay will, therefore, remain at £139.58 per week (or …

Three ways to rocket your team’s performance in 2016

So when you take a look back at how your business performed in 2015, are you satisfied with what was achieved?  A little reflection is always useful, but now’s the time to start thinking about the future.  You no doubt have big plans for the next 12 months.  You’ve got targets to meet and goals to smash, and if you …

An employers’ guide to strategically managing employee wellbeing

If you take a look around at business priorities in January, you’re likely to find that many leaders are paying lip service to improving employee wellbeing. It’s fairly easy to roll out some quick wins, like introducing healthier options in the canteen, and organising lunchtime walks, and it’s true that these things can be successful.  But if you want to …

Top HR considerations for business owners in January

Now that the dust has settled on the new year, it’s time for many leaders to get back to business and start creating their 2016 success story.  You’ve hopefully been able to spend some time relaxing over the festive period, so you’re ready to face your new challenges with excitement. Whether you were planning to ease yourself in gently, or …

Three difficult questions you need to ask yourself before 2016

  By now, it’s highly likely that you’ll have asked yourself the big, important, and very obvious questions about how your business measured up during 2015.  You’ll know how much you increased your turnover, how many new staff you recruited, and what your goals are moving forward. Planning and reflection sessions can be hugely useful, but sometimes, it can be …