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24/01/2012:
How to ... manage time off during the Olympics
The 2012 Olympics will be an exciting time for the UK. It may also cause disruption for businesses that are unprepared. One prominent official compared the potential disruption with the disruption caused during severe weather, "London grinds to a halt when we have snow. The Olympics will be like having eight weeks of snow...

17/01/2012:
How to ... help employees with financial difficulties
53% of workers received a pay freeze or a pay cut in 2011 according to a recent survey. Of these 33% said that their organisation did not explain the pay decision. Businesses are putting more pressure on employees to perform harder in a challenging economic climate, at a time when their employees are also finding their standard of living being squeezed. As many people continue to struggle to manage their finances, people are increasingly seeking the services of credit counselling charities...

03/01/2012:
How to ... manage the impact of severe weather
Adverse weather conditions can cause operational difficulties for businesses of all sizes. The last two years has seen travel disruption, due to storms and heavy snow that would normally not affect most of the South of England. So now is the time, if you haven’t done so already, to make sure your business is prepared. This article will help your business to balance the health and safety of employees with minimising disruption to its operations...

20/12/2011:
How to ... wrap up 2011
2011 has been a busy year for changes to legislation and for the introduction of new laws. We thought we would wrap up all the main events of 2011 in … 2011 was the year that saw: Retirement disappear from October 2011.  The default retirement age is now abolished and employers can no longer use the retirement process to force employees to retire. New paternity leave legislation...

30/11/2011:
How to ... manage an ageing workforce
The end of October saw the last, of those eligible, employees retire.  The default retirement age is now a thing of the past.  Employers can no longer use the retirement process to force employees to retire. The pressure, from the economic downturn, on pensions and personal savings means more employees will now seriously consider whether to extend their working lives beyond what they may have originally planned...

15/11/2011:
How to ... avoid discriminatory comments at work
Recently we have been following the allegation of racist comments made by Football’s John Terry towards a fellow footballer.  David Cameron, celebrities in the Big Brother house, and many others have had allegations made against them for racist or sexist comments.     Following our last article about how to handle a stressed employee, this week we look at what happens should an employee’s stress show itself in the form of a discriminatory comment at work...

01/11/2011:
How to ... manage stressed employees
Stress is the number one cause of Long Term Sickness Absence for both manual and non manual employees. Long term sickness absence means sickness that lasts for four weeks or more. Stress, as a reason for long term sickness absence, has risen to 33% compared with 24% last year. The increase is linked to employees worries about job security and mental health problems. This isn’t surprising given that nearly half of employers are planning to restructure their business...

12/10/2011:
How to … manage the use of social media at work
The use of social media networking sites has increased immensely over the last few years.  Many perceive it's use as a fun and creative way of doing business as well as bringing people together socially, who may otherwise have not communicated at all.  Many Companies are involved in social media to grow their business...

28/09/2011:
How to ... manage your managers
A huge part of your business success is related to your ability to get results through others. Small businesses especially rely on a small number of senior people to be multi-skilled.  For instance they may be doing a technical job as well as helping to run the business.  The skills required are quite broad and may encompass a range of skills...

20/09/2011:
How to ... communicate feedback on performance
Continuing on our theme of performance management, this week we look at giving feedback and some practical pointers to help you on your way. Successful feedback describes actions or behaviour that the employee can do something about. It is about sharing information and observations and should not include advice unless this is requested...

07/09/2011:
How to ... hold an appraisal meeting
With private sector businesses reluctant to recruit, businesses are expecting their employees to consistently work to their maximum potential. If you help individuals to achieve their maximum potential within the Company, then this will lead to the success of the business...

23/08/2011:
How to ... manage performance continually
Following on from last week’s article about managing probationary periods, this week we focus on how to continue with managing performance continually.  The key to being satisfied with your new employee is through performance management from day one...

16/08/2011:
How to ... manage the probation process
The average payout for unfair dismissal claim is £9,120.  Therefore it is essential that businesses do what they can to protect themselves.  One way of avoiding an unfair dismissal claim is to be certain that before your employee reaches the one year length of service, they are performing satisfactorily and that their conduct is acceptable...

27/07/2011:
How to ... Induct a new employee
Starting a new job is a demanding and often stressful experience. As well as the obvious challenge of tackling new tasks, there is also the need to become accustomed to a new organisation, a new environment and new colleagues. The objectives of induction are to enable new employees to quickly become fully integrated members of their working groups, help them adjust to their new job and the organisation. Research has shown that tailor-made induction programmes increase staff retention...

19/07/2011:
How to ... Check an applicant is legally entitled to work in the UK
There has been much cricisism of the UK Border Agency over it’s lack of control of the Immigration process. The Government is concerned about the number of workers entering the UK and has now set an annual limit on the number of non-EEA nationals who can enter into the UK each year. Along with changes to the Immigration process, there is increasing pressure on employers to carry out thorough checks on potential employees before they start work...

06/07/2011:
How to avoid discrimination during the recruitment and selection process
Following on from last week’s article about avoiding discrimination during recruitment advertising, this week we focus on the rest of the recruitment and selection process. What do you need to know and how can you avoid discrimination and a costly employment tribunal? Recruitment policy You may wish to consider implementing a recruitment policy to outline the fair and effective recruitment process the business will follow...

29/06/2011:
How to ... avoid discrimination during recruitment advertising
Equality legislation not only protects people when they are in their jobs, but during the recruitment process too.  The legislation makes sure that no one is treated less favourably when applying for a job.  Job applicants can make a claim against you, even though you do not employ them, if they feel they have been discriminated against during the recruitment process. It is therefore important to avoid discriminatory language during all the stages of the recruitment process...

14/06/2011:
How to ... get recruitment right first time
“The number of people in employment aged 16 and over increased by 118,000 in the first quarter of 2011”(Office for National Statistics).  Whilst, in percentage terms, this is a small increase, it is a hopeful sign that businesses are now recovering, albeit with caution.  Some businesses are looking to recruit in skills that will give their business the boost it needs.  With more applicants than jobs, you might be thinking that recruiting the best will be easier...

24/05/2011:
How to ... take on an apprentice
At a time when we are striving to build a more vibrant economy, we need to seek ways in which to  develop skills in order to become a more competitive nation.  It is increasingly important to have the right balance of skills in a business and have confidence in a committed and loyal workforce. Whilst larger companies such as British Gas tend to have well established apprenticeship schemes, the Government want to encourage smaller businesses to take on apprentices...

11/05/2011:
How to ... keep control of expense claims
There seems to be a worrying trend of employees taking advantage of their employers by exaggerating claim amounts or claiming expenses that are not genuine. Businesses who manage their expenses will see the benefits to their bottom-line...

03/05/2011:
How to ... manage business in a crisis
The horrific recent disasters, such as the Japan earthquake and Tsunami and the oil spill in America, bring home to us just how fragile and vulnerable we are.  These events heighten our awareness of how vulnerable businesses are too.    These events remind us of many other risks that may affect your business and these range from fire, flood, serious computer malfunction and fraud...

26/04/2011:
How to ... handle the Royal Wedding Day - Extra Day Off?
Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry on Friday 29th April 2011.  This will be an additional public holiday and could cost businesses £52m.  Do you have to pay your employees for the extra day off? There is no statutory entitlement to paid leave for public holidays.  Any right to paid time off for such holidays depends on the terms in your contracts of employment...

30/03/2011:
How to ... handle an appeal hearing
So you dismissed a difficult employee and you breathe a sigh of relief.  Just when you think it is all over, you receive a letter from the employee, appealing against the decision...

16/03/2011:
How to … handle a witness at a formal hearing
The Employment Relations Act 1999 states that workers (not just employees) may be accompanied at disciplinary or grievance hearings. This is a statutory right and the worker is to be accompanied by a fellow worker or a trade union representative in order to have a witness to the hearing...

01/03/2011:
How to ... discipline an employee (for misconduct)
Whether your employee has committed a minor misconduct offence (i.e. not turned up for work) or a serious offence that maybe considered gross misconduct (i.e. theft) your business needs the reassurance that it can manage the situation swiftly with as little inconvenience as possible to the general running of the business.  This means that the business needs to follow carefully their own disciplinary procedures and the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance...

22/02/2011:
How to ... handle an harassment claim
Now that the Equality Act has become effective, has your business updated your harassment and bullying policies?  How would your business handle such a complaint from an employee?  Does your policy comply with the new Equality Act? Firstly it is important to ensure that the Company’s bullying / harassment policy is up to date and that it’s definitions are in line with the new Equality Act.  The key review points to become compliant with the new Act are: 1...

15/02/2011:
How to ... retire an employee
The Coalition Government has now decided to abolish the Default Retirement Age which is currently 65.  Therefore in order to retire any employees fairly before the deadline, businesses only have until 6th April 2011 to begin the retirement process, by notifying employees of their intention to retire them.  Any retirements must take place before 1st October 2011...

26/01/2011:
How to ... manage sickness absence
A recent report found that sickness absence rates are still high in the private sector at rate of 6.6 days per employee per year.  Over a third of those employers believed that stress related absences, along with mental health problems, have increased in the last year.  The most effect methods of reducing absence are to intervene at an early stage and good communication...

18/01/2011:
How to ... make employees feel valued without spending a fortune
  Homemade gifts are becoming increasingly popular: from homemade jewellery, to knitted and baked goods; these gifts give us more pleasure than a more expensive shop bought gift.  The cliche is still so true, "it's the thought that counts".  So with this in mind, can this experience be related to the workplace at a time when employees need to feel valued but where the budgets are still very tight?  Pay rises for many are frozen and bonuses are a distant memory...

04/01/2011:
How to ... know what documentation to keep
One of your new year’s resolutions maybe to clear out all those bulging files and filing cabinets.  Before you go and shred the lot you may wish to ensure that you comply with the record retention periods.  The table below describes the types of documents you need to keep and for how long.  The table is split into HR documentation, Health & Safety documentation and Finance documentation...

14/12/2010:
How to ... get into the festive spirit without exposing the company to claims
It’s continued to be a tough year for many employers and what better way to reward their employees than to throw an office party, off site and with plenty of free booze!  But beware, once the professional reserve is shaken off, the need to show-off kicks in, often followed by some embarrassing mistakes.  These mistakes may be leading you to the tribunal courts in the New Year, so it’s best to be prepared so that you don’t have any regrets the morning (or weeks) after...

24/11/2010:
How to ... manage the Royal Wedding, extra day off work
Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry on Friday 29th April 2011. This will be an additional public holiday and could cost businesses £52m. This falls in the same week as Easter Monday, resulting in companies only operating for three days that week. When businesses are navigating their way through choppy times, an extra public holiday is probably not what businesses need...

17/11/2010:
How to ... manage an employee who is about to go on maternity leave
Dealing with pregnancy and maternity at work should not be a stressful experience for either the employer or employee. So to help you, here are some facts about the key things you need to get you started.   So when an employee tells you that they are pregnant, rather than hit the panic button, you can remain calm in the knowledge that you are prepared...

03/11/2010:
How to ... Avoid redundancies and still cut costs
There is still much debate about the fallout of the Government’s spending cuts. A common problem for our clients has been how to avoid making redundancies in these still uncertain times. Many Companies have had to consider creative ways to manage their employees during the recession. They also want to retain their skills and talent at the same time as cutting costs. Here are our favourite solutions for avoiding a redundancy situation in the short and medium term...

20/10/2010:
How to ... manage employees on long term sickness absence
With the Government spending review and impending cuts, no one is going to be left unscathed.  The media have highlighted  people who have been claiming incapacity benefits for years but who, some may argue, are capable of doing some work.  They are preparing themselves for the possibility of having their benefits cut if they don’t return to work...

05/10/2010:
How to ... manage a witness at a disciplinary hearing
The Employment Relations Act 1999 states that workers (not just employees) may be accompanied at disciplinary or grievance hearings.  This is a statutory right and the worker is to be accompanied by a fellow worker or a trade union representative in order to have a witness to the hearing...

21/09/2010:
Equality Act - Checklist for Employers
Equality Act 2010 - checklist of key changes to make to existing employment documents to ensure compliance   Document   Changes to make by 1 October 2010 Equality/Equal Opportunities/Diversity policy Ensure that the policy prohibits discrimination on grounds of the full list of protected characteristics in the Equality Act:   Age Disability Gender re-assignment Marriage and civil partnership Pregnancy and maternity Race Religion or belief Sex Sexual Orientation   Include an explanation of the practical steps you will take to stop discrimination taking place in the workplace, if not already included...

14/09/2010:
How to … manage stressed employees
The economic downturn is a factor in the increased numbers of stress-related sickness absences.  It can have a two-fold effect on sickness levels: some employees may feel increased pressure to show their loyalty to the Company and attend work even when they are sick; other employees will remain away from work because they are sick with stress and anxiety-related illnesses...

01/09/2010:
How to ... manage employees who do not want to retire
The Government is planning to scrap the default retirement age (DRA) with effect from October 2011.  The DRA will be phased out from April 2011.  Currently employers can make employees retire at 65 regardless of their circumstances, thus the employer has control over retention and termination.  Some argue that the pendulum will, from April 2011, swing in favour of the employee and employers will have to wait for employees to decide when they are ready to leave...

25/08/2010:
How to ... manage a redundancy programme
Potential redundancy situations can occur for a number of reasons, from market down-turn to funding or cash–flow crisis.  It is a stressful time for both the company and the employees.  It is important therefore that the redundancy programme is well managed.   Is there a genuine redundancy situation?   Ensure that there is a genuine redundancy situation and back this up with a documented business case for the proposed redundancies...

18/08/2010:
How to ... implement performance management
What is Performance Management? Performance Management is often termed as the process for dealing with under performance.  However, performance management should be a positive concept that is incorporated into the culture of your business.  A high achieving culture should allow you to maximise the performance of the organisation, team and individual because everyone knows what they should be doing, how they should be doing it and take responsibility for what they achieve...

27/07/2010:
How to ... give feedback on performance
Successful feedback describes actions or behaviour that the employee can do something about.  It is about sharing information and observations and should not include advice unless this is requested.  Whether you are conducting employee’s appraisals, have feedback to give to a team about a project or are managing a disciplinary or sensitive issue, then knowing how to communicate feedback effectively is critical...

14/07/2010:
How to ... handle an appeal hearing
So you dismissed a difficult employee and you breathe a sigh of relief.  Just when you think it is all over, you receive a letter from the employee, appealing against the decision...

06/07/2010:
How to ... relax the dress code for summer and keep within the law
Is it too early to say that we are having a long-awaited hot summer?  This will probably result in your employees wearing less into work.  What maybe appropriate dress attire for BBQs at home, may not be appropriate for work.  So do you need a dress code?  How do you relax your dress code?  It is a good opportunity to review your dress code policy or to create one if one doesn’t already exist...

22/06/2010:
How to ... resolve conflict at work quickly
Workplace conflict is disruptive to businesses and many would agree that the quicker any issues are resolved the better.  Unfortunately what usually happens in practice is that small issues are not resolved and therefore they grow into problems, grievances and disputes.  These take up a huge amount of management time and effort and often the resolution ends in someone leaving the business...

08/06/2010:
How to ... ensure your business technology is secure
The technology giant, Apple, are disciplining an employee who left an unreleased model of the new iPhone in a beer garden.  The unreleased iPhone was so new it hadn’t even been named...

26/05/2010:
How to ... keep your contracts agile and protected simultaneously
The news has been full of the British Airways dispute.  The high court ruled that the planned strike of BA employees was illegal.  This was mainly down to a technicality in that eleven spoiled ballot papers weren’t communicated.  This highlights the importance of following your procedures and the need for businesses to have flexibility in order to remain competitive...

27/04/2010:
How to … manage the business in a crisis
There has been much media attention to heighten our awareness of potential disasters that could affect our businesses. Most recently many businesses have had to deal with the crisis of how to manage staff stranded abroad and how to cover their absence at work, due to the volcanic ash cloud. Whilst this crisis was a rare one, it reminds us of many other risks that may affect your business and these range from fire, flood, serious computer malfunction and fraud...

21/04/2010:
How to … performance manage your employees?
Once you have recruited the best people you can, businesses expect those employees to remain motivated and consistently work to their maximum potential...

06/04/2010:
How to … implement a cycle to work scheme
Whilst it may not feel a lot like spring, there are noticeably more people getting on their bikes to commute to work. There are many reasons why people are turning to their bikes as an alternative way of getting to and from work; cycling is healthy, enjoyable, cheaper, maybe quicker and more reliable than other methods of transport...

05/04/2010:
How to … manage business expenses
A recent report carried out by GlobalExpense, concluded that 11% of expense claims do not comply with the employer’s own policy. Of the £9 billion claimed, £2.1 billion are fraudulent. Whilst MP’s were embarrassed by the expenses scandal of 2009, there seems to be a worrying trend of employees taking advantage of their employers by exaggerating claim amounts or claiming expenses that are not genuine...

24/03/2010:
How to … avoid discrimination during recruitment advertising
Job Applicants can make a claim against you, even though you do not employ them, if they feel they have been discriminated against during the recruitment process. There has been a plethora of cases involving several large organisations that are accused of disregarding employment legislation by running potentially discriminatory advertisements...

16/03/2010:
How to … handle a bullying claim
There has been a great deal of media attention surrounding bullying allegations at Number 10...

02/03/2010:
How to… deal with the aftermath of redundancies
No business has been left unaffected by the recession. Redundancy has become a regular occurrence over the last 12 months. With many organisations not yet seeing the hopeful signs of recovery, they need to take stock and plan for the future. How do you ensure that your employees are encouraged to keep working hard for the success of the Company? If your business has been wounded by redundancies, we can help you through the healing process...

23/02/2010:
How to … manage the retirement of your employees?
The UK’s default retirement age is currently 65. However many employers are confused about their obligations and their employees rights. Current legislation makes it legal to retire employees at 65 but on the other hand employees have the right to request to work beyond retirement age. Is it up to employees to decide when they retire? A large amount of the working population will reach 65 in the next five to ten years...

17/02/2010:
Happy 10th Birthday FirstHR!
It’s been 10 year’s since FirstHR, or rather First People – as it was known then – was founded and nurtured. Since then we have grown-up into a professional company with a reputation for quality. Whilst some things have changed (we are all a little older due to the amount of employment legislation we’ve had to implement during that time) others have not...

16/02/2010:
How to … get recruitment right first time
The country is working towards economic recovery and we reflect on how well many businesses coped during the recession. Unemployment levels didn’t reach the highs that many expected. Businesses are now recovering, albeit with caution. Attention is now on recruiting talented individuals...

19/01/2010:
How to … deal with difficult employees
A new year is upon us and you maybe reflecting on 2009 and putting a plan together for 2010. Why not make one of your New Year’s resolutions to manage any troublesome employees? Businesses and their management have the skills and ability to overcome a variety of major issues affecting their business and yet so many shy away from confronting that one difficult employee who upsets others working life. It only takes one difficult employee to upset an entire team...

13/01/2010:
How to … continue to do business in the big freeze
After last week’s severe weather, businesses are trying to get back to some normality this week. However with more snow forecast, it looks like we are not out of the woods yet. Many major roads are now cleared and gritted. However, the conditions on many roads and car parks make driving treacherous. How is your business adapting? We have tried to answer some of your most common questions...

16/12/2009:
How to … manage sickness absence
Sickness absence affects all organisations and with an average of eight days per year, per employee lost to sickness absence, what can businesses do to manage sickness absence more effectively? Policy Having an absence policy in place and communicated to your employees will ensure that everyone is aware of what is expected and how any lengthy absences will be managed. This is the first step to ensuring that absences are managed and kept to a minimum...

12/09/2009:
Ho, Ho … oh not so funny! The Christmas Party
A recent survey suggests that 80% of employers will still be having a Christmas Party this year...