Managing relationships in the workplace
It’s February and with Valentine’s Day upon us, we’re thinking about relationships in the workplace. Whatever size your business is, in all likelihood you employ people who also have personal relationships with each other outside of work. In fact many relationships begin with people meeting at work, these may form in to long term partnerships or friendships. You may also employ members of your own family or have employees that are related. Whilst these relationships should not be viewed as a problem, this blog looks at the complexities of relationships in the work place, with a particular focus on family businesses.
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Recruiting for less desirable roles
Do you find certain roles in your company harder to recruit for than others? Perhaps you think the role is undesirable and rather boring. Just take a moment, remember that one size doesn’t fit all. Just because you don’t enjoy doing something doesn't mean someone else won't. Knowing who you need to attract and where to find them is essential. Here are some tips you should consider when you are recruiting for less desirable roles.
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Employee financial wellbeing
How financially healthy do your employees feel today? Do they feel on top of their finances and positive about their financial future? Or are they struggling to make ends meet each month and worried about paying mounting debts? As an employer you may feel that it isn’t your place to get involved. But the impact that financial problems have on a person can be huge and can inevitably spill in to all aspects of their life including their performance at work. So how can you help?
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People retention
Do you have a formal strategy for retaining employees once they have been recruited? A high turnover rate has big financial repercussions for a business, and can also lower the knowledge base in your company. You might think that people are purely driven by salary, however research has shown that this isn’t the case. Creating a healthy and happy work environment are essential. Read on for practical methods you can use to help retain your people.
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Performance management review
You may well be embarking on your annual performance management reviews. How much stress does this cause you as a leader and your staff? In this challenging economic and volatile climate, employees can feel that performance management reviews are little more than a box-ticking activity. With pay freezes and other budgets squeezed, it can be difficult for them to see personal incentives to achieve goals. As a leader and manager it is vital that you always engage with your employees to ensure you have their trust and commitment, to enable them to meet their goals and objectives. Here are five tips for achieving the most out of your people and their performance management reviews.
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Gender pay gap
On the 10 November it was Equal Pay Day, from late afternoon the average full-time female employee stopped earning for the year compared to the average full-time man. Before this, in October we also saw headlines that Asda faces £100m equal pay battle with shop floor staff. A tribunal ruled that thousands of women who work in the retailer’s stores can lodge a claim over the alleged gender pay gap. As a business owner it is highly likely that you have female employees. Are you fostering a culture of gender equality where equal pay is a given?
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Avoid a Christmas work party disaster
As we enter the festive season you have probably already started to organise some form of celebration or party for your staff. It should be a great event for colleagues to get together and relax. However, what happens if somebody goes too far? And then somebody else records them and it plays out on social media? Despite being out of office hours and usually away from work premises, the office Christmas party is seen as an extension of work by the Employment Tribunal, and therefore, normal working behaviour should be adhered to. Here are our tips on how to avoid Christmas party disasters and to simply enjoy the festivities.
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Managing politics in the workplace
Headlines of Brexit and the US presidential election have dominated our news this year. They may well have dominated conversations in your business too. As a leader you will no doubt have had to deal with your own office politics and may well have found yourself embroiled in a conflict between employees. Some aspects of politics will almost always occur in the workplace. As a leader you are expected to be politically knowledgeable and resolve any conflict. Read on for our advice on managing office politics and creating a working culture where conflict can be resolved.
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How to effectively manage annual leave
Christmas is fast approaching and as a leader it can be difficult to manage staff holidays. Even large corporations can find it hard but in smaller businesses with less people, covering holidays can prove really challenging. Often employees want to take their holidays in the same week, particularly at Christmas, New Years and other school holidays. Here are our tips on how you can best manage employee holidays and avoid the related issues that come with it.
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Key employment law changes
Changes to employment law affect all companies but can be particularly challenging for SMEs to navigate. Larger corporations have an entire HR department in place to administer and communicate the changes at all levels of the business. But what if you don’t have a dedicated HR department? This is the case for most SMEs. Legislation isn’t something just to be passed on to separate departments. It’s something the whole company has to be aware of. The complexity of employment law can be overwhelming, but it is essential that you are up to date and keeping abreast of it. Here are some key employment law changes that you should be aware of.
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