Legal advice

Set out clear guidelines for dealing with problem employees

Whilst running a business you may come across difficult employees. When you do it is essential to have an internal disciplinary procedure in place to deal with the problem and so avoid being taken to a tribunal, says employment consultant Jim Brown.

News

SMEs penalised by workplace discrimination

Small businesses should brush up on their employment practices after latest figures show that nearly half of all cases of discrimination in the workplace are brought against firms employing less than 24 staff.

Marketing

Using radio as an advertising medium

Rick Hopkins of the Forum of Private Business has sounded a note of caution to small businesses on using radio as an advertising medium.

Getting Online

A faster and cheaper way for SMEs to resolve .uk domain name disputes

A new dispute resolution service to help both individuals and organisations resolve disputes over .uk internet domain names faster and more fairly, has been set up.

Alternative finance

More SMEs using factoring to improve cashflow

The number of small- and medium-sized businesses using factoring to get quicker access to cash they are owed has risen noticeably over the past year, according to new research from the Factors & Discounters Association (FDA).

News

‘Safe harbour’ scheme gives on-line advertisers credibility

Small businesses are not always able to compete with their larger competitors on price, but there are other ways to differentiate themselves and capture a potential consumer's eye.

Marketing

Free SME guide to the power of effective design

Big business knows that there are many commercial advantages to be gained by deploying the right kind of design.

Employing & managing staff

Simplify reclaiming maternity pay!

Too much red tape is preventing many small businesses from reclaiming the Statutory Maternity Pay they provide to their employees.

News

Environmental legislation self-help site Net Regs launched

Help is finally at hand for Scottish and Northern Irish SMEs that are having difficulty understanding and implementing the burgeoning environmental legislation in the UK.

Marketing

Royal Mail provides insight into direct marketing

The Royal Mail has launched a new website service to assist businesses that use Direct Marketing (DM) as an integral part of the their overall marketing strategy.

News

Placements pump SMEs with latest know-how

SMEs could benefit from an undergraduate work placement scheme designed to tackle a problem or a new opportunity which a smaller business may not have the time, resources or in-house skills to deal with.

News

Social responsibility can be a money-spinner for businesses

Businesses can broaden their customer base, improve their profile, increase productivity and cut down on costs if they adopt a more caring attitude towards their local community.