Employing & managing staff

The latest guides on employing and managing full or part time staff effectively as a small business owner or sole trader. Contains advice on employment law, health and safety at work, recruitment, training, redundancy and disciplinary information, employee rights, workplace regulations, and much more.

This section provides expert and in-depth advice articles on all aspects of staff management and human resources legislation. Our aim is to help UK small businesses to hire great employees, manage them effectively and look after them properly.

Other key topics covered in this employing staff section include team management, employee motivation, legal rights and responsibilities, managing absence, maternity pay and leave, taking on new staff, induction programmes, communication, workplace policies, flexible working, job descriptions, employment contracts and related information.

We also provide information on HR tools, templates and resources specially targeted at SMEs as well as suitable training courses and workshops that can help you get the best out of your staff to make a more efficient, more profitable, happy and productive company. Sounds good? Then read on…

Guide to interviewing candidates

While candidates have to be well prepared, you, as the interviewer, must also take steps to ready yourself for the interview process.

Employing & managing staff

Guide to dismissal and disciplinary rules

When the need arises to take disciplinary action against an employee you must follow the standard three-step dismissal and disciplinary procedure.

Employing & managing staff

Dealing with staff absenteeism

Tesco are currently piloting non-payment of sick pay for the first three days at some of their stores in a bid to reduce absenteeism.

Employing & managing staff

Avoid discrimination headaches

Business owners have to be extremely careful not to discriminate on grounds of age, disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and many, many more.

Employing & managing staff

Protecting your business when an employee leaves

You can't prevent an employee leaving your business but there are steps you can take to ensure that important clients do not go with them.

Employing & managing staff

How to make sure you keep your best staff

There are two ways of looking at high employee turnover rates: are you getting the right staff in the first place, and are you making sure that you are keeping your best staff? Losing staff can effectively kill a small business because your employees cover a range of tasks.