Growing your business - those next scary steps!

When it comes to being a small employer, it can be quite daunting taking on your first couple of employees and growing your business. How should you recruit? What can I, and importantly,  what can't I say? There are also lots of confusing and horror stories about employment law mistakes for a small businesses and where can you get the most up to date and cost effective support from - without paying through the nose for it! Well the shocking truth is that whether you employ 1 or 1,000 people every aspect of employment law applies to you and your business.

You probably didn’t dream of starting and running your business so that you could spend hours embroiled in employment law issues, contracts, payroll problems and everything else that comes along with employing people!

Some practical tips to consider when considering the growth of your business;

Do you employ or could you outsource?
Round pegs in round holes! – How do you recruit the best person? Given there is a huge amount of talent currently in the marketplace you want to attract the best possible candidate and naturally retain them.

Can you afford it?

What is the return on your investment likely to be?

Have you got a job description and person spec for the roles?

We always say.. Think big and follow that dream!

Sue Isaacson - HR Dept Cambridge will be at the Evolving Business Roadshow in Biggleswade on 9th September from 6pm where you will learn the most common management myths surrounding employment law.
As a speaker at the event The HR Dept will be providing practical tips on recruitment, contracts of employment, your obligations as an employer and how to avoid costly mistakes!

To find out more and to book your place: http://tiny.cc/zyoja

Witch is wicked

Given that "sickies" cost the UK economy and businesses £2.5 billion a year - reality tv shows must add some cost to this figure ...

Take for example the wookey witch!

Recruited in a locally high profile campaign, the acceptable candidate was required to have skills such as potion-making, cat-friendly and be able to cackle ...

Well it appears the witch's curse has struck - the current witch was spotted on auditions for X Factor, by her bosses, and excuse the pun, has ended up in a cauldron of hot water!

http://tiny.cc/am5c4

I mean the story headlines can write themselves ... 'witch put's curse on employer' ... maybe as an afterthought.

The reality being, even a witch can be put through a disciplinary procedure for trying to pull a "sickie". Good on the employer for being consistent and not being left green in the face.

Win HR Starter Toolkit

The HR Dept – Guildford have a stand at the “Woking means Business” Exhibition on the 7th October 2010, come and visit us for the opportunity to win a “HR Starter toolkit” worth £275 packed with advice, sample forms and procedures for your employees. For more information click here http://tiny.cc/s9i9c

Stand tall in the face of discrimination

Employment law may make it feel like employers can’t say anything to employees these days without getting themselves into trouble …
Well, in a very recent tribunal case http://tiny.cc/uhl2c a manager clearly overstepped the mark by humiliating a member of staff, but it's the reference to their height that has caught the headlines. The term “short arse” was used more than once to humiliate the suffering worker. Bullying and harassing behaviour is clearly not acceptable. This highlights the dangers for employers or managers who take it upon themselves to hold personal vendettas, height related or otherwise…
Lesson learnt here no doubt!