Handbook

28 02 2023

How to Develop an Effective Diversity and Inclusion Program

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Handbook #diversity, #inclusion, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

How to Develop an Effective Diversity and Inclusion Program

As a human resources consultant, I have seen the positive impact that a strong diversity and inclusion program can have on a company. A diverse and inclusive workplace not only attracts top talent from a variety of backgrounds, but it also leads to increased creativity, better problem-solving, and higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction.

However, developing an effective diversity and inclusion program is not a one-time event, but rather an ongoing process that requires commitment and effort from everyone in the organisation. Here are some steps that you can follow to develop an effective diversity and inclusion program:

Conduct a company-wide assessment: The first step in developing a diversity and inclusion program is to assess your company’s current level of diversity and inclusion. This can be done through employee surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews with employees. Use the results of this assessment to identify areas for improvement and to set specific goals for your diversity and inclusion program.

Establish a diversity and inclusion steering committee: To ensure that your diversity and inclusion program is aligned with your company’s mission and values, establish a steering committee made up of employees from a variety of departments and backgrounds. This committee should be responsible for setting the direction of the program, and for ensuring that diversity and inclusion initiatives are integrated into all aspects of the company.

Develop a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy: Based on the results of the company-wide assessment and the goals of the steering committee, develop a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy that outlines specific actions to be taken and metrics to be used to measure success. This strategy should address all aspects of the company, including recruitment and hiring, employee development, and company culture.

Provide training and development opportunities: To support the growth and development of all employees, provide training and development opportunities that focus on diversity and inclusion. This can include workshops, webinars, and one-on-one coaching. Encourage all employees to participate in these opportunities, and make sure that they are accessible and inclusive to all.

Foster a culture of inclusion: To create a workplace that is truly diverse and inclusive, it is important to foster a culture of inclusion. This can be achieved by encouraging open and honest communication, valuing differences, and creating an environment where all employees feel valued and respected. Encourage employees to share their thoughts and opinions, and provide opportunities for them to participate in company events and activities.

Monitor and measure progress: To ensure that your diversity and inclusion program is effective, it is important to monitor and measure progress. Use metrics to track progress against specific goals, and regularly solicit feedback from employees to assess the impact of the program. Use this information to make ongoing improvements to the program and to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of your company and employees.

Developing an effective diversity and inclusion program is not an easy task, but it is an important one that can have a significant impact on the success of your company. By following these steps and committing to continuous improvement, you can create a workplace that is diverse, inclusive, and supportive of all employees.

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If you want to know more on how we can help your business with Human Resources and the importance of getting it right, contact us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

Young workers' safety highlighted during National Apprentice Week

24 02 2023

Gender pay gap will not close until 2044.

Matthew Chilcott Employment Law, General, Handbook, Recruitment, Rewards & Benefits #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Recruitment, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “When I saw this latest press article in relation to Equal Pay and the fact that they are predicting now that the pay gap will not close until 2044, I was shocked. The Equal Pay Act 1970 was one of a range of equality Acts such as Race Relations Act 1976, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to name a few. These were all repealed in October 2010 when the Equality Act 2010 was introduced and considering this was over 48 years ago, we still have a long way to go! The Equality Act 2010’s main points are:

Legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. It replaces previous anti-discrimination laws within a single Act making the law easier to understand and strengthening protection in some situations. Full details of the Act can be found by clicking here on the Governments Legislation website.

As outsourced HR Consultants we ensure that all our clients work to best practice and the law and the Equality Act 2010) EQA 2010) is just one piece of Legislation we ensure our clients, and their teams adhere to throughout as nobody should receive unfavourable treatment in the workplace. We work with all our clients to ensure that a comprehensive, user friendly Employee Handbook is provided that is written in plain English and that full access is always available through our IT system should it be needed by any member of the team. The protected Characteristics under the EQA 2010 in part 2, Chapter 1, sections 5-12 are:

Age, Disability, Gender reassignment, Marriage and Civil Partnerships, Pregnancy and Maternity, Race, Religion or belief, Sex and Sexual Orientation.

Awards if proven at an Employment Tribunal can be unlimited

NEWS ARTICLE: Gender pay gap will not close until 2044.

Analysis by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) shows that the gender pay gap is almost 15% and widens “dramatically” after women have children. The report also reveals that women effectively work for free for 54 days due to the discrepancy between what men and women are typically paid. Women aged between 50 and 59 have the highest pay gap of 20.8%, while for those aged 60 and over it is 18.4%. The gender pay gap is largest in the South East of England (17.9%) and East of England (17.5%). TUC analysis of official data shows that the gender pay gap has fallen by an average of 0.4 percentage points a year since 2011. At the current rate of progress, it will take until 2044 for pay parity to be achieved. TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Working women deserve equal pay, but at current rates of progress, it will take more than 20 years to close the gender pay gap.” He added: “It’s clear that just publishing gender pay gaps isn’t working. Companies must be required to publish action plans to explain what steps they’ll take to close their pay gaps, and bosses who don’t comply with the law should be fined.”

City AM

The Independent

The Human Times

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If you want to know more on how to manage sickness within your organisation for the benefit of the company and employees, please get in contact now.

13 02 2023

The Importance of Human Resources in Business

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Law, General, Handbook, Health & Safety, Investigations, Newsletter, Payrol, Performance Management, Recruitment, Redundancy, Rewards & Benefits, Training & Development #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

The Importance of Human Resources in Business – Human resources (HR) is a vital function within any successful business. Its primary purpose is to attract, retain, and develop talent, which is crucial for growth and competitiveness in today’s ever-evolving business environment. In this article, we’ll delve into the significance of HR in business and examine the many roles it plays in driving organisational performance.

To begin with, HR is responsible for attracting and retaining top talent. In today’s job market, with increased competition and a limited pool of available employees, it’s essential for companies to stand out and appeal to the best candidates. HR plays a crucial role in this regard by creating effective recruitment strategies that attract top talent to the organisation. This may involve utilising a variety of methods, including career fairs, social media, and employee referral programs, to reach potential candidates and showcase the company’s values, culture, and opportunities.

Once the top talent is on board, HR must then ensure that they are properly trained, developed, and integrated into the company culture. The success of a business is directly tied to the performance of its employees, and HR must make sure that employees have the necessary skills, knowledge, and support to excel in their roles. HR can do this by providing job training and development programs, implementing performance management systems, and conducting employee engagement surveys. These initiatives not only help employees perform better but also increase their job satisfaction, motivation, and overall engagement.

In addition to talent acquisition and development, HR also plays a critical role in ensuring that the company operates within the legal and ethical framework. This includes compliance with labour laws and regulations, as well as addressing workplace conflicts and disputes. HR must also be proactive in promoting a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and ensure that the company operates in a manner that aligns with its values and ethical principles.

One of the significant benefits of having a strong HR function is that it helps to create and maintain a positive and productive workplace culture. A healthy work environment fosters employee engagement and motivation, leading to higher levels of productivity and overall performance. HR plays a key role in shaping and maintaining the company culture by creating a welcoming and inclusive work environment, promoting open communication, and recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions. By doing so, HR helps to reduce employee turnover and increase employee satisfaction, leading to improved business results.

Another crucial role that HR plays in business is employee relations. This involves managing employee benefits and compensation, addressing employee concerns, and resolving disputes. HR must ensure that employees are paid fairly and receive adequate benefits, such as health insurance and retirement plans. They must also be knowledgeable about the company’s policies and procedures and be able to communicate them effectively to employees. Additionally, HR must be available to listen to employee concerns and provide guidance and support when necessary. By fostering a positive and productive work environment, HR helps employees feel valued and appreciated, leading to higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction.

Finally, HR is responsible for supporting the overall strategic objectives of the organisation. This involves aligning HR initiatives and policies with the company’s goals and objectives and working with other departments to ensure that the company operates as effectively and efficiently as possible. For example, HR may work with the marketing department to develop and implement employee branding and recruitment initiatives that align with the company’s marketing strategy. Additionally, HR may partner with the finance department to develop and implement compensation and benefits programs that support the company’s financial objectives.

In conclusion, the importance of HR in business cannot be overstated. From attracting and retaining top talent, to creating a positive workplace culture, and supporting the overall strategic objectives of the organisation, HR plays a critical role in driving organisational performance and success. Companies that invest in their HR function will reap the rewards of improved employee engagement, higher productivity, and a more effective and efficient business operation. Investing in HR programs and initiatives, such as leadership development, diversity and inclusion, and employee engagement, will ensure that the organisation remains competitive in today’s fast-paced business environment and attracts and retains the best talent.

In addition to the tangible benefits of a strong HR function, there are also intangible benefits that are equally important. A company with a positive workplace culture and engaged employees is more likely to have a good reputation, which can lead to increased brand recognition and a positive image in the eyes of customers and stakeholders. This, in turn, can lead to increased customer loyalty and a more stable customer base, which is critical for long-term success.

It’s also worth mentioning that HR is not just about managing employees, but it’s also about managing the company’s most significant asset: its people. By providing support, guidance, and development opportunities, HR helps employees reach their full potential and contribute to the success of the organisation. Additionally, by fostering a positive and inclusive workplace culture, HR can help to create a workplace that employees are proud to be a part of, which in turn leads to higher levels of employee satisfaction, motivation, and performance.

Contact us now

If you want to know more on how we can help your business with Human Resources and the importance of getting it right, contact us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

30 01 2023

Reporting accidents and illness at work

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, General, Handbook, Health & Safety #employeesickness, #outsourcedhumanresources, #sickness, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, Owner of Consensus HR comments: Reporting accidents and illness at work “Throughout my career this is one Health & Safety Form / process that I have not had to complete that often, but it is vital as an employer that you are fully aware the procedure and when to use and who to inform. RIDDOR, is the Reporting Injuries, Diseases, Dangerous, Occurrence Regulations 2013 and our current blog is from the Health & Safety Executive with some key useful information and tools for all employers and businesses to use as needed.”

Make sure you submit a RIDDOR report for a workplace accident or illness where necessary.

RIDDOR puts duties on employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises to report certain serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases and specified dangerous occurrences.

Visit our website to find out:

Our publication Reporting accidents and incidents at work explains what is required from employers and provides information about RIDDOR.

HSE’s Accident Book can be used to record details of all work-related accidents including injuries that employers must report under RIDDOR.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

Full HR & H&S Support

Consensus HR realises that many UK based SMEs understand the importance of Human Resources (HR) and Health & Safety (H&S) but cannot justify the cost of a full time HR person / team within their business, whilst knowing that when running a business of any size (from one employee to 250) that there will be a time when they will have to deal with a range of HR and H&S issues and employee problems. Consensus HR can be your organisation’s HR department providing everything you would expect to find in a big company but in a more cost-effective way. We provide our clients access to unlimited HR advice and employment law which is accredited by leading professional bodies, including the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board.

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When it comes to Health & Safety there are many forms and procedures you must follow but what is RIDDOR? and when should you use it?

28 11 2022

100 firms move to permanent four-day week

Matthew Chilcott Employment Law, General, Handbook, Recruitment, Rewards & Benefits #100firms, #4dayweek, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, Hertford, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott of Consensus HR Comments: “Talk of the four-day week has been going on for some time now and especially since the Pandemic occurred but what are your views and the companies on this? It will be interesting to see the feedback in the future with this initial 100 British companies and the affect it has had on moral, health, motivation and company profits. We await the outcome, but have you considered it? Is it the way forward? Personally, I believe as long as the correct Policies and Procedures are put in place for the team and company and the required results are achieved, then why not have a four-day week? I look forward to hearing client’s views in the future and seeing how many do actually give it a go!”

NEWS ARTICAL:

One hundred British businesses have signed up for a permanent four-day working week that will see no loss of pay for staff. Around 2,600 employees are set to benefit from the new working pattern. The two biggest companies to have signed up are Atom Bank and global marketing company Awin, which each have about 450 UK staff. Accredited firms have demonstrated that they have genuinely reduced hours for workers rather than forced them into longer days. A global trial has seen more than 3,300 employees across 70 companies and charities taking part in a six-month experiment. At the half-way point in September, the trial – which involves researchers at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford, Boston college and think-tank Autonomy – saw 88% of the UK respondents say the four-day week was working well for their business. Around 95% said productivity had either stayed the same or improved. However, it was noted that only around half of those taking part responded to the survey canvassing opinion at the three-month mark.

The Daily Mail

The Guardian

The Human Times

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This article talks about 100 companies going over to a four day week, but what are your views? If you would like to discuss how this could be achieved from a HR perspective, give us a call email now.

13 09 2022

Seven HR basics – 7 Employee Handbook

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, General, Handbook Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's

This edition of our Seven HR basics – 7. Employee Handbook discusses Employee Handbooks and that they are one of the key HR foundations for any business. They ensure that all your team members know what is expected from them. This includes holidays and hours to how poor misconduct may be dealt with in line with employment law. They set out the rules for ensuring that everybody within the team knows what action can be taken by the company, should expectations not be met. Two examples are Disciplinaries and Grievances; initial actions and steps of last resort, would be included.

Our Handbooks are legally written by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and our HR business professional. We consider all your specific business areas, ensuring legal adherence.

An Employee Handbook puts all the key information and rules in one easy place and allows them to access the information as and when required without needing to ask a member of staff which, during the first few days of a role, can sometimes be quite daunting. We encourage these to be easily accessible and available online through the use of our Breathe HR IT system

As part of the Seven HR – Back to basics; a Company Employee Handbook allows the team to gain an understanding of what is expected from them and the company with areas such as pay, hours of work and benefits to communication and team events to name a few. We also ensure that important company policies are included such as disciplinary & grievance, equality and sickness.

We work with our clients to ensure that the handbook is tailored to the business, reflecting the organisation’s values/vision, and on occasion, a welcome letter from the management team.

Failure to provide an Employee Handbook may result in members of the team claiming they were not aware of a Policy or where to find out about that Policy and can help managers manage more effectively as they can direct team members to the handbook for information thus allowing them to manage more effectively. We also suggest that all Policies and Procedures, Company Handbook, a member of the teams Contract of Employment and Job Description are easily accessible to them via a user-friendly IT system such as Breathe HR.

To read any of our seven HR Back to basics, click below:

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If your company needs a comprehensive employee Contract, then why not call us now for a non obligatory discussion?

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30 08 2022

Latest HR blog Newsletter – August 2022

Matthew Chilcott General, Handbook Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's

Welcome to our Latest HR blog Newsletter – August 2022 which includes a collection of all the blogs we have written for the month from details of our HR Surgery days to our 7 HR Back to basics for businesses and business owners.

Cycle to Work Day

Yesterday was Cycle to Work Day Do you want to start a cycle to work scheme and don’t know where to start? Do you want to increase your Companies engagement in your existing Cycle to Work scheme?

Seven HR – Back to basics

Our company mission statement is “Helping companies take the pain out of managing people, whilst preventing people problems” but what does this actually mean? We can help you and your Company put in place the ‘Seven HR – Back to basics’.

7 HR – Back to basics – 1 – Recruitment

1. Recruitment and Selection:

When making the decision to recruit, business owners need to ensure that a set company Policy and Procedure is in place that ensures you work to best practice, the law and maintain consistency throughout, when recruiting members of the team. This is step 1 of the 7 HR – Back to basics.

Latest HR Surgeries

We’ve set up a series of one-to-one face to face Human Resources -HR surgeries with a mix of practical advice and guidance to help you take your organisation to the next level. Detail of our Latest HR Surgeries are found by clicking below

7 HR – Back to basics – 2 Employment Contract

ince the change in the law in April 2020, employees are entitled to an Employment Contract from day one of employment when previously it was within 3 months. We are still finding that many companies do not provide this on day one of employment, but this should be produced when the decision to employ the person has been made and signed, dated and sent to them for their viewing, with the agreement signed and dated.

7 HR – Back to basics – 3 Employment checks

What are the checks and possible repercussions?

All employers within the UK have a responsibility to prevent illegal working. Since Brexit, there are additional needs for employers to check the legality of employees right to work in the UK and the correct checks must be made. We advise every client, to obtain copies of employees Passports and/or Visa’s and keep this securely on an IT system with the employees’ consent. It is important that as part of 7 HR – Back to basics – 3 Employment checks, Companies have all the relevant checks in place.

Seven HR – Back to basics – 4 Procedures

HR is covered under Civil Law and the ‘Balance of Probabilities’ and not Criminal Law and ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt’. There are set procedures to follow which are outlined in the Acas Code of Practice which gives clear instructions on how to deal with employee issues within a business.

Indirect Discrimination – £20,000

When it comes to any form of Discrimination and in this case Indirect Discrimination in a workplace an employee regardless of length of service can make a claim to an Employment Tribunal under the Equality Act 2010 and awards can be unlimited.

Seven HR Back to basics – 5 Employee concerns

As managers of a team, we all know that team members can raise a number of concerns that affect them and their motivation to do their job, which can result in certain people occasionally being ignored or seen as moaners.

05 08 2022

Seven HR – Back to basics

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Law, General, Handbook, Performance Management, Recruitment, Rewards & Benefits, Training & Development Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's

Anti-Slavery Day | Consensus HR in Herts & Beds.

Continually, throughout industry and with the current climate, high inflation and the end of Pandemic support measures, such as Furlough. What the ‘Back to Basics’ are we are hearing about when out talking to clients and businesses in general? What can you do or put in place to ensure you are proactive, working to best practice and an employer of choice?

Getting your companies Seven HR – Back to basics and ‘Foundations (previous blog)’ in place is vital for the success of your business and helping you to prevent people problems. Whilst creating a company where people wish to work, which leads to an increase in the bottom line and productivity. Where there are no concerns for demotivating the team or threats of Employment Tribunal (ET) claims, plus bad working atmosphere.

Seven HR – Back to basics for business owners / managers:

1. Recruitment and Selection:

As part of the Seven HR – Back to basics; Companies need to be able to demonstrate why somebody got the job rather than another candidate.

Was it their qualifications?
Was it their experience?
Their Competence when answering questions?
Why?

Failure could result in somebody claiming they were discriminated against for one of the protected Characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 such as age, sex and disability.

Further information on how we can help and what is included, can be found here. Plus, details on what is included overall in ensuring you recruit successfully can be found here.

Therapy sessions start for long-term sick | Consensus HR – Herts

2. Employment Contract:

Since the change in the law in April 2020, employees are entitled to an Employment Contract from day one of employment when previously it was within 3 months. We are still finding that many companies do not provide this on day one of employment, but this should be produced when the decision to employ the person has been made and signed, dated and sent to them for their viewing, with the agreement signed and dated.

It is important that your employee contract includes specific legal clauses and others which need to be adapted to suit your business and service/product you offer, such as the clause for deduction of wages. Unauthorised deduction from an employee’s wages can result in an employee, current or past making a claim to an Employment Tribunal regardless of length of service. Although this should make no difference, as companies need to work to best practice and the law or face the possible consequences that could occur, such as an award of £2,100.

We work with clients to draft a company specific Contract of Employment such as full-time, part-time, self employed, home working etc and by getting to know their business ensure clauses are adapted to ensure maximum usefulness for the employee and business.

As previously mentioned, failure to provide an Employment Contract from day one can result in a claim to an Employment Tribunal, claims for an authorised deduction of wages due to money being subtracted from an employees pay, and the company not contractually permitted to do so, even after consultation with the member of the team.

Areas which should be covered in an Employment Contract can be found by clicking here.

3. Employment checks: References and Right To Work in the UK

The Government now has a system that allows employers to check somebody’s legality to work in the UK and can be obtained by a job applicant giving you their ‘Share Code’. By visiting https://www.gov.uk/check-job-applicant-right-to-work and checking that the documents they have provided allows them to work in the UK.

Failure to ensure this is completed correctly can result in an employer being sent to jail for 5 years and pay an unlimited fine, if their found guilty of employing someone who they knew or had ‘reasonable cause to believe’ did not have the right to work in the UK.

This includes, for example, if you had any reason to believe that:

they did not have leave (permission) to enter or remain in the UK
their leave had expired
they were not allowed to do certain types of work
their papers were incorrect or false

Check your employees eligibility to work correctly:

You can also be penalised if you employ someone who does not have the right to work and you did not do the correct checks, or you did not do them properly.

If this happens, you might get a ‘referral notice’ to let you know your case is being considered and that you might have to pay a civil penalty (fine) of up to £20,000 for each illegal worker.

You’ll be sent a ‘civil penalty notice’ if you’re found liable and you’ll have 28 days to respond.

The notice will tell you how to pay, what to do next, and how to object to the decision.

Your business’s details may be published by Immigration Enforcement as a warning to other businesses not to employ illegal workers.

Read more about illegal working penalties.

4. Not following procedures and the law:

Failure to follow the Acas Code of Practice can result in claims for unfair dismissal, unauthorised deduction of wages as well as many other areas such as Age Discrimination, Sex, Gender, Race and all other protected Characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 where awards to an employee can be unlimited in certain circumstances.

Employers have to be able to demonstrate that they acted reasonably in dealing with an issue and followed the correct procedure of investigating the incident, holding the appropriate meeting and an offer to appeal should a penalty be place on an employee. It is up to the manager who is Chairing the meeting and making the decision to be able justify why the action they took is reasonable and what a reasonable employer would do and not HR. Questions to consider include:

What Policies and Procedures are in place?
Was the member of the team adequately informed and giving the appropriate development?
Are the right tools provided?

5. Failure to take an employee’s concerns/moans seriously:

However, managers need to ensure that they take the necessary action, as needed, as failure could result in the employee raising a grievance.

Grievances should initially be dealt with informally, if possible, but should this not resolve the matter, then the Acas/Company Grievance procedure should be followed as soon as possible. Managers should never just ignore it, as a mole hill could turn into a mountain and result in awards being adjusted by up to 25% by an Employment Tribunal (ET).

Employee, Worker or Self-Employed … What’s the Difference

6. Not managing Performance of a team member:

Business owners and managers need to ensure that they have an adequate Performance Management Process in place to make sure that each employee is clear about what is expected from them in their job, whilst also understanding what they are doing well, to identify what the manager can do to support and coach the employee to work differently or better. Working towards the same company SMART goals ensures success for the business, as well as individuals working within it.

Each person should prepare for their Performance Management Meeting by reviewing their job description and any set objectives. These may be what were agreed during or since the last review meeting and completing a preparation form. Any discussions and comments for the previous year should be written down and discussed; with objectives agreed for the coming six months, using the job description relevant to the role and the company.

All members of the team should be working towards the same company goals whilst also having personal SMART goals to ensure success for the business, as well as individuals working within it.

We know that having a suitable performance review process in place helps to facilitate effective performance management – of your teams and your business. These steps allow for individual SMART objectives to be written and rewarded appropriately if achieved, development identified or corrective action taken.

Six-monthly structured one-to-one performance management meetings (appraisals) are recommended. These allow the individual and company management representative to sit down in a friendly environment and set SMART objectives. Both company and personal goals are agreed for the team member to achieve. Feedback should be sought throughout the year. Plus, everyone is fully aware of initial actions and steps of last resort.

SMART – Specific, Measurable, Accountable, Realistic, Time Based. Failure to manage a team members performance effectively can result in a range of issues for a company from demotivation, loss of sales, poor customer service, Employment Tribunals and high turnover in employees.

7. Employee Handbook:

Employee Handbooks are one of the key HR foundations for any business. They ensure that all your team members know what is expected from them. This includes holidays and hours to how poor misconduct may be dealt with in line with employment law. They set out the rules for ensuring that everybody within the team knows what action can be taken by the company, should expectations not be met. Two examples are Disciplinaries and Grievances; initial actions and steps of last resort, would be included.

We work with our clients to ensure that the handbook is tailored to the business, reflecting the organisation’s values/vision, and on occasion, a welcome letter from the management team.

Are all your HR basics in place? If not and you need some help and guidance, contact us now by clicking here.

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