Essential Guides

  We’ve all been there; it’s the end of a long week, and suddenly there is a knock at the door or an envelope on your desk. Issues arise all the time in companies; whistleblows, grievances and suspected misconduct are generally dealt with through internal processes, which are governed by law. Most disciplinary and grievance issues are a time-consuming but necessary part of any Manager’s job. However, the headaches come when the...

Every company will have an issue that needs investigating at some point; every potential misconduct, poor performance or complaint will need to be thoroughly considered under your disciplinary, grievance or whistleblowing policy. An investigation is a process through which you try to understand the full facts of a situation. It is important to ensure that sufficient time and focus is dedicated to an investigation as it is a critical...

Human Resources is generally considered to be a cost function; the salaries of the team and the initiatives that are put in place carry a cost which is rarely associated with a direct financial benefit to the business. However, a HR team can measure and monitor data, and transform the data into insight. The insight drives strategies and initiatives which then carry clear cost savings. For example: Recruitment : Considering all aspects...

It is a well documented fact that employees decide whether to stay or go within the first few weeks of joining a company. This is your opportunity to provide the best possible start; enabling your employee to succeed, to become productive as quickly as possible and to assist with their retention.   Before you start Think about logisitics; ensure desk set up, phone, name plaque, IT equipment (equipment, email addresses,...

Everyone is different, and people have different experiences of illness, so some sensitivity can be important. However, all businesses are adversely impacted by sickness absence and research demonstrates that smaller businesses are more impacted. Some sickness absence is inevitable but it can be managed. Your essential checklist Ensure that you capture each period of sickness so it can be tracked and measured Have a back to work...

Grievances are concerns, problems or complaints that employees raise with their employer. A grievance might concern matters such as an employee’s work, physical working environment, pay and benefits, working hours, health and safety, working relationships or general treatment at work. A grievance may be presented in writing or verbally – it does not have to be called ‘a grievance’ to be treated under the policy (ie it could just...