Tag Archive for Small Business HR

Hot Business News Today

The importance of vocational rehabilitation services for SMEs

by  •  • 0 Comments

By Partner Content on Small Business UK – Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

The wellbeing of your employees will play a crucial role in the success of your people and in turn, your business. Every business risks losing employees to long-term absences due to illness or injury, and so, being prepared and having access to support when needed is key.

On top of health issues, lengthy NHS waiting lists can mean accessing support to get people on the road to recovery isn’t always easy. But there are steps you can take to help strengthen and protect your business and people through your employee benefits offering.

Rebecca Selwyn, Propositions Lead (SME) Aviva Group Protection

At Aviva, our Group Income Protection policy offers a range of different support, over and above insurance. It provides financial support if an employee is unable to work due to illness or injury, paying a proportion of their salary to help them keep their income up whilst they manage their health – and help you afford to gap fill.

But more than this, it also offers access to early intervention and vocational rehabilitation services, helping employees improve their health, sometimes before long-term absence is needed.

Early intervention and rehabilitation

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

Top benefits of HR software for small businesses

by  •  • 0 Comments

By Owen Gough on Small Business UK – Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

HR software makes managing people simple by streamlining admins tasks such as requesting and approving holiday. This allows you or any HR staff within your business to spend less time wading through spreadsheets.

People are the most important part of any business, so this can be a vital tool for any organisation. In a study conducted by LinkedIn Learning in 2024, 82% of global business leaders agreed that having a strong HR presence is more important than ever.

In this guide we’ll explore the main benefits of using HR software, and why it might be right for your small business.

See also: HR for start-ups – how to get it right

Improved efficiency

Saving time is the number one benefit of using HR software. By outsourcing tasks that would normally take a significant amount of your time to an automated system you can dedicate yourself more to the things that matter.

Making HR a single-sign-on solution, means you can have everything in one place. A 2022 research report by HiBob and CIPD found that having an all-in-one HR system was the top priority for businesses investing in HR software.

This

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

7 HR software tools ideal for small business

by  •  • 0 Comments

By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK – Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

/*! elementor – v3.21.0 – 30-04-2024 */
.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}
The case for HR software tools has grown as more businesses shift towards a hybrid or remote working model.

Plus, having HR software tools in place can help to increase productivity, provide working insights, more benefits for employees.

An HR tool – also known as HR management tool – can mean a whole platform or it can be one component such as recruitment or absence management software.

Maciek Kubiak, head of people at PhotoAiD, simply uses a recruitment platform. “It is useful for conducting pre-employment tests for potential candidates,” he told Small Business. “It makes the recruitment process quicker and more effective. Plus, it is easy to use and permits to save time and focus on valuable applications, managing talent more efficiently.”

For the purposes of this article, we’ll be looking at platforms which provide multiple HR functions.

In this article we’ll cover:

 

Which software to choose?

Paid-for or free software?

Cloud-based or on-site software?

The top 7 HR software providers for small business

HR software comparison – what features do they offer?

Next steps

>See also: A guide to outsourcing HR

Which HR

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

Five reasons SMEs waste money on HR consultancies

by  •  • 0 Comments

By Kate Russell on Small Business UK – Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

She covers five common areas where HR outsourcing providers can fail:
Poor quality service
Lack of flexibility
Poor quality advice
Long contracts
Unnecessary insurance cover
…and then offers some key questions to ask when hiring an HR consultancy.

Business guru Peter Drucker once said: “Do what you do best and outsource the rest”. Wise man. For most SMEs it makes sense to buy in some services on as “as required” basis, and HR consultancy is a prime example of where you need some help sometimes.

Most small businesses are really microbusinesses too small to have an inhouse HR manager. Possibly a staff member with some HR experience has been seconded to the role. But employment law changes so rapidly and you could unwittingly be leaving yourself open to legal action by a disgruntled employee, if you don’t exactly follow HR procedure.

Or it may be that you yourself, as owner-director, handle all your own recruitment – taking precious time away from what you do best: running your business. A 2022 study by NatWest found that 95 per cent of small businesses have struggled when recruiting staff members.

‘Some companies require you to sign up

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

Terminating a contract – what if your worker is only part-time?

by  •  • 0 Comments

Originally written by Peter Done on Small Business
We use a self-employed cleaner who comes in three-four hours during office hours on a Friday. This is no longer suitable and we have an alternative company ready to deal with it. What, if anything, do we need to be aware of before terminating the existing cleaner’s services?
Status of employment: There are a number of issues raised by your question. The first is whether the cleaner is actually self-employed (working under a “contract for services”) or in fact your employee (working under an “employment contract”).
There is no detailed definition of who is an employee incorporated into the legislation and even if the employer pays the PAYE and NI they may still be able to establish that there was no employment relationship but this is more common in the construction industry. Some guidelines for the purpose of determining employment status have now been laid down in various cases over the years. The factors which have emerged from those cases are summarised below and are based on whether the individual is in business on their own account, which requires a determination of who controls the work done particularly with respect to the right to delegate,

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

Terminating a contract – what if your worker is only part-time?

by  •  • 0 Comments

Originally written by Peter Done on Small Business
We use a self-employed cleaner who comes in three-four hours during office hours on a Friday. This is no longer suitable and we have an alternative company ready to deal with it. What, if anything, do we need to be aware of before terminating the existing cleaner’s services?
Status of employment: There are a number of issues raised by your question. The first is whether the cleaner is actually self-employed (working under a “contract for services”) or in fact your employee (working under an “employment contract”).
There is no detailed definition of who is an employee incorporated into the legislation and even if the employer pays the PAYE and NI they may still be able to establish that there was no employment relationship but this is more common in the construction industry. Some guidelines for the purpose of determining employment status have now been laid down in various cases over the years. The factors which have emerged from those cases are summarised below and are based on whether the individual is in business on their own account, which requires a determination of who controls the work done particularly with respect to the right to delegate,

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

What should you include in an employment contract?

by  •  • 0 Comments

Originally written by Alex Bearman on Small Business
A written employment contract is not necessary to establish an employment relationship in law. However, there are many good reasons why employers will want to have in place well-drafted terms of employment.
Fundamentally, like all written agreements, employment contracts help to provide the parties with certainty. Staff are more likely to feel that they are part of a well-run business if the terms of their employment are set out in a sensibly drafted contract. The sense of security which this provides should not be underestimated.
Here are some of the tangible benefits for businesses of investing in the preparation of a written employment contract.
>See also: How to deal with a furloughed employee who refuses to return to work
The legal obligation
Subject to some very limited exceptions, all employers are required to provide their employees with a written statement of employment particulars setting out certain key terms including:

the names of parties
the date of commencement of the employee’s employment
the rate of pay
terms relating to hours of work
the place of work
terms relating to holiday entitlement
the length of notice required by either party to terminate the contract

Where an employer fails to provide the employee with written particulars, a complaint can

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

What should you include in an employment contract?

by  •  • 0 Comments

Originally written by Alex Bearman on Small Business
A written employment contract is not necessary to establish an employment relationship in law. However, there are many good reasons why employers will want to have in place well-drafted terms of employment.
Fundamentally, like all written agreements, employment contracts help to provide the parties with certainty. Staff are more likely to feel that they are part of a well-run business if the terms of their employment are set out in a sensibly drafted contract. The sense of security which this provides should not be underestimated.
Here are some of the tangible benefits for businesses of investing in the preparation of a written employment contract.
>See also: How to deal with a furloughed employee who refuses to return to work
The legal obligation
Subject to some very limited exceptions, all employers are required to provide their employees with a written statement of employment particulars setting out certain key terms including:

the names of parties
the date of commencement of the employee’s employment
the rate of pay
terms relating to hours of work
the place of work
terms relating to holiday entitlement
the length of notice required by either party to terminate the contract

Where an employer fails to provide the employee with written particulars, a complaint can

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

7 of the best HR consultancy companies in the UK

by  •  • 0 Comments

Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
It’s all well deciding that you need to outsource your HR, but which consultancy should you plump for?
With such a wide range of companies offering largely similar products, it can be difficult to know exactly which one to choose.
Below we list the key features of each provider but first, let’s look at what you should be looking for from your supplier.
How do I choose the right HR consultancy company?
Start with their experience (and which sectors their clients are in). You’ll know you’re on to a winner if they’ve had numerous previous clients in your industry, with extra points if they’re larger and better-known. Similarly, having proof of qualifications reassures you of their competence and what they can offer you. Think about how their services align with your business growth strategies and growth forecast over the next year.
Next up, hunt for any hidden fees. Do they charge extra or impose financial penalties for leaving the contract early? The firm may seem cheaper upfront but, like the worst budget airlines, they can really give you a swift kick with those sneaky charges.
While you’re there, check the clarity of the payment and contract terms. Flexible payment

Read more...