Business people

Whatever the nature of your business, people are an essential part of your success or failure. Hiring the right business people to work for you can make the difference between record profits and record losses, so it’s important to understand what’s expected of you as an employer. Good business people have a knack of managing their staff well. Below is a list of all the essential pieces of information you need to find, keep and improve your business and the people who work for you.

The basics   Managing health & safety Comply with the minimum wage Calculate PAYE Make an offer of employment Set and review salary levels   Advertising a vacancy   Writing a recruitment advertisement Online recruitment Advertising in the local press Enlisting the help of a recruitment agency Using the job centre   Business recruitment   Taking on and recruiting contractors The recruitment process   Interviewing   Shortlisting candidates Preparation What to ask Legal pitfalls Making a decision Conducting exit interviews   Building the right team   Strategic planners Building the right team   Business legal issues and employment   Comply with the Working Time Directives Understand information and consultation rules Review and maintain your legal documents Understand the TUPE regulations Understand paternity leave Understand the rights of parents that adopt More   Hiring an HR manager   The role of an HR manager Other HR solutions Interim HR managers   Hiring an Office Manager   What to look for in an office manager Where can I find an office manager? What are office managers worth?   Hiring IT staff   Bringing IT in-house Finding the right person Additional IT services   Motivating staff   How to be the perfect employer The importance of communication Cash alternatives Performance related bonuses Splashing the cash Making your money go further More   Staff benefits   Health Insurance Extra holiday Share options Enterprise Management Incentive Other perks   Pension schemes   Tax and legal matters Setting up a pension scheme Stakeholder pensions Evaluate pension schemes   Business training   Why train? Organising training Costs and rules Workplace training Does training improve your workforce? Could improved skills tranform your business?   Flexible working   The benefits of flexible working Taking the plunge How to implement a scheme. Childcare vouchers

Appraisals   Why appraisals matter What to include in staff appraisals Business benefits of appraisals   Absenteeism   Understand sick pay Dealing with staff absence The problem of absenteeism The alternatives to absence The best approach   Office Sex   Office relationships The implications of office relationships Relationship policy   Staff theft   Dealing with staff theft Taking precautions to prevent staff theft Keeping your staff loyal Sweethearting Trapping and confronting a staff thief   Discrimination   Understand new disability regulations Comply with racial discrimination legislation Comply with sexual discrimination legislation Deal with a claim for discrimination part 2: Employment Tribunals Deal with a claim for discrimination part 1: Internal grievance procedures and conciliation Understand sex discrimination legislation More   Employment tribunals   What is an employment tribunal? How to avoid tribunals What should your employment policy cover? Conducting a grievance procedure Reacting to a claim Case studies: Getting it wrong and getting it right   Redundancy   The hardest cut Impact of redundancy on your business Breaking the news Understand statutory discipline and grievance procedures Follow dismissal procedures Negotiate with union representatives   Managing health and safety   Preparing for an inspection How to stay within the law How to make sure workers comply with regulations Carry out a risk assessment Why assess risk?   Business health check   Take our quick business health and safety check   Insurance   What other insurance is available? Public liability insurance and ELCI explained Evaluate personal accident and sickness insurance   Jury Service   Overview Planning ahead Compensation Reservists Useful contacts   Miscellaneous   Managing holidays The rise of the virtual workforce Wipe the sand from your eyes When is a holiday not a holiday? When you’re sick Changes to maternity/paternity leave Sick Pay: don’t be ill advised More   Recruiting   Draft a job description Benefit from student work placements Find and manage staff for an EU subsidiary Recruit great staff Use personality testing and psychometrics   Training   Understand Investors in People