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Your HR Policies Might Be Watertight. But Are They Actually Worth the Paper They’re Written On?
You can have the most perfectly crafted policies, comprehensive employee handbook and legally watertight contracts in the world. But if your people don’t know they exist, can’t find them, don’t understand them or don’t know how to apply them, you might as well not have them. I see this regularly when working with businesses. A…
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Performance Improvement Plans Have a Bad Reputation – We Need to Start Using Them Properly
Mention the words Performance Improvement Plan to an employee, and there’s a fair chance they’ll immediately think: “They’re trying to get rid of me.” And that’s a real shame. Somewhere along the way, PIPs have developed a reputation as the beginning of the end. The employee gets called into a meeting, they’re handed a document…
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‘They’re Self-Employed, So It’s Not Our Problem’ – Not Anymore
For years, the ethos has always been: “They’re self-employed. We’re not their employer, so their Right to Work isn’t our responsibility.” Historically, there has been some truth to that. The statutory Right to Work checking scheme has primarily applied where somebody is employed under a contract of employment, service or apprenticeship. The current Home Office…
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Restructure and Redundancy – Getting the Business Decision and the People Process Right
I’ve supported clients through restructures which ultimately resulted in redundancy. These are some of the most difficult situations a business owner has to manage. There is a commercial decision to make, but sitting behind that decision are real people whose income, family and future are affected. My job in these situations isn’t to prevent the…
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One Size Fits Nobody: Why Different Workers Need Different Contracts (And What Happens When You Get It Wrong)
This happens far too often, so I decided to give you some insight …………….. If every person in your business is on the same employment contract, or worse, no written contract at all, you’re carrying a risk you probably haven’t priced in. Small and growing businesses rarely have a neat, uniform workforce. You might have…
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Why Choosing a Qualified HR Consultant Matters for Your Business
Whether you’re looking for an HR consultant, outsourced HR support, or employment law advice, choosing the right HR professional can have a significant impact on your business. From employment contracts and disciplinary processes to absence management, workplace investigations and performance management, poor HR advice can be costly. Yet, unlike solicitors, accountants or financial advisers, HR…
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Toxic Workplace Culture, Poor Management and the Real Cost to Businesses
At ECL People Solutions Ltd, one of the biggest misconceptions I still come across is the idea that HR is simply about “protecting the business.” Good HR should absolutely protect a business, but it should do that by ensuring managers act fairly, processes are legally compliant, and employees are treated properly. When businesses misuse performance…
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What Do I Need in Place to Employ Staff? (UK Guide for Small Businesses)
Taking on your first employee, or growing your team means you’re growing, but it is a big step. Yes, it’s exciting, but it also comes with responsibility. And the point here is…………. Most small businesses don’t get into trouble because they meant to do something wrong. They get into trouble because they didn’t know what…
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Employment Rights Act Timeline: What’s Changing and How Businesses Can Prepare
Employment law in the UK is entering a period of significant reform. The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a range of changes designed to strengthen worker protections and modernise the way employment is managed. However, these reforms are not happening overnight. The changes will be introduced gradually over the next few years, giving businesses time…
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Why Small Businesses Don’t Always Need In-House HR
Many small businesses assume that if they don’t have an HR department, they simply manage people issues themselves. And for very small teams, that’s understandable. But employment law, workplace expectations and regulatory changes are evolving faster than ever. Recent reforms to employment legislation mean that having access to HR expertise is more important than ever…
