The National Minimum Wage was first introduced in the UK in 1999, and is the minimum that an employer can pay to staff below the age of 25 (with the National Living Wage covering employees over the age of 25). The rate that a person is entitled to will depend on their age and whether […]

Staff appraisals are a great way of managing staff morale, helping to develop your workforce and highlight the areas where you have strength in your team but also areas where you may need to fill a gap, either with training or by taking on someone new. But appraisals only work if handled in the right […]

As your business succeeds and grows, you need to make sure your team grows with it. Making sure that there’s enough people on your team to handle the increase in workload is vital for maintaining that upward trajectory, and for keeping the morale of your team high. But hiring new employees can be a tough […]

If you don’t know the law on eye tests for employees, it can be a little confusing. But it’s vital you understand your responsibilities as an employer, so use this guide to learn more about the laws on eye tests, payment and also contributions towards glasses. Eye test entitlement So are all employees entitled to […]

So you’ve got your vacancies out there into the wider world, sifted through a pile of CVs and interviewed some of the more interesting candidates. You think you’ve found the right person for the role, but there’s one last step to take, and that’s getting a reference to make sure there’s nothing you should be […]

Hiring young workers can have many benefits. From the energy and enthusiasm they can bring to a role, to the financial benefits of being able to offer lower salaries, it can be attractive to recruit younger job seekers to your workforce, especially if you’re looking to mould the ideal employee over a long career. Yet […]

Often shortened to TOIL, which is an unfortunate acronym for something related to overtime, time off in lieu is an alternative to overtime payment. Instead of paying employees for the extra hours that they’ve put in to get things done, an employer can offer those hours as paid holiday further down the line. Essentially, they’re […]

No recruitment strategy, however robust, is absolutely foolproof. There is always a risk that a member of staff could become very difficult to manage. Perhaps what seemed to be an impressive trait during the interview stage has proven to be negative as the months have gone by? Maybe an experience in your employee’s personal life […]

We all know that it can be hard to find time to visit the GP or the dentist. How many times have you heard something like “We’ve got a Monday morning appointment available. 9 o’clock? Two weeks from now.”  So, if the only available appointments are during scheduled working hours, does your employer have to […]

With the right wording, employee engagement surveys become an unbelievably valuable tool. These surveys can ensure that your employees are motivated. They can help you to maximise efficiency (and profit!). They can reduce the risk of people handing in their notice and going to work elsewhere. They’ll save you money that would otherwise be spent […]