Surveys often show that even HR professionals become overwhelmed by all the complexities of managing staff, so what can small business owners in Staffordshire do?
Here, Richard Tunnicliffe, Managing Director of Order Employment Services and a published author, explores the potential pitfalls, and offers six key tips on how to manage HR issues in the workplace.
“People management can be tricky, just when you feel you are on an even keel about employment laws, along comes another piece of legislation to add to your staff handbook.
Changes in employment law for 2024 include new employment rights, in areas such as flexible working, time off for carers, and greater protection from redundancy for pregnant workers.
In late February, the Equality and Human Rights Commission issued new guidance on menopause and the workplace, setting out the possible support options and employers’ legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010.
Taken one policy at a time these are positive moves, but together they add to an already busy workload for managers in small businesses who may already feel like they are running hard just to keep up.
But first, what is HR? It’s much more than hiring or saying goodbye to staff, we need to consider how do we get the best results in between; how do we create a happy, healthy, productive workforce.
HR is about bolstering your company’s bottom line. You should think of HR as an enabler and not a barrier to success.
The best starting point is to check what you need. Take a look at what your business really needs in terms of HR. Maybe you need a little help in some areas or a lot in others.
Then, let’s ask how can we make things go smoothly?
- What smart tools can be used to support your team?
There are many tech options out there that can handle the day-to-day HR tasks for you, like sorting out holiday time or getting new team members started.
- Do you need back-up?
While this article isn’t about selling services, getting professional support from advisers, such as Order Employment Services will help you to handle the tougher aspects of managing your team.
- Keeping things by the book.
As mentioned earlier, employment law is complex and is regularly updated. Get support from an HR provider to keep on top of legislative change.
- Set clear rules in your workplace.
It is fundamental to success that every worker knows what works and have simple guidelines for all employment matters in the workplace. Examples may include how to treat everyone fairly and what to do if they see a problem.
- Create a great place to work.
Start by actively listening to your team. People work better when they feel heard. Regular catchups and chances for them to grow are a must.
Make sure everyone on your team know you care. We hear a lot about flexible hours and being open to everyone’s unique background, but that’s only a start.
- Getting outside help.
Having an outside eye looking in is ideal in many business functions – and that includes HR. For instance, an HR Health Check is a great starting point.
We recognise help is needed and offer a free HR Health Check that is jargon free and can help to identify your needs within minutes.
The health check looks at:
Identifying hidden risks
Staying up to date with legislation
Enhancing employee engagement
Streamlining HR processes.”
