As a small business owner we know you have a lot to deal with. However, it is important that you stay up to date with changes in employment legislation. Below is a list of new rules that have come into effect since the 1st July. Right To Work It makes Read More…
As a small business owner, it can sometimes feel like you’re in a bubble with no one to turn to. Then as your business gets bigger, you encounter more and more problems. It can start feeling like you are no longer in control of everything.” Reducing complexity and spending less Read More…
Despite Boris Johnsons best efforts we do seem to be getting back to normal. One of the questions we often get from our clients is is “how do we safely get our employees back to work?. It’s important for small businesses to ensure they have the proper procedures in place Read More…
Since the abolition of fees the number of employees taking employers through tribunal has grown exponentially. Before you put your head in your hands it is worth keeping in mind that if you get advice early from a reputable HR company that, with some intervention, many cases can be resolved Read More…
In the early days of starting a business the focus of entrepreneurs is on getting their business from an idea and a passion to a viable business activity. This is no mean feat and takes a lot of energy. Money is tight particularly at the beginning so doing everything inhouse Read More…
At Optima HR many of our clients start working with us on a one-off project. The truth of the matter is that if you employ people then at one stage you will need professional support. It might be to help find or develop talent. But there will always be complex Read More…
Holiday pay seems easy but when you throw in Bank holiday calculations, leave calendar, carry over holiday it can all become quite confusing. But don’t worry the government is here to save us!!! Well that’s never quite the case but they do have an on-line pay calculator. https://www.gov.uk/calculate-your-holiday-entitlement We often Read More…
Following coronavirus, lockdown and working from home many employees have been reflecting about their lives. Some cannot wait to get back to “normal” whilst others will wish to change the way they work to fit the way they wish to live their life. So as an employer what does it Read More…
The discussion about Mental health in the workplace has moved from being Taboo – or even sneered and frowned upon to becoming central to having a successful people strategy. However, with the onset of Covid and the subsequent isolation and fear felt by some people, this is now a prominent Read More…
Employing more people is a sign that your business is experiencing growth. As an entrepreneur this is incredibly exciting rewarding. But this is also a time when the complexity in your business is growing and your time is being absorbed by activities that, whilst important, do not help your business Read More…
When starting a small business keeping costs low, particularly in the early days, is critical to getting through the first months and years. But as you prove your business model is working and you hire more people there will come a tipping point where the value of your time gets Read More…
So you have taken the risk to leave that job which gave you little satisfaction in order to pursue your dream and start your own business. “Fortune favours the braveb” as the Romans used to say! You need to boot string your startup. Initially saving costs by doing as much Read More…
One of the questions we are often asked by our clients is if it is absolutely necessary to have a contract of employment with their employees. Actually, and surprisingly, the answer is no! You might decide to give a “written particulars of employment”.Although as we will detail below you should Read More…
Yeah it’s a new tax year!!!!!!!!! Well I know we do not quite feel that way. But nevertheless there are changes that could impact your payroll that you need to be aware of. Changes to the Living wage and the national minimum wage – The national living wage now includes Read More…
There are common misunderstandings in relation to Bank holidays. Here we try to clarify some common areas where employers ask us for clarification: Your employees are not entitled to a day off There is a difference between what is practice in the market and what employees are entitled to. Workers Read More…
So, you have just invested in recruitment costs and time to find that great employee. It may have taken you three months from identifying a need in the business and getting that great person to join your organisation. They are excited, they can’t wait to add value to your business Read More…
Many entrepreneurs starting out in business will take on multiple roles ranging from logistics, sales, marketing and accounting. But as businesses grow it makes to sense to hire or outsource certain activities that frees business owner’s time. The first step for most businesses will be to take on an outsourced Read More…
The trend towards more flexible working may have started a number of years ago but Covid-19 has put this trend on steroids and will have a lasting affect on how people work. If you decide that having your employees working from home suits your business make sure you have a Read More…
If you’ve been working remotely then having a difficult conversation has probably been something that you have wanted to avoid if possible.However, problems that are not dealt with rarely go away and usually become more acute with time. An important part of effective people management is learning how best to Read More…
I am often surprised when I see companies going through the painful, and expensive process of hiring talented individuals into a company to leave them on day 1 to “sink or swim” in the new role. Over 25% of new employees leave – or do not pass probation – in Read More…
Recruitment seems simple – post a job advertisement, wait a few days for a great person to apply, hire them and live happily ever after! If that were true then there would not be a big – and quite lucrative – recruitment industry. There is a skill to recruitment and Read More…
Let’s be honest….the need for a Human Resources Department is often considered a low priority area within a business and there is a tendency to give more attention to other aspects of the company that will have an immediate impact on the core business. However, many successful business owners realise Read More…
Furlough Scheme Extension through to September 2021 The furlough scheme – which pays 80 per cent of employees’s wages – will be extended until the end of September. However government’s contribution will be reduced from July 2021 – with employers asked to contribute alongside the taxpayer for the cost of Read More…
Starting a successful business is difficult enough without having to worry about the legal obligations of employing people. But the reality is that the cost of getting things wrong could be ending up paying a large fine or ending up in an employment tribunal. In this blog we’re hoping to Read More…
The current environment makes it’s a good time to recruit – there are plenty of good candidates out there. But wait a momentb& before you start your search, have you considered hiring an apprentice? Benefit from a grant if you recruit before the 31st March If you take on new Read More…
Coronavirus has had varying effects on people professionally, socially and economically. However, something that almost everyone can relate to is the disruption to daily life due to COVID restrictions and lockdowns. This can lead to worry and anxiety stemming from feeling a loss of control. The nature of a pandemic Read More…
As an outsourced HR provider one of the top reasons new potential clients contact us is that they have an employee with performance issues. Our first question is around whether or not the employee has a clear job description and regular review of their performance. More often than not one Read More…
Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus, and many people working from home, giving constructive feedback and managing staff remotely has become a challenge for many small businesses. Here are a few tips to help you continue to give appropriate constructive feedback when your staff are working from home in difficult Read More…
Let’s face it making people redundant is not nice or anything that any owner or manager looks forward to doing. But often it is critical to the ongoing survival of the business and there is a right and wrong way of doing it.
1 – NEW IMMIGRATION SYSTEM
1st January 2021 any employer wishing to recruit from outside the UK must comply with the new point-based immigration system. EEA nationals arriving in the UK from 1st January must comply with the new rules.