Archive: 2016

  • Gift of Listening

    Give the gift of listening

    Give the Gift of Listening this Christmas In this communication age of 24/7 connectivity how much active listening do we actually do? Although hearing is an automatic function, active listening is something that we have to choose to do. According to Julian Treasure, author of Sound Business and regular TED contributor, few of us are taught to listen consciously and most people think they are far better at it than they really are. We can listen…

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  • Autumn Statement Impact on Small Business Employers

    Autumn statement Impact on Small Business Employers

    The 2016  Autumn Statement is the first major economic statement from the government since the Brexit vote. To save you time, here is a summary of the main news and information likely to affect small business employers: Living Wage The Living Wage will rise from £7.20 to £7.50 from April 2017. Tax-Free Personal Allowance The tax-free personal allowance will increase from £11,000 to £12,500 and the higher rate threshold to £50,000, by…

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  • Long Hours Work Culture

    Making Flexible Working Work

      A Long Hours Work Culture is well established in many small businesses The way we communicate and ‘stay connected’ has been blurring the lines between work, rest and play and adding to this long hours work culture. When used well, information and communication technology aids flexible working and can contribute to a healthier work-life balance. However, research is now showing that technology is making many people actually work longer…

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  • HR Newsletter for Small and Micro Businesses

    HR Newsletter for Small and Micro Businesses

    Welcome to my latest HR Newsletter for Small and Micro Businesses. The post Brexit effect on employment law is yet to be felt. In the meantime, here’s the latest round-up of current UK legislative changes and their likely impact on small and micro businesses. Check out my FREE Downloads at the bottom of the Homepage. National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage (1st Oct 2016) For 21-24 year olds the rate increases from £6.70 to…

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  • Employment Contracts (a case study)

    Employment contracts

    A new client had been trading successfully for over five years, relying heavily on informal systems and the ability to take on family and friends to help run the business.

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  • Returnships – How much do you know?

    You’ve heard of apprenticeships and graduate internships, but what about returnships? With the film release of Bridget Jones’s Baby, and maternity issues very much in the news, you may be interested to find out more about returnships. The term was first used by Goldman Sachs in 2008 to describe programmes to encourage ex-employees back into the workplace after an absence of several years. In the US and UK they have most commonly been used to…

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  • Team Development (a case study)

    People Development

    Read how Kay Heald HR helped a rapidly expanding Telford service provider with the design of a development programme to identify skills gaps and address low employee motivation

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  • Staffing Incidents (a case study)

    Staffing Problems

    Read how Kay Heald HR helped a local manufacturer manage a serious staffing incident, using their employment procedures

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  • Heartfulness vs Mindfulness

    heartfulness as a new workplace stress buster

    Is heartfulness about to knock mindfulness off its pedestal as the latest weapon in the battle against workplace stress? In our fastrack, quick-fix lives, there is a tendency to look for shortcut solutions rather than explore, practice and study a technique or discipline in detail. Mindfulness is often used as a quick and easy, standalone concept (eg sitting still and focussing on breathing, using colouring in books, harnessing the present…

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  • Implications of Brexit for Small and Micro Employers

    Implications of Brexit for Small and Micro Employers

    Employment Help for the Very Busy – Summer Edition 2016 Implications of Brexit for Small and Micro Employers The implications of Brexit for small and micro employers will take a long time to emerge – years not months. It is important to emphasise that the UK’s move to initiate Article 50 and start its negotiation with the EU to draw up its Withdrawal Agreement will not take place before a new Prime Minister is in post and the…

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