March 7th, 2016 in BlogInternational Women’s Day is a global day that has been observed since the early 1900’s to not only celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, but actively campaign for change – so, is it actually still relevant for today? Sadly, the answer has to be ‘yes’. Why? Well, the World Economic Forum predicted in 2014 that it would take until 2095 to achieve global gender parity, but in 2015 that estimate…
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February 4th, 2016 in BlogDramatic headlines last month announced massive job cuts over the next two decades thanks to robots taking over our jobs, implying that a Robot Revolution was on its way!! So, should Shropshire businesses be worried? As with so many headlines, you have to analyse them carefully. The recent Deloitte’s report, on which many of the news articles were based, “From Brawn to Brains: the impact of technology on jobs in the UK” talks about the…
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January 13th, 2016 in BlogEMPLOYMENT HELP FOR THE VERY BUSY Welcome to my first news update of 2016. Yes, more legislation, but I’m here to help, so please be reassured that I’ll be doing all I can to interpret and translate what is most relevant to you and your business! National Living Wage (April 2016) The new National Living Wage comes into force this April, replacing the minimum wage for over-25s, starting at £7.20 and rising to £9 an hour by 2020. To help…
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December 9th, 2015 in BlogSome of the best ideas to help manage and motivate your staff this Christmas can come from other fellow businesses. So here are a few suggestions, from a selection of my clients, to help you nurture the Christmas spirit, without costing a fortune! Communicate, Communicate, Communicate Are you sure your employees know what contribution they are making to the overall success of your organisation? Never assume they automatically know. Equally,…
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December 1st, 2015 in BlogAre you daunted by the thought of managing up to four different generations in one place? The rise of multi-generational workplaces is now fact rather than fiction. Workplace demographics continue to shift as birth rates in the UK lower, life expectancy increases and more of us stay in work beyond traditional retirement ages: 2007 saw the number of over 60’s exceed the number of under 16’s for the first time in history; the number of working…
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October 12th, 2015 in BlogThe Traditional Annual Appraisal has been coming under a lot of criticism recently with yet more high profile names, such as Accenture and Deloitte, dropping them in favour of more regular, responsive and informal performance management methods. Appraisals have been in the ‘dog house’ for a number of years (see my 2012 HR article on How to do a Performance Appraisal Well), but a recent study by PwC on Transforming Performance…
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October 7th, 2015 in BlogThis is a case study about a local Shropshire company and how Kay Heald helped them to not only meet their legal obligations, by turning verbal contracts into written contracts, but improve their employment relations and internal communications. The Client The Company is a well-regarded local family business, trading for over 20 years, employing both family and non-family members of staff. The Issue Although the business was…
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October 1st, 2015 in BlogEmployment Help for the Very Busy – Winter Edition Welcome to my latest HR Newsletter with a round-up of legislative changes and their likely impact on small and micro businesses. If you find this information helpful, please pass on to others. National Minimum Wage and The National Living Wage (1st Oct 2015) For workers aged 21 and above the rate will increase from £6.50 to £6.70 per hour. For workers aged between 18 and 20 the rate…
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September 29th, 2015 in BlogSkipping lunch breaks (or skimping on them) is a common feature of UK workplaces, fuelled by double dip recessions, job insecurities and cultures of presenteeism. The effects of working without taking adequate breaks and lunch breaks are well documented and can build up over time, contributing to decreased productivity, increased stress levels and even physical illness. This is because the human brain is not built for extended periods of…
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August 3rd, 2015 in BlogAt this time of year owner managers often juggle staff holiday requests with business needs, but it's important to encourage your people to take their leave.
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