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Articles by Sarah Benstead
What does an agile workforce look like?
The aim of agile working is to make a business more effective and responsive, as well as adopting a growth-based culture and - ultimately - increase your bottom line. An agile business enables people to work in ways which best suit them, so efficiency, productivity and job satisfaction tend to increase, too. Every business approaches agile working differently, but there are some key common characteristics that underpin an agile organisation.
What is discrimination in the workplace?
We’ve come such a long way since the days when innuendo and witty put downs were common in the workplace. And, thankfully, society is a much fairer and equal place with people protected and included rather than mocked and marginalised. However, despite great strides forward, discrimination in the workplace does rear its ugly head from time to time.
What should be included in a contract of employment?
If you employ staff, you need employment contracts. It just makes the whole staff management process much easier for you and your workers, because you know where you stand and so do they. Without a contract in place, you’re opening yourself up to all sorts of problems - whether that’s a dispute over pay or an issue with holiday hours. Why is a contract of employment important? A contract of employment is a two-way document between you and each staff member you employ.
How to calculate accrued annual leave for your employees
Getting your annual leave policy right is important, not just for your staff but for your business as well in order to avoid a lot of headaches. Holidays are important for your staff to give them a break, allow them to recharge their batteries so they come back energised and ready to work hard on your business. A generous holiday policy can be an attractive benefit when recruiting.
8 top-tips for holding a successful online meeting
Remote working is becoming increasingly popular in the SME world. It’s a key part of the demand for flexible working, with many younger people on the hunt for companies who have embraced it. And, one day, it may become be norm rather than just a ‘nice-to-have’. And – naturally – there’s been a huge jump in companies adopting remote working with the recent Coronavirus outbreak, as per the government’s advice.
7 soft skills that are crucial for great leadership
Most of us have a good idea of our capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses – or think we do. But when it comes to soft skills, do you know what yours are? And are you using them effectively? What are soft skills?
Why business agility is fundamental to success
“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” Believing this has probably saved many a company – maybe yours - from endless, unnecessary reorganisations. We think there's a better way. Let's rewrite the rules and welcome business agility into our organisational strategy.
4 key interview questions for an HR manager candidate
In the early days of any business, it's the norm for one person to wear many hats and take care of everything, including HR. For a limited time, this is do-able. But, as your business expands and you take on more and more people, you'll eventually need someone specialised to look after and manage your staff while you focus more of your time on the running of your business.
Working from home: 5 benefits for SMEs
Working from home - or remotely - has benefits for SMEs. And it's not exactly new. In fact, if we look back to Victorian times, many women did just that. Why then is it still the exception and not the rule? We're hoping to change that by exploring 5 benefits for SMEs who work from home.
5 steps to managing change in an SME (and nailing it)
As your business grows over time, it's likely that the way the workplace operates will need to change. This is inevitable and a vital part of the process. Changes could be as simple as upgrading a software package, or could be as extreme as re-locating the office or even the business changing hands. Whatever the change - big or small - it’s important you handle it well for the sake of your people. Get it wrong and it could have detrimental effects on the running of your business.
8 qualities of a top-notch manager
Anybody can be a manager. Work hard, persevere and you’ll be rewarded. But once you’re there, it’s important you know how to do the job effectively to build a strong culture, and maximise productivity among your team. And, as the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) report proved that effective leadership can increase productivity by 32%, you’ll want to make sure you’re doing the best you can as a manager.
Work burnout: what is it and how do you prevent it?
Work burnout can creep up on your staff without them even realising it and it can wreak havoc on their physical and mental health. Getting in early, staying late and developing an unhealthy work/life balance in a bid to be the best, most competitive and most dedicated employee can all lead to burnout. And when it hits, it not only throws your employee a curveball, but it has an impact on your business too. What is work burnout?
What is team culture and why is it important in an SME?
Company culture is a common buzzword in the business world of late, and its importance is being increasingly emphasised. You only need to look as far as Uber to see what can happen if you get company culture wrong. The aggressive and unrestrained corporate culture was revealed after a former employee published her experience of working as an engineer for the Silicon Valley giant, along with many other horror stories of discrimination and sexual harassment coming to light.
300 SMEs have pledged to invest in their company culture
Toxic company cultures cost the UK economy an eye-watering £23.6 billion a year as proved by our Culture Economy Report, and yet only 40% SME leaders see culture as an essential requirement for business. Needless to say, there’s work to be done here. Your company culture is how you do things in your business. It's how people treat each other, it's the feel of your working environment and it's your values, morales and standards.
Breathe reveals insights into 2019 UK sickness trends
Our survey ofmorethan1,500 employees and SME business leaders reveals thatstigma around mental health struggles and burnout is costing the UK economy £1.4bn a year through unexplained sick days. Sickness and absence – trends in 2019 Two years ago, we published the firstBreathe Sick Reportto examine the reasons why employees of the UK’s small businesses are taking time off due to ill-health.
What is employee health and wellbeing?
Employee health and wellbeing is a vital weapon for any successful company. Your staff are people and we believe that putting them first helps to inspire productive and smart work. Start on the inside and you'll soon see it's the secret to navigating your company goals as well as an intrinsic part of running any organisation. Not only is it morally imperative, but it makes good business sense too. Happy employees equal productive employees.
Company culture trends: What's fashionable and what's not
Top-down teams are out. Valued individuals are in. The way we work is changing and it’s changing for the better. Positive company culture is gaining traction in the business world for good reason. But, how immune is it to trends?
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