how we help…

New Start-ups

Developing your people management skills

Working with a business at the beginning of its journey is both challenging and rewarding in equal measure. This is where the business’s entire potential lies ahead, and the excitement about what is to come is greatest. We can set you on a sound path from the get-go, with solutions that fit what you’re doing, so you can see positive outcomes for your staff, your management and your bottom line.

You might be having problems with…

HR Essentials

Many businesses are unaware of their minimum obligations as an employer and fall short when it comes to providing their staff with the conditions for a positive experience in their roles. Do your staff have proper contracts and handbooks? Is there a clear line of communication? We can provide you with all the HR and people elements you should need as a new business, without tying you up in red tape.

Legal minefields

Do you have what you need to operate compliantly and with care for your staff? There are many aspects to employment law and other regulations that you need to consider, from working conditions to personal data protection, written statements of employment, liability insurance, health and safety, contractual obligations and more. We can guide you through the legal frameworks so you operate in the clear.

Status of casual staff

It was the simplest solution in the early days of your business: to employ people on a casual basis, as and when needs arose, for only a few hours a week. But as their duties grew, their hours increased and their work became more conditional, you might not have been aware their status had changed in the eyes of the law. We can help to bring clarity to how you employ all your staff.

Irrelevant forms and templates

When starting a business, you may have been sold or given a variety of templates for contracts, forms, agreements and policies. Using them was an easy solution, but do they actually reflect the realities of your business? Are some clauses completely unnecessary, or do the documents lack elements that might not be required by law, but will protect your business? We can make sure you don’t fall foul of outdated, irrelevant, and possibly illegal paperwork.

Handling customer feedback

You might think a complaint could spell disaster, but it can often be the best thing a business can receive. Aside from revealing shortcomings which you are now able to remedy and avoid in the future, it is an opportunity to demonstrate how you respond to a dissatisfied customer, and the difference you can make to them with your service. We can help you to anticipate scenarios and empower your staff to deal confidently with complaints and compensations.

What kind of company do you want to be?

A company that looks after its staff will also look after its customers. We tailor our advice to the unique needs of your business, so you can foster a progressive culture and get the most out of your employees. People who are enthused, involved and motivated perform far better than the average employee. Help your staff to care about your business by caring about your staff.

We can help you with:

Staff handbooks

Far from being an unnecessary block of paper, staff handbooks are essential for giving your employees clarity on your ways of working, your workplace rules, and the standards you want to keep to. It’s worth having it all down in writing for everyone to acknowledge. It is also an excellent resource for business owners to know their obligations!

Job description and design

Clarity and honesty are key when it comes to recruitment, and it’s important to make sure the description of any role matches the reality of the job, to avoid disillusionment and high staff turnover. We’ll make sure you include not only an employee’s duties but also the outcomes, so they can see the bigger picture of their actions, feel connected to your company’s aims and values, and know what success looks like.

Contracts

These are critical documents, both to you and your employees, outlining your mutual obligations and roles, and ensuring you meet important legal requirements. Many businesses will use templates downloaded from online sources, but it’s important to realise these documents were not designed for your particular business and might not be entirely relevant to what you do. We can ensure that your contracts address all the concerns you need them to.

Your values

Helping your staff to understand and buy into your core aims and values as a business can be vital to their focus and morale. When there is a clear line of sight between an individual’s job and what your business is setting out to achieve, employees feel part of something larger than their immediate role. We can work with you to solidify your aims and values as a business, and communicate them clearly to your staff, so everyone is working towards the same goal.

Communication frameworks

A key factor in a healthy work environment is a workplace culture and systems of communication that make sure employees are able to freely voice feedback and ideas, and be listened to. Treating them as adult stakeholders in the business will only motivate them to contribute more and look out for you and your customers. But it’s not just about your staff’s feelings. ‘What did the customers enjoy today?’ is also a very powerful question.

Things going badly

Not everything will work out right first time. You might have grossly miscalculated the time or costs on a part of your business, or an employee may have committed a sackable offence. It’s important to reframe problems so when something unfortunate does happen, you can try to create a joint solution for all concerned, and protect your organisation’s reputation. When you have a strong workplace culture, we can help you to find positive outcomes.

This list could go on and on. Find out how we can help your business on the road to success and call us today for a no-obligation chat.

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“The first time I met Jo I shared with her the vision for my new business. Jo immediately understood and straight away made me feel at ease. Jo’s knowledge and expertise, along with her encouragement and support has been amazing, and helped my business start-up and open. Jo’s communication is fantastic, from face-to-face meetings, emails or telephone calls, Jo has been able to provide me with details, documents and shows a genuine passion for my business to grow. I am so grateful to Jo and cannot recommend her highly enough! I will continue to seek Jo’s expertise and guidance throughout opening and throughout my businesses growth.”

Laura Underwood
Owner, Active Stars Holiday Club

“We set up our first business, Cafe Saison in 2018. With very little knowledge of HR and employee contracts, we had no idea where to start. Jo was very helpful in explaining everything, and highlighting elements we hadn’t even thought of, and answering any questions in a way that was easy to understand. We now feel fully comfortable knowing we have best practices in place, and knowing that Jo is there for on-going support, part of which is Jo’s continued purchases from us for her daughter, who is our number one chocolate brownie fan!”

Hannah Chapman
Owner, Café Saison

Did you know?

An effective recruitment process that ensures the right person is appointed to the role can save you a huge amount of time, mental energy and money. ‘Hiring in haste’ will mean you have to go through the same process and drain on resources when a poor-fit applicant leaves after just a few months, or weeks.