Many leaders and managers I work with dread team meetings. ? Not only can they be hugely uncomfortable if they lack energy or participation from the people attending, they can also be a huge time drain if not managed well. ⏰ So if you’re wondering how to inject some spark and productivity into your team meetings, then read on. ? I’ll explain here why the humble team meeting is such an important part of business life, and how to revive your team get-togethers if they’ve become tired and lifeless, using tried and tested practical know-how. ? Why well-run team meetings equal successful and energ ..read more

If you’re procrastinating on sending your employee a contract, it’s completely understandable.  Maybe you’re a bit nervous to dabble with it yourself, if it’s not your area of expertise. ? Perhaps you’re worried about how your employee might react.? Or it could be you have been meaning to, but it’s another thing on your to-do list, that you just never get around to. ? Either way, since April 2020 the law has become a lot stricter about issuing written contracts of employment. You now have to give employees a contract of employment by the end of their first day of working for you. It used ..read more

In the modern world of leadership, uncovering and harnessing your strengths is the key to unlocking your true potential. In other words, knowing what you bring to the table as a leader is really important because it means you will lead your people in a more authentic and intentional way and succeed in bringing out the best in them. I’ll show you here how to work out what your personal leadership strengths are. What makes a great leader? People want to work for leaders who inspire and motivate them, who support and empower them to get on with their job, and who clearly communicate their purpos ..read more

It’s great when your employees all get on and work well together, but if they don’t, it can be very stressful. Many business owners struggle to know what to do to fix a bad team dynamic. So if your team feels like a dysfunctional family, here’s some tips to make a change. What makes a team dysfunctional? Getting to grips with your team dynamics is about delving below the surface and working out what’s really going on with your people. But often it boils down to trust. There are lots of reasons why some teams don’t work well, and often the reasons can be something other than what they first ap ..read more

In the dynamic world of small business ownership in the UK, the pursuit of the right talent to propel your venture forward is both challenging and crucial. Among the myriad options available, LinkedIn emerges as a powerful and cost-effective tool for recruitment. ?? This blog aims to delve into the myriad reasons why LinkedIn should be at the forefront of your hiring strategy. Additionally, we will navigate through strategic steps to build a robust candidate pool that aligns seamlessly with your business objectives. ? What is LinkedIn? ? LinkedIn is a social networking site designed specifica ..read more

It’s been a busy year for the Conservative Government with some new legal changes coming through which affects UK Businesses. So, what does this mean for me as a small business owner I hear you ask. Well, here’s the low down in terms of what’s changing in April 2024 and what you need to do as a result of this. 1. Statutory Carer’s Leave It’s been confirmed that from the 6th April 2024, there will be a new law that gives your employees the right to take statutory carer’s leave. This will be a right that eligible employees have from their first day on the job. Employees will qualify for statuto ..read more

  A virtual HR director can help you to scale your business more quickly. ? And as one myself, I’m able to make that claim with 100% confidence. ? But, like any investment you make as a small business owner, you’ll want to get a return – and quickly. Read my blog about the 6 Biggest Benefits of Hiring a Virtual HR Director. ? 1. Financial Benefits  ? How many employees you have. What you pay them. What they do for you. How many hours they work. How you reward them. How you treat them. How long they stay with you.  ☝ All these things have a direct impact on the financi ..read more

Far too often, meetings can become a source of frustration and wasted time if they lack direction or fail to engage participants. In this blog post, we will delve into the common pitfalls of pointless team meetings and provide actionable strategies to steer your team towards more productive and purposeful gatherings. ? If your team meetings are stuck in a rut and you’re wondering what’s gone wrong and how you can get them back on track, I’ll share with you the common traps team meetings can fall into when they’re not set up properly for success. ?? ❌ Problem 1. They lack purpose Lots of team ..read more

Weight discrimination is an often-overlooked form of bias that affects many candidates applying for jobs and employees in the workplace. This is where someone overweight is treated badly or unfairly based on their body weight or size.  With nearly half (46%) of people living with obesity reported that their mental health was negatively affected by COVID-19, with over a quarter (26%) saying it is still worse than it was before, this is an important topic for us to chat about.  If you – or any of your employees – choose to treat someone differently because of their weight, it’s not on ..read more

At some point, most employers have had to deal with an employee whose attitude slips so that it becomes unsatisfactory. ?  This can be a huge drain of time and energy to manage. It can also be bewildering if they’ve always been such a star employee in the past, and it can start to affect team morale and customer service, and ultimately the bottom line. This is often a tricky one for many employers to know how to handle, particularly if it’s the first time you’ve been faced with this.  Maybe in this situation, your first instinct might be to hand the person their P45. Or perhaps your ..read more