This section details the legal aspects of hiring staff and taking on new premises, and provides guidance on staff motivation and running a payroll.
Employing someone, like any relationship, is a two-way thing. You pay your staff, so you have a right to expect a level of performance and commitment from them. For their part, they are in a position to contribute to the success of your business, and are much more likely to if they feel valued and motivated.
So, finding good staff, and keeping them motivated so that they stay with you, can be a major factor in building your business. It also reduces the costs and time involved in repeatedly having to recruit and train new staff. This guide aims to help by looking at:
Download our guideMotivating andretaining key staff
When looking to take on business premises, the fundamental legal aspects are much the same as with domestic properties. You'll find properties for sale and properties to rent. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, and one option might suit you better than the other.
Whether you decide to buy or rent, you'll need to arrange a survey and take out property insurance. And with business premises there are likely to be other issues to consider as well. Health and safety matters for example, or access for people with disabilities.
Our guide looks at all these issues and more, and details where to go for expert help and guidance.
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Employing someone brings with it a number of legal responsibilities. They range from ensuring the person has the right to work in the UK, to the terms and conditions of their contract, to matters of equality and discrimination.
Our 'Employment Law' guide is full of essential information and best practice guidelines, covering:
How would you keep your business going if a major incident disrupted your day-to-day operations? That's when it's vital to have contingency planning.
It could be something like a fire or a flood. Power and IT failures are common. Or on the human side it could be the sudden sickness or the unexpected death of a key member of staff. Different businesses face different risks, but identifying them and working out how you'd carry on could be critical to your business's survival.
Our guide is designed to help you with that planning process. To consider what events could seriously disrupt your business, and then work out how you would deal with them. By preparing a plan, you'll be better able to cope with the consequences of a serious incident, and your business more likely to survive.
Taking on staff means taking on various responsibilities to pay them.
Naturally, they'll expect to be paid the correct amount and on time. There are tax and National Insurance matters to deal with and maybe pension contributions. If a member of staff is off sick or on maternity leave, it can affect their pay and your payroll records.
You can find details of exactly what an employer's payroll responsibilities are in our guide. It explains the records you need to keep and the legal issues. It also covers the options available to make running a payroll easier, such as computer software packages and outsourcing.
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