4 FREE Newsletters that will help you stay up-to-date with HR and legal changes.

Smaller business owners want to keep abreast of the latest changes without researching or spending precious time on deciphering legislation.

Here is a quick summary of the four newsletters (links included) that you can consider signing up to to save yourself time:

1. ACAS (frequency: Monthly)

You may have heard of ACAS and its influence in the world of employment and creating fairer workplaces. It is a public independent body that provides valuable information about the latest legislative changes, guidebooks, and templates, policies, and local training events which your HR-reponsible employees can attend at a reasonable price.

2. People Skills Hub (CIPD) (frequency: As and when the site is updated)

People Skills Hub is part of the wider CIPD initiative and is created with small business owners in mind. On their landing page it says:

"Whether you need top tips on how to manage your team effectively, advice on your recruitment process or some of the difficult subjects like dismissals or handling grievances - you've come to the right place."

When the Hub is updated (and valuable resources are added to the site), you can stay informed by subscribing to their bulletin. This doesn't appear to be frequent so you are unlikely to get inundated.

3. People Management (frequency: Daily)

If you want to know what happens in the world of business and work, related to People Management, Human Resources, and Legal, then People Management website/magazine is your best supplier of daily news fix.

4. Federation of Small Business (frequency: Monthly)

If all you need is the high level news and updates, relevant to the world of small business, then FSB newsletter is perfect for you. It includes a broader range of updates including HR, and you can be assured you won't miss important announcements.

We will be launching our newsletter soon too, which will contain a compilation of everything above and other curated material we may discover on the World Wide Web. Sign up HERE.

Still thinking HR technology is a"nice-to-have" in a startup?

Many start-ups I’ve worked with over a 20-year career often don’t bother much with an HR database. Information about their people will be in a variety of spreadsheets, paper files, or, in many cases – there’s hardly any record of someone’s employment beyond a few old payslips. Some businesses say that’s sufficient for them.

But what happens when the start-up grows?

And what are the legal requirements of employing people?

I’ve worked with many companies who are experiencing “growing pains” e.g. they now employ 20+ people and are growing rapidly but still have the culture of a start-up in a back bedroom. All too soon, the current paper/spreadsheet/filing cabinet system becomes difficult to manage and keep on top of. Even more so now where more people will be working remotely, and having a few paper records in a filing cabinet isn’t the most efficient way of being able to access data when you need it.

Here’s where using some smart technology can really help you, and if you put this in place now, it’s far quicker than waiting until everything gets out of control and trying to gather data from various manual sources.

Legally you should store specific documents relevant to someone’s employment in a secure location and in a way that’s compliant with the General Data Protection Regulations.

Relevant documents that you should store could include:

• Job Application Form, CV, Job description

• Offer Letter and Contract of Employment

• Emergency Contact Information

• Training Records

• Copies of certificates/qualifications relevant to the role

• Payroll and benefits information

• Annual Leave & Sickness records

• Proof of right to work in the UK

• Disciplinary/Grievance Records

• Copies of resignation letter

Here’s where having an HR database can really help you as you are able to access key information about your employees from anywhere, and it can help to automate previously labour-intensive tasks, and can also be used to give you key insights about your workforce.

There are lots of different products on the market and not all options have to be expensive. As a start-up, you don’t also have to buy systems with lots of features that you’ll never use due to your size.

However, here’s a checklist of things to think about when purchasing a system:

1 · Consider what you want it to actually do; who will use it and how they will access it.

2 · Look at whether you want it to link in with or be part of a wider payroll system, or if these two systems will be kept separate. There are arguments for and against either option.

3 · Go through a proper tender/bid process with 2-3 of your favourite systems before making a final decision.

4 · Get the salesperson to demonstrate the system to you by getting them to talk you through how they would deal with a particular scenario that you will use the system for. Many people will tell you the system can make the tea if they think it will get you to buy – so don’t just sit there stunned during a demonstration – have lots of questions ready.

5 tips for building a startup culture your people will love.

‘A company’s culture is the foundation for future innovation. An entrepreneurs’ job is to build the foundation.’

Brian Chesky, Airbnb

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Over half of the British workforce want to start their own business, and there’s plenty of things for them to consider before they start. Creating the right culture is one of them. Unfortunately, culture is not something you can buy; it’s more complicated than that. A company’s shared values, attitudes, goals and practices create its unique culture, and it’s essential to get it right. If a great culture can enhance employee motivation, engagement and reduce retention, imagine the impact of a negative culture. So how do you create the right culture for your startup? Firstly, remember that every company is different and no disrespect to you, but what works for Google or your startup competitor, may not work for your business.

Here are some top tips to consider.

1 – Embrace your youth

Startups are young, they’re developing, and they’re open to options. One of the great things about a startup is that the culture is new, and therefore you can shape it. You don’t need to rid the culture of old habits or bad practices, because you have a blank page. So, consider what’s important to you and create values that support your goals and attitude.

2 – Define your values

Values help create your startup’s identity, and they pave the way for the company’s beliefs and culture and influence hiring decisions and behaviour. Therefore, it’s essential to consider and define your company values before you start developing your business. Then, you can ensure they’re lived and breathed from within!

3 – Consider who joins

A candidate may tick many of your recruitment needs, but if they don’t buy into or support your startup values, they may not be a fit. And it goes both ways; some people may not consider you a cultural fit for them! So, when you hire, carry out a thorough evaluation (through interviews or a combination of assessments) to ensure that you can fairly assess their suitability and cultural fit.

4 – Speak to your people

It’s essential to build a culture of engagement, open communication and a culture where people aren’t afraid to speak up. Employees need to feel loved, and recent data showed that only a third of employees felt like they belonged in their company.

You can gain regular feedback from employees to gauge how happy they are and action results where necessary. While you’re at it, ensure each individual understands their role and how it fits into the wider business. And it may sound obvious, but don’t forget to update your people on company wins and news and praise individuals for a job well done.

5 – Lead by example

No pressure, but you have to be a role model for the culture you’re creating. Live and practice your values, speak to your people and take pride in your behaviour. If you’re rude, consistently late or dismissive to your team, then that’s the culture you’re encouraging. Remember that old classic, ‘walk the talk’? It goes a long way.

Culture isn’t formed overnight; it takes time to cultivate and mature, a bit like a fine wine. It’s up to you to be patient, nurture your culture, keep an eye on it and review it over time. Pulse surveys can give a good insight into the culture as can longer employee feedback surveys when the time is right. And finally, remember that your company values may change over time, so assess these to ensure they still fit as the business develops.