How can we help?
The HR Surgery helps you as the employer to ensure that you are managing your employees not only effectively but also in a legally compliant way providing you with added protection against expensive employment tribunals. We can support you with the following matters:
FAMILY-FRIENDLY RIGHTS
The area of family-friendly provisions, flexible working and parental rights has undergone numerous changes over the last five years and shows no signs of stopping.
The HR Surgery can provide you with up to date, practical advice and the correct documentation to ensure you are dealing with these types of situations correctly and staying on the right side of employment legislation.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, APPRAISALS & DEVELOPMENT
Never forget that your employees are your most valuable asset! How can you ensure you develop your people to achieve their full potential whilst at the same time contributing to your Company’s overall success?
We have extensive experience of designing and implementing effective appraisal and performance management processes that will drive your Company’s performance.
INTERVIEWING & SELECTION SUPPORT
It has been estimated that hiring the wrong candidate can cost a business up to three times the agreed starting salary. There are obvious costs like agency and /or advertising fees, time spent recruiting, salary, training etc.
There are also hidden costs such as lost sales, lost customers, managing poor performance and the negative impact on the team and morale. So the “hire them and get rid of them if they don’t work strategy” is expensive on all fronts. Using the correct processes from the outset can save you time and money.
We can support you by:
- Writing job descriptions;
- Holding first or second stage competency based interviews;
- Making job offers;
- Negotiating deals;
- Preparing and issuing offer letters and bespoke contracts of employment;
- Ensuring your Company has an effective induction process in place.
We will also ensure that your company doesn’t fall into potential recruitment process pitfalls which include discrimination, permits to work and data protection.
MANAGING TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE RIGHT WAY
Knowing when and how you can legally dismiss employees isn’t always easy. Employment legislation and recent case law has become increasingly protective of employees.
Defending a claim at an Employment Tribunal adds zero value to your business and at the same time is expensive, time-consuming and can generate negative publicity for your Company. To help avoid you having to face an employment tribunal claim, the HR Surgery can help you to effectively manage the following:
- Re-organisations / re-structures
- Mergers & Acquisitions (TUPE)
- Disputed termination
- Retirement
- Office re-locations
- Outplacement
CONTRACTS OF EMPLOYMENT / POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
We know you don’t need piles of policies and procedures for their own sake but it does make sense to ensure that you have the correct employment documentation in place.
There is a legal requirement for an employee to be given a written statement of particulars of employment within two months of the employee’s start date.
Clear and well drafted policies in a Company handbook that support the contract of employment and include disciplinary and grievance procedures will assist with resolving disputes at work, and your defence in the event of a tribunal claim.
Support can be provided with the following:
- HR Health Check Audit
- Offer letters and contracts of employment
- Collation and / or reviewing and updating of policies and procedures
- Employee Handbooks
- Contract for Services documentation for freelance / self-employed contractors
- Other HR template employment documentation e.g. letters, forms etc
MANAGING REDUNDANCIES, RESTRUCTURES, TUPE TRANSFERS AND JOB CUTS EFFECTIVELY
Redundancy is a special form of dismissal, and happens when an employer needs to reduce its workforce. It is one of the most traumatic events an employee may experience.
Announcing redundancies can have an adverse impact on the morale, motivation and productivity of the whole workforce. The negative effects can be reduced by the Company’s sensitive handling of redundant employees as well as those who are staying.
The HR Surgery has extensive experience of supporting and advising businesses on how to effectively and sensitively communicate and deal with redundancy, TUPE and re-structuring situations. Provision of related documentation and attendance at on-site consultation and dismissal meetings is also available.
HANDLING DISCIPLINARY AND GRIEVANCE SITUATIONS CORRECTLY
It is a fact that small businesses are the most vulnerable when it comes to employment disputes.
Disciplinary
All employers are required by law to introduce and operate disciplinary and grievance policies and procedures and follow the statutory processes.
Disciplinary rules are necessary to set standards and make it clear to employees what conduct is and is not acceptable in the workplace. A disciplinary procedure is an essential management tool as it allows managers to deal professionally, fairly and consistently with employees who breach the rules.
Where disciplinary proceedings lead to dismissal, the dismissed employee may be able to bring a claim for unfair dismissal to an employment tribunal. In these circumstances, if it is to succeed in defending the claim, the employer must be able to show not only that the misconduct in question was appropriate to justify the penalty of dismissal, but also that a fair procedure was followed.
Grievance
An effective grievance procedure contributes to a culture of fair treatment, allowing employees to feel that they are being treated reasonably and with respect. Employees are more likely to be committed to their work and the Company as a result, which in turn leads to better standards of work, fewer absences and lower staff turnover.
We can help you to protect your business in both of these areas through:
- provision of the relevant, up to date policies and procedures;
- advice and guidance on handling the investigation process;
- on-site support at disciplinary / grievance hearings where required;
- assistance in managing the appeal process;
- provision of template letters etc.
ABSENCE MANAGEMENT
Some absence due to sickness is inevitable within any Company and it is important that sickness absence is dealt with in a fair and understanding way.
However, absence is costly. In addition to the direct costs of employee absence (paying sick pay and paying someone else to perform the absent employee’s work), high levels of absence can demotivate those employees who have to take on the absent employee’s work, cause all-round disruption to productivity and adversely affect an employer’s continuity of service to its clients.
Effective monitoring of all forms of absence, and consistency of approach are key to successfully managing employee absence. The HR Surgery can help employers to manage short and long term absence by:
- Providing advice on how to set up and manage the monitoring and recording of employee absence;
- Provision of a clear, robust, sickness absence policy including rules on absence notification, required evidence, payment of any sick pay;
- Advising on the purpose and value of return to work interviews (statistically recognised as being the most effective absence deterrent);
- Ensuring regular meetings take place with long-term absent employees;
- Recognising at what point an expert medical practitioner / occupational health professional should be contacted for further specialist advice.
SUPPORT OPTIONS
Working with The HR Surgery offers you affordable and effective HR support. We offer our service in the way best suited to you. We can provide you with HR resources and expertise on an ad-hoc basis / project-related basis with no long term commitment or associated overheads on your part.
Alternatively, we can also work with you on a more regular basis and become your own back-up HR department (or an extension of your existing department). We don’t just leave you to ‘get on with it’.
We can support you every step of the way or give you the support to take any necessary action yourself. Advice and assistance can be provided in the following ways:
- On-site support – either ad-hoc / project-related or on a regular weekly / monthly basis;
- Telephone support;
- E-mail support;
- Provision of template documentation – letters, forms etc.