A HR Update and Viewpoint by Action HR on a Pathway2Grow Business Networking Event

1. A HR Viewpoint 2015
A presentation delivered by
Su Wilmott of Action HR
Pathway2Grow Business Networking Event
17 June 2015

2. • Where does the average employer go wrong?
• Some examples would be:
– Lack of documentation e.g. At the recruitment stage, Offer
letters, Contracts of Employment, Variations to Contracts,
Minutes of meetings held including disciplinary hearings etc.
– Lack of communication e.g. Failure to discuss potential
changes with employees in advance
– Lack of traceability e.g. ‘off-line’ meetings held with no notes
made etc.

3. • With the advantage of the world wide web employees
know as much (and sometimes more) about their
rights, than the employer!
• Employers are the worlds entrepreneurs who have the
ideas and create work for others from their ideas; they
make businesses profitable. However this doesn’t
always leave a great deal of time to deal with people
management, especially when things go wrong!

4. • So what should employers do?
• Get your policies and procedures up to date which will help to
support your business. For example:
• The selection process when recruiting should be fair and
consistent in order to avoid claims of discrimination. Ensure that
you use the same questions for all candidates – use the Job
Description to set up suitable questions and scoring to help you
make the right selection.
• Contracts of Employment (or Statement of Terms and Particulars)
should be provided within the first eight weeks of employing
someone.
• Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures

5. • If you decide that an employee is not working out then
ensure you dismiss appropriately:
– If you dismiss early on you only need to hold one formal
meeting
– Ensure you use your full disciplinary procedures or
performance review procedures when dismissing an
employee

6. • The following can be found on the GOV.UK website:
• Disciplinary procedures and employment contracts
• Your employer can also put their disciplinary procedures
in your employment contract.
• If your employer does this and then doesn’t follow these
procedures you could sue them for breach of contract
• WHOEVER SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS ON OUR SIDE!
• Ensure that your Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
are non-contractual.

7. Action HR Ltd
• Recommendations:
• Don’t utilise large HR providers! – They provide a wad of
documentation which nine times out of ten you never look at.
• Select a smaller provider who can give you a personal service – If
they’re good they’ll get to know your business well and provide
advice that’s relevant to you if you involve them.
• ACAS can be useful; their new conciliation service is helpful if you
get it wrong however stable door comes to mind!

8. Action HR Ltd
• Questions

9. Action HR Ltd
• If you would like a free HR Audit then contact:
• Su Willmott – Action HR Ltd
• 07977 497 107 or email me at su@action-hr.co.uk