The Elephant in the Room: The Smelly Employee – Weed

Some people will recognise the smell of weed a mile off. Others will never have come into contact with people smoking weed, but they are aware of a strange smell. Weed is cannabis. It is a drug. Also known as marijuana, pot, grass and dope, weed is illegal in the UK. As an employer, you […]

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Added Value

Today is Valentine’s Day. The origins of the day vary, but it is believed that Valentine’s Day dates back to Pagen times with the holiday of Lupercalia celebrating fertility. In 3rd century AD Emperor Claudius II executed 2 men, both named Valentine on different Lupercalia holidays. They were martyred and honoured by the Catholic Church […]

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Medical

Benefits are often seen by small businesses as being an expense they can’t afford and Private Medical Insurance is certainly in that bucket. But, it is a benefit which is of huge value to both the employer and their employees and really shows your staff that you care and that you value them. The waiting […]

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In 2020 and the age of COVID, does dress code at work still matter?

Much depends on the industry and the setting. No one would say it’s unreasonable to expect someone working in a kitchen to tie their hair back, or to wear sturdy boots on a building site. But there are many shades of grey – from beards to head coverings, jewellery to heels, and what comprises business […]

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Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should!

Sometimes Business Owners and Line Managers need to think about what they do or say before they act. Not doing so, or acting without thinking through the consequences, can result in major headaches, expensive settlements or even an employment tribunal. […]

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What do they really want?

I had a conversation with a client this week about the struggles they are having to improve performance. They are a recruitment agency, so like other recruitment agencies and estate agents who we look after, the staff are set targets and are paid on their performance. However, from our conversation, it appears that the incentive […]

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How much influence does an employer have?

This week’s blog is again inspired by a radio interview I’ve given (5th September on BBC Three Counties Radio). The item was inspired by the news in The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ditch-the-plastic-cups-or-face-sack-staff-told-5jd07x3l5# that Sheffield based Intelligent Hand Dryers had banned single-use plastics from the office and anyone found with a banned item would risk being fired from […]

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Do you need to worry about the well-being of your staff?

The inspiration for this week’s blog is from an interview which I did last week on the BBC Three Counties Radio drive time show. The interview was all about the well-being of employees and the duty of care that employers have towards their staff. The conversation was sparked by the announcement by Easyjet that one […]

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