Stop! Employee Issues Ahead…
The majority of businesses rely heavily on their employees and when things are running smoothly, it can be easy to take the formalities for granted. However, keeping on top of employee-related matters stands you in good stead…A business is only ever as good as its people, and where there are issues with employees, it can be difficult to prevent a knock-on effect on the rest of the business.
Here are three pieces of advice on putting your best foot forward to avoid employee issues.
Dot the i’s and cross the t’s
In order to protect the business and avoid the impact of employee issues, it is vital to have all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed. This means ensuring you have a clear set of policies in place covering everything from absence procedures to health and safety, equality policies to timekeeping. The majority of this information should be available for staff to access via a staff handbook.
Get your paperwork in order
When an employee matter comes to a head, having your paperwork in place can be a big help in supporting your case. As a starting point, employment contracts should be up to date, as should your company’s staff handbook. Keeping a paper trail of staff appraisals, disciplinary matters, sickness absences etc can prove vital should you face a dispute with an employee or a claim.
Act swiftly
Although rash decisions can get you in hot water, there is something to be said for taking swift action. Letting issues with employees drag on because you don’t know how to handle them or are afraid of the consequences can result in the problem spreading and affecting other employee behaviour. If you need to clarify your positon or take advice on how to address an employee issue (or a potential one), it would be advisable to seek advice from an employment lawyer or HR consultant. But thereafter, it’s down to you to take action.
Employment law is notoriously fast-paced and keeping up to date can prove a burden to employers. However, employee issues have the potential to literally stop a business in its tracks. Is that time you can afford to lose?
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