HR advice Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Blue Tree HR Solutions

Dealing with employee complaints the right way

Posted on July 10, 2023July 10, 2023 by Blue Tree HR

The best HR solutions company Essex can offer is here to help you deal with employee complaints effectively.

Dealing with workplace complaints is delicate business, and has to be acted upon effectively and professionally. Resolving issues correctly will help managers maintain a positive work environment, and ensure legal compliance.

As an expert HR solutions company, Blue Tree HR Solutions is here to help you with our experienced HR support for small businesses, which will manage your employee’s complaints and behaviour the correct way.

Employee complaints - Why are you receiving them?

A positive, organised and managed work environment should not cause employees to complain. If your employees are having issues, either with other members of staff or the workplace itself, this could be a sign that your company is not as happy and healthy as you might think.

Employee complaints can be valuable opportunities to identify and rectify issues within your company. If dealt with professionally and fairly, you can begin to build your dream workforce culture of trust, respect, resolution, and above all, happy employees.

Employee complaints will range from something very minor to something serious, and it is up to management to decide how to deal with the situation appropriately.

Without an HR department, knowing how to deal with complaints can be tricky. One wrong move can have dire consequences. To ensure the well-being and protection of all parties involved – including yourself, the employee filing the complaint, the company and any individuals impacted by the complaint – it is crucial to deal with complaints professionally.

As an experienced HR solutions company, the Blue Tree HR Solutions company team is here to help with expert HR support for small businesses. Take a look at our ad-hoc HR and retained HR services!

How do I know how to handle a complaint?

The key thing to remember about employee complaints is that no matter how big or small, they should all be resolved – leaving none to be swept under the carpet. Even minor complaints can snowball into something larger if left unattended – which could land your company in trouble, lose you employees, or leave you with a hefty claim.

A grievance is a complaint that has been given to you in a formal, written manner with the idea that management takes action following the statutory procedure. Complaints that have been expressed to you informally can be labelled as a complaint or dissatisfaction.

Employee grievances require to be handled in a set procedural manner that follows current employment law to protect everybody involved. Not following these procedures will land you in hot bother.

Grievances can be costly, stressful, and time-consuming. The idea is to help your staff resolve all issues before they reach the grievance stage.

If you have had an employee complain to you, informally, take the time to chat with them, figure out how they are feeling, and how you can help them resolve their issue effectively without processing to the grievance stage.

If you’ve had an employee complaint, and you’re unsure of the best way to handle and resolve the issue, contact the best expert HR solutions company in Essex, Blue Tree HR Solutions. Our expert advice and HR support for small businesses can help guide and advise you throughout. Take a look at our ad-hoc HR and retained HR services for more.

Dealing with a grievance

If an employee complaint has reached the grievance stage, a set statutory process will take place, which will involve a robust investigation and an outcome meeting, and could lead to further disciplinary action.

This process can be intimidating and stressful. Especially when one wrong move could lead to the downfall of your company.

Expert HR solutions company, Blue Tree HR Solutions, is here to help. Our team of specialists can offer HR support for small businesses that will help your management through the entire process, guaranteeing all processes and procedures are adhered to and current employment law is followed. We can help with providing letters and documents to all of those involved, as well as performing our own independent investigation and presenting our findings to best advise you on the next steps.

With the Blue Tree HR Solutions company team by your side, you can relax knowing you are not alone. With every step you take, we can provide feedback, making sure you navigate the complex procedure with ease and reach the best possible outcome for all those involved.

For more information about our HR support for small businesses, ad-hoc HR, and retained HR or if you just have questions for us, get in touch here!

How can I avoid employee complaints getting to this stage?

There are a few steps you can take to make sure complaints are dealt with in the best possible way and minimise the chances of these needing to turn into grievances.

Because Blue Tree HR Solutions company is an experienced HR solutions company, we have all the best strategic ways to respond to employee complaints.

Respond quickly

Responding quickly to employee complaints is crucial. Not only does it demonstrate care for employee well-being and satisfaction, but addressing issues early can stop problems from further escalating. Quick responses also help you maintain positive relationships and team dynamics, showing you are always there for your employees.

By addressing complaints fast and not leaving them to stew, your company has more chances at reaching a conflict resolution.

Timely responses are also important when dealing with grievances. If your management cannot handle dealing with complaints in a fast manner, they may struggle with proper grievances procedure that requires a response within a set period of time. If this is the case, it may be a good idea to offer your management more training.

Listen

When an employee comes to you with a complaint, it is crucial to listen and try to understand their perspective.

Complaints can be about many things, from discrimination to unprofessional behaviour by colleagues or managers. Asking open-ended questions to gather detailed information about what happened, how, when, with whom, and why it is being raised as a complaint is essential to helping you find the best outcome.

Focus on facts and evidence, not opinions, while taking notes to demonstrate that you are taking their concerns seriously. After listening, inquire about the employee’s desired resolution or ideal outcome, showing that you value their input.

Listening is the best way to encourage open communication, a supportive environment and trust – the three things you will need to effectively deal with a complaint without them escalating into a grievance.

How can I reduce complaints? Pro-active HR!

Implementing proactive HR strategies is the key to creating the workplace environment of every manager’s dreams, and helps to minimise grievances and complaints overall.

Pro-active HR can help catch and address issues early on, sometimes before they even become issues. Blue Tree HR Solutions is an expert HR solutions company for a reason – Here are all our best pieces of advice for implementing proactive HR strategies in your workplace!

Clear policies and procedures

Develop and communicate clear policies and procedures that outline expectations for employee behaviour and performance. Ensure that employees have access to these policies and understand their rights and responsibilities.

This provides consistency and clarity for all staff, as well as comfort and protection that bad behaviour will not be tolerated.

Open communication

Open communication in your workplace is so important. If employees don’t feel they can effectively communicate, they may bottle up issues until they explode.

Checking in with your employees regularly allows staff to offer feedback, bring up any concerns, and build trust and relationships. Create an environment that values and empowers its employees, and watch the increased productivity, employee satisfaction, and overall success!

Training and development

Making sure management is trained sufficiently in conflict resolutions, diversity and inclusion, and effective communication is a good way to ensure issues can be spotted before they are brought to the attention of management in the form of a complaint.

Offering more in-depth training to management is a good way to reduce complaints.

How can expert HR solutions company Blue Tree HR Solutions help you?

To polish up your proactive approach, deal with complaints effectively and navigate through the grievances process correctly, you’ll need Blue Tree HR Solutions expert HR support for small businesses. Our range of packages is designed to help you with what you require most.

Our ad-hoc HR and retained HR packages give you the option to choose the perfect package for your company.

Our ad-hoc HR provides your company with access to our HR services as needed, offering flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Whether it’s assistance with a one-off contract or a complicated grievance case, you can rely on our ad-hoc HR for help when you need it most.

Our retained HR package offers ongoing support – just as if you had your HR department. This service allows our team to become part of your team so that we can truly understand the culture of your company, and offer strategic guidance and advice where needed. Our retained HR will help you implement a proactive HR approach.

Both our ad-hoc HR and retained HR packages help by offering expert HR support for small businesses.

Our specialised team is equipped with extensive knowledge and experience, meaning we can offer advice, guidance and HR support for small businesses, through processes that could otherwise prove challenging and stressful. We understand the complexities involved in addressing workplace complaints and aim to help you find a resolution, protect employee rights, and create a positive work environment.

For HR support for small businesses, choose expert HR solutions company Blue Tree HR Solutions and together, we can create a thriving workplace where success and employee well-being go hand in hand.

Managing stress in the workplace with Blue Tree HR Solutions

Posted on May 23, 2023May 25, 2023 by Blue Tree HR

Stress is a common issue in today’s fast-paced work environment, and it can have serious consequences for employees and businesses, both short-term and long-term.

High levels of stress can lead to burnout, decreased productivity, and increased staff turnover rates – to name a few.

Managing workplace stress is highly important and can cost your business if not dealt with strategically. Blue Tree HR Solutions – offering custom HR Solutions – is here to help you understand why stress management is essential if you wish to run a healthy business with loyal staff, and help you devise a plan to achieve this.

Let’s eliminate workplace stress once and for all with our expert HR solutions…

Why is stress management so important?

The Workplace Health Report revealed that 76% of professionals in the UK are currently experiencing moderate to high-stress levels at work. When employees are stressed by their workspace, many issues can arise – most commonly, mental health issues.

1 in 6.8 people in the UK experience mental health problems due to their workplace – which can result in missed workdays. Evidence suggests that 12.7% of all sickness absence days in the UK are attributed to mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression – proving that when stress management is not present in the workplace, employees and your business will suffer the consequences.

High levels of stress can also contribute to decreased productivity, low morale, can leave staff feeling dissatisfied, and have a negative impact on your company’s culture – which can result in higher staff turnover rates.

Replacing employees is a costly and time-consuming process. When employees leave, businesses must spend time and money recruiting, hiring, and training new employees. Retaining loyal employees is crucial for any business. One of the most effective ways to retain employees is to prioritise stress management.

Businesses also have a legal and ethical obligation to ensure their employees’ health and safety. If stress levels in the workplace are high, and your company has not addressed the issue, you may be liable for any resulting health problems – which could mean a big lawsuit and payout!

Stress management is key to a healthy, well-run business with happy staff. Our custom HR solutions can help you steer clear of creating a stressful work environment.

How can custom HR solutions and expert HR solutions combat stress in the workplace?

If you are having a hard time creating and implementing strategies to reduce and prevent workplace stress, Blue Tree HR Solutions’ custom HR solutions can help. Our team can provide valuable advice on which steps to take to get started.

Here are the first steps you could take to begin implementing stress management in your office:

Workplace stress surveys
Workplace stress surveys can help you get to the root cause of the stress in your workplace. Identifying what’s causing your staff stress will allow you to implement appropriate solutions to fix them – which our custom HR solutions can then help with.

Stress management programs
Stress management programs that include activities such as mindfulness exercises, employee assistance programs, and stress management training can help stop workplace stress before it arises. These programs are a great proactive way to make sure your employees feel taken care of in their careers.

Open communication
Encouraging open communication between employees and management is vital to a functional workplace. When employees feel they can communicate openly and honestly with those above them, they are more likely to raise concerns about workplace stress. This can help businesses address issues before they become significant problems.

Flexible arrangements
Having an unbalanced work-life balance is a major cause of workplace stress. Offering flexible work arrangements such as job sharing, working from home and flextime can help employees feel they are not spending too much time at work, and missing out on life with their loved ones.

Allowing your staff to be more flexible with how they work can help employees manage their work-life balance better and overall reduce stress. Blue Tree HR Solutions’ custom HR solutions can advise you on how to best introduce this to your company strategically.

Providing Employee Support
Support should be given to your staff no matter what – this can include access to mental health services, counselling, and other resources. However, it can be difficult to know if you are providing enough or even the correct support. With extensive knowledge in HR, our expert HR solutions can advise you on providing the right services.

Our custom HR solutions and expert HR solutions can help you eliminate workplace stress

High-stress levels in the workplace can have a detrimental effect on both employees and your business. Choose Blue Tree HR Solutions’ expert HR solutions to help navigate how to best deal with workplace stress.

Help your business create a healthier and happier work environment. Contact our friendly team today to experience the benefits of our custom HR solutions for yourself!

Take action against workplace bullying: How can management prevent and intervene?

Posted on May 3, 2023July 18, 2023 by Blue Tree HR

How can expert HR advice for businesses help you?

Workplace bullying is a serious issue that seems to be on the incline in recent years.

The devastating consequences can affect not only the employees involved but the company as a whole. As a manager, it is your responsibility to ensure that your workplace is free from bullying and harassment of any kind.

How do you manage your employees to ensure workplace bullying does not occur, and what are the best courses of action to put an end to already present bullying?

Blue Tree HR Solutions offer expert HR advice for businesses, so we understand the difficult issues management is often faced with. Here’s why taking action against workplace bullying is so important, and how prevention and intervention can be approached.

What is workplace bullying?

Workplace bullying can take many forms. The most common include verbal abuse, intimidation, exclusion, and physical aggression. This type of harassment can create a toxic work environment and often harms the mental health of the employees involved.

According to a study from 2022, 47% of UK workers have observed bullying at work, and one in ten has been the victim of it. How can management make sure their workplace stays clear of becoming a number on these shocking statistics?

How can it affect your business success?

As well as affecting employees, workplace bullying can have a huge impact on your company’s success. Harassment can lead to decreased productivity, low morale, high turnover rates, and a bad reputation – which can cost you money.

Building a safe workplace that fosters employee engagement, loyalty, and productivity can be key to making money, not losing it. Expert HR advice for businesses like yours can help you take proactive steps to promote a culture of respect and inclusivity – ultimately contributing to the success and growth of your company!

Prevention

If you’re struggling to create and implement policies and procedures to prevent workplace bullying, expert HR advice for businesses is critical.

Here are the first steps to take to ensure bullying in your workplace is never an issue:

Communication – Encouraging open communication between employees and management, where employees feel safe speaking up, is key to guaranteeing witnesses or victims feel they can get help.

Zero-tolerance policy – Management should be making it clear to all employees that bullying and harassment will not be tolerated in the workplace and that these actions can be job-losing. Make sure this is in the employee handbooks, included in training sessions, and that regular reminders are sent out.

Recognition and reporting – All employees should be able to recognise bullying and know the procedures for reporting it. To ensure this, managers should provide training to make sure employees can recognise the signs immediately.

By seeking expert HR advice for businesses you can ensure any policies, procedures and training you introduce are legally compliant and that your employees feel supported throughout the process.

Blue Tree HR Solutions believe in the power of proactive HR. Prevention is always better than reaction, as this means the problem was addressed before it even arose. For more advice and help in implementing pro-active HR, contact Blue Tree HR Solutions and find out why our expert HR advice for businesses is trusted by companies of all sizes and industries.

Intervention

Unfortunately, prevention policies won’t stop workplace bullying in its tracks completely. There is always a small chance that harassment is still occurring, or will occur in the future.

If you, as a manager, witness workplace bullying or you are made aware of a situation, it is your responsibility to intervene and take immediate action.

Your actions are detrimental to the outcome of the problem. If workplace bullying is not dealt with correctly, it can lead to increased and intensified bullying, low morale, high turnover, and even lawsuits.

Here’s how you can begin to address the situation:

Investigate – It’s highly important to conduct a thorough investigation, collect all evidence possible, and gather statements from all those involved.

Support – Providing support to the victim is crucial for their well-being and recovery. However severe the harassment was, dealing with the trauma of being bullied can be difficult.

Managers should be able to create a safe space where victims can express their concerns and experiences, have their feelings validated, and receive resources – such as mental health resources or employee assistance programs – to help them cope and recover.

Take action – Taking disciplinary action against the suspect will not only set an example to other employees but will make sure the bullying does not continue.

Action against the individual may be verbal or written warnings, suspension, demotion, or even termination of employment. The disciplinary action should be scaled to the severity of the incident.

Implement – Taking further steps to prevent future incidents of bullying in the workplace occurring, as well as putting in safety measures for the victim, can help restore faith in your management and the company.

Follow up – Make sure to check in with the victim and perpetrator once resolved. This is to make sure the victim is getting the support they need, and the individual understands the consequences of their actions.

You are not alone – expert HR advice for businesses can help

Navigating workplace bullying and harassment can be complex and difficult – and it’s so important to get every last detail right in these sensitive scenarios. Blue Tree HR Solutions can help you every step of the way. From helping with disciplinary action and making sure the consequence is compliant with your company’s policies, providing the correct support for the victim, to support for your other employees and even yourself during these tense situations – our expert HR advice for businesses can help you provide the best management you can.

Looking for expert HR advice for businesses? Choose Blue Tree HR Solutions

Workplace bullying can have a detrimental impact on both employees and the overall success of your business.

Management should have a clear strategy for preventing and tackling bullying to protect employees and the business. Our expert HR advice for businesses like yours could be instrumental in creating a safe workplace culture.

Stand up to workplace bullying. Contact Blue Tree HR Solutions for expert HR advice for businesses – let’s create a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported. We offer both retained HR and ad hoc HR packages that are ideal if you are seeking HR advice for small businesses.

Should dogs be allowed in the office?

Posted on February 6, 2023July 18, 2023 by Blue Tree HR

Are dogs in the office a good or bad idea?

The British public adores their dogs, so it’s no surprise that we are seeing more people bringing dogs in the office as the years go on. Taking your dog or dogs in the office seems like a no-brainer for dog lovers. They lower anxiety levels, boost morale and encourage you to take a walk outside.

Whilst bringing your dog or dogs in the office can bring benefits to some, there are also some downsides.

Blue Tree HR Solutions – who offer expert HR support for small businesses – is here to break down the pros and cons of a pet-friendly office and encourage you to ‘paws for thought’ before deciding to allow your dog or dogs in the office.

hr support for small businesses with Blue Tree HR Solutions

We’ll start with the bad news first –

Dogs aren’t for everybody

Whilst it hurts to highlight this, some people simply aren’t dog lovers. What is a gorgeous, fluffy baby with paws for some could be seen as a stinky, hairy, and slobbery mutt to others. Unfortunately, this could mean that a dog in the office could negatively impact the non-dog lovers’ day, ending in them being irritated and less productive.

Some individuals may also have a condition called cynophobia. This is a real and intense fear of dogs, commonly bought on by a bad experience with dogs in childhood. This could result in this individual becoming increasingly stressed out and afraid if in an enclosed space with a dog they do not know or trust. It is in your best interest to protect your staff and not create situations where they feel fear.

Others have allergies! Pet allergies affect 1 in 10 people in the UK. If you’re in a big office, the chances are, somebody is likely allergic. In this case, your worker’s health is at risk and pets should be kept at home.

Is it fair to everybody?

Dogs in the office can sometimes cause inequality and resentment between staff members.

Dogs are hard work and require attention when brought into the office. This means staff who opt to bring their pets into the office will ultimately spend time feeding, watering, walking, and giving attention to their fur babies. There is a very real possibility that these individuals end up doing less work than those without extra canine responsibility, creating inequality and jealousy in the workplace.

Does the dog want to be there?

Welcoming a dog into the office should only be done if it’s in the pet’s best interests.

If your dog is stressed, scared, or worried when in the office, they do not feel comfortable being there and most likely only feels relaxed in its own home. Bringing this dog into the office is not fair on the pooch. A constantly stressed dog can cause health issues to itself down the line, and negatively affect your worker’s day.

However…

While it may seem that the cons of welcoming dogs into the office are very prominent, it’s important to assess or address all of these issues before even considering opening your doors to some four-legged friends. If the correct policies and procedures are addressed and put into place, it’s possible to create a working environment where dogs in the office bring more positives than negatives.

By addressing all of the above issues professionally and correctly, you can begin to create a pet-friendly office suitable for dogs.

There are various ways to begin identifying issues, assessing these, and overcoming them. Blue Tree HR Solutions – offering the best HR services Essex has seen – recommends starting by asking all workers their thoughts and concerns on allowing dogs into the office. This is the best way to present the idea to staff, and start addressing any problems should there be any.

Blue Tree HR Solutions offers quality expert HR solutions to help our clients overcome any problems they will be facing. One of the best approaches to workplace issues is to take a proactive approach to fix a problem before it develops. This is a great way to avoid the problem of staff resentment and inequality in the office due to pets.

Setting up policies from the start where dog owners agree to spend only their free time – breaks and lunches – attending to their dog’s needs will remove the feeling of these individuals doing less work. This makes sure these workers are still maintaining the same level of work as non-dog owners, avoiding the problem of resentment arising altogether. Setting these standards early is the best course of action when making sure your office is pet-friendly.

If you’re worried about setting up policies and procedures, you feel you don’t know enough about the matter or you simply don’t have the time, Blue Tree HR Solutions is here to help. We specialise in HR support for small businesses and believe we can provide some of the best HR services Essex offers.

Blue Tree HR Solutions is here with expert HR solutions and HR support for small businesses

Some policies to start considering to create a pet-friendly environment for all may look something like this –

All dogs should be well-trained.
They might need to be tested or trialled to see how they act in an office environment.
There should be some dog-free areas for workers.
Health and safety hazards should be considered before allowing pets into the workplace.

The health and well-being of your staff come before anything, especially dogs. When you choose Blue Tree HR Solutions for your HR needs, we can help create and implement these policies. This will give you peace of mind that you are covered and protected, giving you the tools to safely convert your office into a dog-friendly space with confidence and start reaping the rewards that office dogs bring!

Dogs are good for mental health

Studies have shown that dogs reduce stress, calm anxiety, and decrease depression.
Those whose mood is uplifted by dogs feel better at work and in everyday life, which is highly important. A better mental state and increased mood also increased work productivity and quality. The positive effect dogs have on low-mood employees also affects those surrounding them. A good atmosphere from everybody in the office has a ripple effect on other staff members, overall boosting productivity and quality of work from everybody!

Dogs build relationships

Dogs are experts at getting people to mingle and talk. If you’ve got an office where teamwork is not a strong element, dogs can fix this.
The perfect hound can help build relationships between staff members and increase social interaction in the office and a workplace that gets along is a more productive one! Teamwork is highly important in most professions, and there’s nothing like a dog to bring people together.

There’s a reason to stay

Unsurprisingly, dogs make going to work every day a little more bearable.

Studies have shown that pet-friendly workplaces have decreased absences and increased employee retention compared to those without an office dog. The Brits just can’t help but fall for those puppy eyes!

Get in touch for expert HR support for small businesses

Whether you need help with policies and procedures, need advice on the best course of action to take, or just want a friendly chat, Blue Tree HR Solutions is here to help with the best HR services Essex has to offer.

Give Blue Tree a call now to see how our expert HR Solutions and HR support for small businesses can help you.

How to effectively manage sickness absence

Posted on November 14, 2022August 17, 2023 by Blue Tree HR

As a freelance HR consultant, I am often asked to give expert HR advice regarding sickness absence and how best to manage this, especially at this time of year. Sickness absence is a serious issue for many companies, in fact, data from the Office of National Statistics show that nearly 150 million days were lost to either sickness or injury in the UK throughout 2021, equating to 4.6 days per person! And whilst covid helped to make these the highest figures ever recorded, it is still businesses that must bear the brunt of the lost hours. The bottom line is, both short and long-term staff absences hit businesses hard.

The cost of regular absence

There are obvious direct costs to sickness absence, such as lost man hours, statutory or occupational sick pay, and paying another person unexpected overtime to cover. But what of the more indirect effects, such as lowered morale among the workforce due to increased workloads? And when workers are having to cover fellow employees’ work there is an increased chance of mistakes being made, as others are becoming overworked. There is also the chance of lower productivity in the office, as constantly absent employees can lead to delayed projects and deadlines being missed, leading to lower motivation from the rest of the team.

Expert HR advice by Blue Tree HR Solutions

The top reasons for sickness absence

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) Health and Wellbeing report published in 2020 showed that both stress and mental ill-health are two of the main causes of long-term absence. The most common reasons for short-term absence are minor illnesses such as colds, flu, stomach bugs, headaches and migraines. The real issues begin when there is suspicion that an employee may not actually be sick at all, but is using sickness as an excuse for being absent from work. This is where managing sickness absence can get tricky and where it pays to have expert HR advice from an experienced team like Blue Tree HR!

So now that we know the main reasons for absence, and how this can affect the business, how can we effectively manage sickness absence? Here is my expert HR advice on how to effectively manage sickness absence in your business.

Use HR software to track all absences

The first piece of expert HR advice I would suggest to any business wanting to effectively manage sickness absence is to invest in HR software that will track all employee absences, whether it be due to sickness, annual holiday or any other reason. I would strongly advise using Breathe HR, which allows you to manage holiday requests, manage absences, expense tracking, document storing, automated reporting and so much more. If your business has less than 10 employees it is just £13 a month, or just £26 a month for up to 20 employees! This really is an amazing piece of HR software, and you can get started right away by following this link https://hr.breathehr.com/signup?hrp=BTHR01

Ensure you have set policies and procedures for absence in place

It is essential that any business has clear policies and procedures in place documenting the exact steps and repercussions for continued absence. By following our expert HR advice we would suggest these should clearly be made aware to all employees, and be available for review by an employee at any time. By having such policies and procedures in place you ensure that there can be no legal fallout should, in the worst-case scenario, you have to let someone go over continued absence.

Reviewing the evidence and identifying the issue

Once you have the correct HR software in place you can review all absences and identify any trends, such as whether there is a particular individual who is always off sick on Mondays, or is there someone who always seems to be missing when there is an important deadline due? Perhaps an employee is regularly off with no real explanation or a series of different excuses? If you start to see a pattern then our expert HR advice would be that it is time to have a formal discussion with the employee. Likewise, it may be that you have evidence that the employee was not sick when they were supposed to be but was actually somewhere else having fun. Should this occur then the employee needs to be led through your official disciplinary procedures.

Holding return-to-work interviews are an excellent way to identify potential issues early on whilst ensuring that employees are aware that their sickness absence is being monitored and will be discussed with them.

For more expert HR advice contact the team

Unfortunately, at this time of year, there is always an increase in sickness absence. But by following our expert HR advice outlined above you will be better placed to decide whether the absence is genuine or may need investigating. We would love to discuss this in more detail, so for further expert HR advice, please contact our team.

How the best HR support Essex has to offer can help your small business save money!

Posted on October 7, 2022August 17, 2023 by Blue Tree HR

As the best HR support Essex has to offer, which includes both ad hoc HR and retained HR packages, how can Blue Tree HR Solutions help save your business money? The past 3 years have not been easy for anybody, especially small business owners, making quality HR support for small businesses more important than ever. With the pandemic, the impact of Brexit and now the cost of living crisis, many small businesses are reportedly worried about the future of their company and its stability. While keeping on top of every aspect of running a business is already tricky at the best of times, the impact of recent global issues has made a bad situation worse. More than 1 in 10 small businesses in the UK are expected to close shop in 2023 due to revenue-related issues.

Thankfully, there are expert HR services that can offer the constant support and advice you need. From avoiding costly situations to making your business more efficient, there are plenty of ways quality HR support for small businesses can help them cut down on unnecessary spending.

Here’s how Blue Tree HR Solutions can benefit your small business with the best HR support Essex can offer.

We’re here to help you save

As the best provider of HR support Essex can offer, we are aware that the biggest worry of all for small businesses across the UK right now is money. If there’s a way to help save on your costs, then it can only be a positive option.

In the HR world, prevention is better than the cure. By embracing HR as a benefit instead of a cost, you’ll start to see how your business can save money by running more efficiently. One way to do this is by putting in place formal HR systems and processes.

Absence management policy and systems

The average employee uses £570 worth of sick pay every year. If your business has just 5 employees, that’s over £2,500 on sick pay every year. By having formal absence reporting and management systems, employees are less likely to call in an absence for minor reasons. When absences are recorded and kept on file, absence levels decrease. By reducing absence levels, you can minimise the impact absence has on your business earnings.

Blue Tree HR Solutions not only offer the best HR support for small businesses like yours, but we also offer expert HR software that will set up these systems and processes for you so that you can start saving money where it doesn’t need to be lost. Just another reason Blue Tree HR Solutions deliver the best HR support Essex can offer.

Disciplinary / grievance policy

As a business owner and employer, it is your responsibility to demonstrate that a formal disciplinary and grievance procedure has been clearly communicated to all employees. If this is not the case, any employee you take action against can be deemed automatically unfair and you may be ordered to pay a reward, which can result in your business getting hurt.

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for small businesses to not have these policies and procedures in place to protect themselves. With our expert HR support Essex businesses can get professional help to set these policies set up and communicate them across your company with all the correct legislation.

Employment law and access to HR

Employee legislation is constantly changing and evolving in order to better protect you, your business and your employees. While this is in your favour, it can be hard to keep up to date with every new or updated detail, especially if you are a small business. Your employees should also have access to an HR representative so that they can check their own rights and laws if they feel they have a problem at work. If you do not have an HR team, they will come to you to find this information out.

If you have employees it is your responsibility to know employment law and HR practices. If you do not know employment law, or you make a minor mistake, it could lead to you losing a claim made against you.

Unfortunately, many business owners simply don’t have the time to keep up to date with this crucial information when trying to run a business. This is where the best HR support Essex offers, Blue Tree HR Solutions, can help.

By gaining this kind of expert HR support for small businesses as early as possible, you can relax knowing the tricky legal part of running your business is taken care of. Blue Tree HR Solutions will not only always be here to offer credible and accurate guidance and advice on any employment law matters, but it is our duty to ensure all internal processes, policies and future paperwork follow the most recent legislation correctly. By opting for the best HR support Essex can offer your small businesse, it could save you thousands of pounds in tribunal rewards and lost productivity.

HR support Essex

Looking for HR support for small businesses can save your business money when it matters most. Blue Tree HR Solutions offer the best HR support Essex has and are equipped with deep industry knowledge, and the latest technology to give you the best results and is highly recommended by many. We have every tool to help you avoid high costs and save you money. If you are looking for the best HR support Essex can offer, get in touch with our friendly team. We are experts at offering quality HR support for small businesses like yours through our ad hoc HR and retained HR packages.

Additional Bank Holiday

Posted on September 12, 2022August 17, 2023 by Blue Tree HR

The extra bank holiday next is raising a few questions, so I thought I would email you to clarify the situation.

Sometimes additional public holidays are granted by Royal Proclamation. There is an additional bank holiday on 19 September 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II‘s funeral. There was also another in June 2022 for the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

Employers need to decide how they will approach these upcoming additional days off. This will be determined to some extent by the wording in the contract. Where the contract entitles employees to take as paid leave “all bank and public holidays”, the employer will have no choice but to grant the extra day in the usual way or negotiate otherwise.

Where the contract requires workers to work on “all bank holidays”, the employer can require them to work on an additional day. If they are paid a higher rate for working on a bank holiday and the contract does not limit the number of bank holidays to which the higher rate applies, the employer must pay that rate for the additional day.

However, where the contract limits entitlement to a day off work (or to a higher rate of pay where bank holidays are worked) to the “usual eight” bank holidays, or your contract may state the employee is entitled to 28 days of holiday and this is inclusive of bank holidays, the employer will need to decide its policy in relation to the additional day.

Bank Holiday for Queen Elizabeth II funeral — National Bank Holiday Announced for 19th September 2022

Giving Employees the Day Off

If the employer chooses to give its workers the day off as an extra day’s paid holiday (or pay them a higher rate if they work on that day), it should express this as being a non-contractual discretionary measure that applies only during the year in question. Otherwise, workers may, in the future, have grounds to argue that time off (or the higher rate of pay) on additional bank holidays is a contractual right, implied by custom and practice.

If workers will be required to take the additional day off out of their existing holiday entitlement, the employer will need to plan ahead to ensure that it gives them the requisite notice.

If some or all workers will be required to work on the additional public holiday, the employer may wish to consider a one-off discretionary day off in lieu, as a gesture of goodwill. Where workers will be treated differently, for example, one receptionist out of three is required to work but the other two can take the extra holiday days as leave, the employer should have objective criteria for this requirement and the choice of who will work, to minimise the risks of a discrimination claim (for example because of sex or race). In this scenario, the receptionist who works on the bank holiday must be compensated either by being paid or being granted a day off in lieu.

Keeping staff happy with your bank holiday policy

Employees would have heard that there is an extra bank holiday and may assume they are entitled to a paid day off. An alternative would be to ask staff to come in and perhaps allow those that are interested an extended lunch break to watch the proceeding on a screen.

Expert HR advice for small businesses

We hope that you found this blog informative. And remember, if you require expert HR advice for small businesses, or larger concerns, our experienced and professional HR team are always on hand to help. We offer both ad hoc HR and retained HR packages to suit any HR requirements. Contact our friendly team to learn more.

Flexible Working and Managing Flexible Work Requests

Posted on August 18, 2022August 17, 2023 by Blue Tree HR

Before the pandemic struck the world by a storm in 2020, flexible working arrangements were a nice-to-have perk. Remote employees were the minority, and most business leaders believed they could only nurture a productive workforce in the office.

But everything changed overnight, and those working on-site were suddenly only essential workers. Even though the COVID-19 crisis is ending in most countries, including the United Kingdom, flexible work isn’t going anywhere.

Employees Prioritize Flexibility

According to Statista, 4.27 million UK employees have employment contracts that allow flexible hours, making it the most common practice in 2022. Contrary to what employers thought, people like the post-pandemic workplace arrangements and wouldn’t return to strict schedules and solely office work.

Another report found that the demand for flexible work is increasing, with 8.7 million full-time workers yearning for flexibility. Moreover, the younger generations would likely decline jobs with rigid working hours.

For instance, 75 per cent of Gen-Z see flexible work as the number one employee benefit. Here’s why this arrangement is also beneficial for companies.

Four-Day Working Week & Flexible Working

Top 3 Benefits of Flexible Work

1. Enhances Employee Retention

Today, flexible schedules are among the most sought-after employee perks and benefits. Many people would choose flexibility over a prestigious title or additional time off.

Meeting employees’ needs and expectations is necessary for cultivating loyalty. Companies can retain workers and attract top talent by offering flexible schedules and remote work.

2. Boosts Productivity

Employers often hold back from introducing flexible working because they fear it would affect productivity as they wouldn’t be able to monitor employees. But according to Gartner, 43% of workers are more productive if allowed flexibility. Moreover, this work arrangement enables people to relax and focus on their assignments without office pressure. Many employees feel less productive on-site due to managerial micromanagement and team competition.

3. Improves Employee Engagement

Empowered employees are more engaged, and what’s a better way of empowering them than responding to their needs and ensuring they can choose a work arrangement that stimulates their creativity? Flexible working also shows companies respect and care about their workers.

People want to know their employers trust them to work outside the office and get the work done just as efficiently. That boosts their engagement and helps them enjoy their tasks.

How to Manage Flexible Work Requests

Acas 2021 survey found over 55 per cent of employers expect an increase in flexible work requests, as people wish to split their time between home and office. Even though companies have the right to decline, they should consider the benefits of flexibility and discuss it with their workers in more depth.

They should be fair and objective, as most employees have reason to ask for flexible working, such as restoring work-life balance or preventing burnout. Employers can ask for a written flexible work request and discuss why the worker would prefer this arrangement.

However, they should be clear about flexibility policies and what flexible work consists of in their companies. If employers have no relevant regulations, they should consider introducing them and providing all employees equal access to flexible working.

Making flexibility a part of the company culture helps attract high-quality candidates and retain employees, especially working parents, students, minorities, and people from diverse groups. Whether you approve the flexible work request or not, it shouldn’t take a long time, and it might alter your employee’s contract.

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Flexible work has numerous advantages for companies and employees, but employers are often reluctant to introduce this work arrangement. Although business leaders often fear flexibility would impact productivity, loyalty, and commitment, people with access to this benefit are more engaged and motivated.

Hence, before declining a flexible work request, consider the benefits. Besides improving employees’ work-life balance, it also helps instill trust and nurture lasting retention.

How HR Consultants at Blue Tree HR Solutions can help with Flexible working

Flexible working requests and considering offering hybrid working and a more flexible working arrangement to staff and new recruits may seem like another headache for employers. At Blue Tree HR Solutions we can help you implement a policy and support you during flexible work requests and help you find ways to make working hours convenient and beneficial for employers and employees.

If you require expert HR advice for small businesses then take a look at our ad hoc HR and retained HR packages. Feel free to contact our friendly team for more information.

Will our expert freelance HR services help your business retain its best employees? The answer is yes!

Posted on August 4, 2022August 17, 2023 by Blue Tree HR

What if freelance HR services Essex could help you retain your star employees?

Employee retention is a fundamental quality of a successful business. It is easier for long-term employees who are familiar with their roles to become specialised and better at their jobs compared to newer, or short-term, employees.

There are many aspects that can impact employee retention and different steps can be taken to reduce your staff turnover. In this blog, we will explain how the expert freelance hr services Essex has available to you can help you retain your best employees!

Communication is key

Like many other things in life, it all comes down to good communication. Communication underpins all strategies for a happy, successful company. Thankfully, here at Blue Tree HR, good communication is our speciality and an important aspect of the expert HR solutions we provide.

Performance management

Effective communication is integral when it comes to successful productivity and performance management. Setting objectives and reviewing performance is important, however, it is equally, if not more, important how these processes are conducted and how the information is used.

Blue Tree HR provides expert HR advice on developing objectives, motivating, and engaging employees in the most effective way – so that you and your managers are able to more successfully manage performance within the company.

But how does this relate to retaining employees?

There can be friction between managers and employees because of how performance reviews are conducted and/or handled. Employees who feel scrutinised, or unchallenged, are likely to seek positions elsewhere. So, by improving performance management, you reduce employee turnover and retain your best employees!

Improve Performance Reviews | HR Services Essex

Disciplinaries, grievances and concerns

Dealing with disciplinaries and grievances is often seen as something to be avoided at all costs. And of course, every company should do their best to reduce the number of grievances and disciplinaries, however, when they do arise, it is important to handle them in the most constructive manner (and not to avoid them).

This is best achieved when you consult the best freelance HR services Essex can offer, like Blue Tree HR, who are able to provide expert HR solutions to any disciplinaries and grievances as an unbiased third party. Contact us today for more information.

Disciplinaries and grievances are signs that something is not working properly- whether for the employer or the employee (and sometimes both). As the best provider of HR services Essex can offer, Blue Tree HR Solutions opens a channel of constructive communication and provides expert HR solutions so that everyone involved is able to move forward in the best way possible.

By providing a clear, open channel for communicating grievances and disciplinary actions, you avoid the build-up of resentment from one party to another. Instead, a constructive environment is created to solve any issues and move forward without bitterness or grudges.

How does this help retain the best employees?

Believe it or not, many employees, even the best ones, have grievances or concerns at some point in their careers. It is how these are handled that determines their future employment status with the company. By consulting the best expert freelance HR services Essex can offer, you can make sure grievances and concerns are handled in the best way possible and hold onto the employees that you value most.

With an open channel of communication, you are also more likely to prevent any official grievances and/or disciplinaries. Employees will feel more comfortable communicating difficulties, giving employers a chance to improve practices before becoming an official grievance. This can help prevent accidental discrimination and encourages company growth by introducing effective strategies and practices into the workplace.

The best expert freelance HR services Essex can offer will give advice on allowing your employees to voice their concerns and see positive changes that make their job more enjoyable. This is the most effective way to make your employees feel valued and remain at your company.

What kind of concerns might some of our best employees have?

Work-life balance

A very common concern for employees is maintaining a healthy work-life balance. It can be difficult for employees to go to their boss and discuss their mental/physical health, and how their work-life balance impacts it.

Often this can lead to an employee feeling overwhelmed and eventually feeling the need to leave their role. Having an impartial party to discuss things confidentially makes it easier for people to voice any struggles they may be having and help managers and employers implement better processes and/or practices to solve the problem. Take a look at our previous blog to learn more about ensuring your company supports mental health within the workplace.

The expert HR services Essex has available to you makes all the difference when it comes to retaining your best employees

As you can see, there are a number of ways that the expert HR services Essex has available, like Blue Tree HR, can help you retain your star employees! And if you’re looking for expert HR advice, you’ve come to the right place. Blue Tree HR is proud to offer, professional, impartial and compassionate HR services. We will work alongside you and your team to help your organisation develop a dynamic, professional, and happy workplace

For the best HR services Essex can offer, including both retained HR and ad hoc HR packages, get in touch with the Blue Tree HR team today!

How Can HR Consultancy Advice Save Your Business Stress In The Long Term?

Posted on July 20, 2022August 17, 2023 by Blue Tree HR

HR consultancy advice can not only improve the climate of your current workplace, but it can also proactively reduce stress in the long term by recognising and reacting to problems early before they become serious issues. As experts in HR advice and guidance, Blue Tree HR Solutions has everything you need to avoid unnecessary stress, so that you can put your energy into improving your business and taking care of your employees. Here are 3 common issues that, if not resolved correctly, can put a strain on your business and how HR consultancy advice can help before it becomes something more serious.

Preempting issues before they escalate

As a business owner, you have a responsibility to manage your employees and take action where needed. For some business owners, it can sometimes be easier to let things slide and not take action, especially if they have 10 other pushing priorities to attend to. Instead of tackling the problem immediately (and therefore creating more work for themselves), owners or managers will sometimes ignore an issue until the issue becomes critical. Unfortunately, this approach will nearly always end with more “work” than they would have had in the first place, as now that issue has become a serious one.

These types of situations are more common instances where an employee’s bad behaviour has not been addressed, even though it has been reported by other employees, and has now worsened to the extent that they have cost the business money, time and even upset other staff and customers. Issues left to worsen almost always come back to affect you worse than if the issue had been addressed quickly and in the proper manner.

As experts in HR advice and guidance, Blue Tree HR Solutions can help. The best way to combat the unnecessary stress of employee wrongdoings is to make sure all problems are dealt with in line with the correct policies, within the correct timeframes. Professional HR consultancy advice from Blue Tree HR Solutions can help with finding what works best for your business. As professionals in HR advice and guidance, we can also help to alleviate some of the weight on the owner’s shoulders by helping to deal with issues. This can be done by setting up a detailed step-by-step process on how to manage a specific situation correctly, conducting investigation meetings on your behalf to free up more time in your day, and can even attend your workplace and provide advice so that you can make sure any issues are dealt with in the best possible way. Avoid unnecessary stress by not letting problems drag out.

Safeguarding critical information

Business owners all have their own way of storing important data. This is down to what they find easiest to organize and what feels most secure to them. Popular options include keeping important data down on paper or opting for a clunky HR system. While these may feel safe and secure, the risks to these ways of storing data are never ending and can cause significant amounts of stress if something was to ever go wrong.

Not only does Blue Tree HR Solutions offer expert HR solutions and HR consultancy advice, but we also offer unique, secure HR software that completely cuts out any chance of a data leak. With our easy-to-use cloud-based HR system, you never have to worry about the risk of misplacing information, leaking data or system crashes, as everything is backed up and stored securely. This not only diminishes the risk of unnecessary data loss but gives you more time to focus on your company and its hard workers, rather than endless admin. This way, you are not only avoiding unnecessary stress in the long run but giving yourself more time to focus on your goals.

Keeping up to date with the necessary paperwork

For some business owners, new ones especially, dealing with documentation can seem like an intimidating process. Unfortunately, if every little detail is not 100% correct and in line with the right procedures, and compliant with current Employment Law, your business can end up in big trouble. Up-to-date paperwork is required to both cover yourself and your employees, to make sure you are both protected and that there’s evidence of all the right procedures being met and followed. This is the case for the recruitment process, disciplinary process, termination of contract process, maternity leave, sick leave and so much more. All of these processes require different sets of paperwork to be completed correctly, to ensure all procedures have been complied with in the correct manner.

Thankfully, Blue Tree HR Solutions is able to offer expert HR consultancy advice to help you along with this process. Not only can we provide the correct documentation, but we can advise and review existing ones to make sure everything is correctly done and nothing is missed out. This way, you can sleep soundly knowing nothing has been left to chance.

Expert HR consultancy advice

If you are looking for expert HR solutions and expert HR consultancy advice from an experienced HR consultancy advice and guidance specialist then Blue Tree HR Solutions is just a call away. Get in touch today so we can discuss how our expert HR advice and HR consultancy advice can help take some of the stress out of your working day.