What are the main advantages to outsourcing HR?

A Human Resources department is responsible not only for the day-to-day management of employees but also for a variety of functions including payroll, benefits administration, training and development, legal compliance and the maintenance of personnel files and confidential records. For many businesses, implementing and maintaining all of these HR functions in-house can be far too complex, as well as costly, and they have found that outsourcing their HR function has several advantages:

Cost Savings:
Depending on the size of your business, the cost of any internal HR resource may not be affordable, especially for start-up companies. However, as a business grows there will be a need for experienced HR staff and additional office space will be necessary to accommodate this expansion. In these circumstances, companies have to consider if it would be more beneficial to outsource their HR function. One benefit of outsourcing is that the costs are variable and allow companies the flexibility to pick and choose the services they actually require as their business and HR requirements grow. Outsourcing costs can also be reduced if there is an unexpected downturn in business at any time.

Time Saving:
Using an external HR provider like “Peach” allows a company the freedom to focus on the day to day running of the business while leaving the HR specialists to deal with the daily aspects of employee management. We will listen to your business needs and work with your managers in the business to understand your company strategies. By doing this, as HR Specialists, we can be integrated into the business and work closely with you, as and when required, rather than employing a full time internal HR manager which would generally cost in the region of £40,000 per year. Outsourcing HR also allows continuity of service as you do not have to worry about the company’s core functions suffering if a key HR employee leaves. i.e. As an outsourced HR provider, we will be there to assist you at all times giving you the freedom to spend less time filling out paperwork and more time to focus on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of your workforce.

Minimising Risk:
When do internal HR Managers have the time to keep up with changes in employment legislation that affect the workplace? As HR specialists we keep up to date with current employment legislation and will assist your business to comply with these laws, minimising the risk of any potential tribunal claim. We will also regularly review and update your company policies and practices in line with legislative changes to ensure compliance at all times.

Developing Talent:
Training and development of staff can often be overlooked when HR and managers get bogged down in their daily routine. At Peach, we can deliver bespoke and relevant training on site to managers and staff on a variety of HR topics whenever required.
Outsourcing HR can also help businesses to manage employee performance and development. As HR Specialists, we have the expertise to develop and implement performance appraisal schemes and performance development plans to ensure employees successfully achieve their objectives and ultimately meet business goals. This will allow managers to focus on the business strategy and improve the level of talent and expertise within the business for a successful future.

By choosing to outsource your HR function – either completely outsourcing it to an HR service provider like “Peach” or as a bolt-on to your internal HR department – you can focus on all of the commercial aspects of running your business and relax in the knowledge that you have the experience and expertise of an HR Specialist to call upon, as and when required.

Call us now on 0161 478 3800, or alternatively email us: hello@peachlaw.co.uk

Christmas is over and everyone has been back at work for a few weeks. There is no money left in our bank accounts and we are all waiting for pay-day. The weight you lost in the run up to Christmas has piled on again. The weather is miserable and travelling to and from work in the dark just makes you want to curl up under the duvet to hibernate.

It’s now Monday 16th January (aka “Blue Monday”) so how on earth are you going to boost staff morale to help them get over this gloomy time of year?

1. Focus on employee engagement – get staff involved and ask them for their ideas to make the workplace a happier place. Communication and involvement are key to making employees feel like they are an important part of the business. If they do not understand what it is the Company is trying to achieve in the next year or they do not feel valued, why would they feel motivated or inspired to work hard and be the best they can be all year round?

2. Create social events throughout the calendar year e.g. Breakfast catch-up meetings, regular dress down days, treat your team to lunch out as a “thank you”, organise after work drinks and get togethers.

3. Create team building competitions – offer prizes not only to boost staff morale but also to increase sales and productivity levels.

4. Recognise good work – always try to make a point of praising achievements and hard work or even just say “thank you” to your team. It not only makes your staff feel valued but it can have a really positive effect on productivity levels. However, make sure you don’t just focus on the positives on “Blue Monday” – endeavour to make recognition part of the culture of your company and focus on it throughout the year.

5. Encourage a healthy lifestyle – to prevent energy levels slumping provide healthy snacks for all staff during the working day e.g. fruit, nuts, yoghurts.

6. Encourage regular exercise breaks – during the bleak, winter months driving to and from work in the dark means that employees often see very little sunlight during their working day which can be detrimental to their health and well-being. To combat this, it is important to encourage staff to take regular breaks away from their desks to socialise with colleagues and to switch off from every day stresses. They need to get outside at lunchtime for fresh air and exercise and to capitalise on the natural daylight as well as eating a healthy, nutritious lunch. This can help to stabilise serotonin and trigger endorphin, both of which are mood-boosting hormones.

After implementing all of the above suggestions, you may find one of your colleagues is still feeling low. Has their behaviour or attitude at work changed recently which is affecting their performance? Are they taking days off sick when they used to be a reliable employee? If so, have an informal chat with them first to make sure everything is ok. There could be something more serious affecting them than just the winter blues. Don’t just hope things will improve – take positive action.

Call one of our HR Specialists at Peach Law for advice or assistance with any employee issues on 0161 478 3800, or alternatively email us: hello@peachlaw.co.uk

Every year the UK will go through a period of treacherous and adverse weather and the topic of not being able to get to work is inevitable. Social media goes into melt down with who has the worst weather with images of flooded roads, or snow covered cars. There are issues with public transport, road blockages or school closures. Acas advise that employers should “not force employees to make the journey to work in adverse conditions”. Employees should not put their Health and Safety at risk. Here is our checklist to help you manage this situation.

• What is the legal position?
Employees are not automatically entitled to pay if they are unable to get to work due to adverse weather. Check your contracts- does it say anything about payment? What arrangements have been agreed in the past? If the business has closed the office or informed those to not come into work, they may be entitled to pay depending on the circumstances.

• Pay or not to pay?
Usually it is a balance for employers to think about and very much depends on your business. If you don’t pay, how much of an impact does that have on employee engagement in terms of morale and productivity? Is there anything else that can be done (see below options to consider). Are there contractual lay-off provisions?

• Adopt a flexible and fair approach
Think about the way the situation is handled, be flexible where possible. Think about options for employees to choose when the circumstances arise;
– Working hours- can the lost hours be made up at another time?
– Can employees work from home?
–Can they work at a different location?
–Is there an option to use annual leave?
Acas advise that it is important to “maintain good, fair and consistent employee relations and help prevent complaints to employment tribunals”.

• Policy and procedure
What do you have in place? Is there a process that employees and their managers need to follow? We would advise that this is documented and that everyone is clear of the steps that they need to follow in times of adverse weather.

• Don’t believe your employee?
If you feel that an employee is taking advantage of the bad weather as a reason for not turning up for work revert to your Company’s disciplinary policy, ensuring that a thorough investigation is carried out.

• Employee’s child’s school closed?
An employee is entitled to unpaid leave in an emergency situation to look after dependents. It is important to maintain communication with the employee so that it is clear what the employee has in place going forward and when they are likely to return to work.

For further information about how to manage a particular issue related to you and your business please get in touch and we will guide you to an efficient resolution. You can contact us on 0161 478 3800 or email on hello@peachlaw.co.uk.

It is that time of year where you take stock of the previous year and start planning for the year ahead. Small changes can still make a great difference and they don’t have to be onerous. Here are 10 ways in which you can start making 2017 a success!

1. Goals & objectives
Have you set your business goals? Have they been cascaded down to your teams and employees? It is important for employees to know what the overall business objectives are and how they contribute to the success of the company. Having a clear idea of what you are going to do gives you a better chance of sticking to it.

2. Communication
Review your communication strategy. Communication is a very common gripe amongst employees. It is something here at Peach we are very passionate about and always promote within the clients we work with. Effective and regular communication reduces any rumours and speculation ensuring the right information is conveyed.

3. Deadlines
Commit to sticking to deadlines and meetings if you have booked them in. Rearranging performance meetings may end up …

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