After such unprecedented times, many businesses took the opportunity to consider where improvements could be made to improve profitability and growth; one aspect of this is to create a well-structured people strategy to enhance company operations. Sam Purvis, Managing Director at Compass Partnership, HR, employment law and learning & development specialists, provides ATF Professional with her human resources expertise.
Let’s be honest – the last eighteen months has been undeniably challenging for any business leader. It has presented us with obstacles that have required swift action and very often without the benefit of time to consider the best and most effective route to take.
Furlough: a word and procedure that had never been used in the UK before, but very quickly became a normal process and a lifeline for many businesses up and down the country. Fast forward to where we are now, and ambitious business owners have, quite sensibly, taken the opportunity to reflect, restructure, and modify how their organisations operate and prepare for the future.
We all know that businesses can only succeed in a competitive marketplace by recruiting, developing, and retaining talented individuals. Having a reputation as a great employer that recognises effort and achievements and invests in learning and development will allow organisations to grow and prosper with quality, motivated people. In a customer-focused business, the connection between happy employees and happy customers is well proven.
Running a successful business today requires tenacity, strategic thinking, and the commercial skill and confidence to make effective decisions. When consistent, profitable growth is achieved in high achieving companies, one significant ingredient is present in every success story – the people. When your team is motivated and performing well, they will offer your customers unbeatable service levels and generate more profit – it really is that simple.
You must take your staff ‘with you’ on the journey for your business to be great. This is not a weak metaphor – if your employees do not share your vision and do not buy into your goals, then growth can be difficult, unnecessarily delayed and potentially challenging along the way.
Employing and retaining the very best people is what every business needs; we all know that. But knowing what you need and knowing how to achieve it are two different challenges. This is where a well-structured people strategy, together with simple yet effective management tools, is the solution.
Being realistic, not everything is straightforward when you employ people. There are often employee issues happening in the business that can be disruptive, time-consuming and costly. These issues can have far-reaching implications and need to be handled swiftly and in accordance with the law. Tribunals are bursting with claims from employees who feel they have been unfairly treated, and the financial and emotional impact of defending a claim is significant. This burden should certainly be avoided wherever possible.
Don’t forget that some claims have no upper limit for compensation, so knowing what the law and best practice requires of you as an employer is not nice to know; it’s business-critical!
Introducing and maintaining robust policies and procedures and seeking practical advice for all employee-related matters will help reduce the risk to the business whilst maintaining healthy and respectful employee relations, a real win-win.
If you would like to get in touch with Sam to find out more, please call her on 01509 410373 or email her at sam@thecompasspartnership.co.uk.
