HR basics every business should have

With all of the records that businesses are required to keep for furloughed employees, we began to think about the other employee records we should be keeping.

Whilst some businesses may use cloud based HR systems, some of our clients still use paper based systems. No matter what system you use, it is only as good as the information you put into it which is why we want to ensure that you and your business can be confident of your compliance.

Starting with the basics, it is vital to ensure that HR files are set up correctly. It is often useful to have a checklist to either use when setting them up or for auditing purposes. Not only will this assist proving that you comply with your legal obligations e.g. by carrying out right to work checks, but it will help if you are faced with a Subject Access Request by an employee.

Since April 2020, it has been a legal obligation to issue a contract of employment no later than the first day of employment and so the next priority is to ensure that your contracts of employment and employee handbooks are up to date. There are then all of the documents which go with these, including your GDPR privacy notice for employees, self-certificates for absence, and flexible working forms, to name just  a few!

We are great believers of starting how you mean to go on and a good induction experience remains one of our top HR priorities. Again, starting with a checklist to help you plan the process is always an excellent start and makes sure that all new starters share a similar onboarding experience.

Once an induction is complete, many line managers begin the process of manging employees through their first few months, often formalising in a probationary period. However, we still see clients who have no formal way of assessing an employee or gaining feedback during these crucial first few months which is why we have put together some great guides and review material for many of our clients to help them settle their new colleagues in.

It is often easy to assume that once an employee has successfully passed their probationary period, that is the end of their onboarding journey but, the truth is, that is really only the beginning of their engagement journey with you. Many of our clients find that effective, consistent and regular performance management and appraisals contribute greatly to their engagement strategies. Reviewing those and how you carry them out is important to ensure that your appraisal and performance management strategy remains up to date with your overall business strategy.

In addition, many of our clients carry out employee surveys and some have introduced a wellbeing programme, putting together a wellbeing action plan and risk assessments for employees suffering from ill health which helps employees navigate their way through periods of difficulty at work.

The final document, which is possibly the most overlooked, is the exit interview. Whilst many employers do not carry out exit interviews, they can truly prove invaluable to gain honest feedback to ensure that you remain competitive and current in an ever changing landscape of what makes a great employer.

We hope that you have read this with confidence that you have everything you need in place but, if not, none of these documents or processes are difficult to introduce so let us know and we can help you put in place the right processes for your business.