16Jul
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How to find the right candidates.

Sarena HarwoodRecruitment and Selection, Strategic HR planning for the future

So how do you find the right candidates to fill the vacancy?

With employment at an all-time high, companies are having to work harder to keep and retain talented people. A structured approach to recruitment is fundamental to getting the right candidate in the right job at the right time. When it comes to difficult-to-fill positions, the task of recruiting and hiring the right candidates will become even more difficult. You’ll hire many supposedly qualified people and they won’t work out. You’ll face a low retention rate and a high turnover rate. This will be expensive and it will lead to a lot of wasted time.

Reflect on what you need & Identify key skills and traits required

What often happens is the business will use the job specification from the previous incumbent to recruit a replacement. But what you had previously might not be what the business needs now.

Think about what the ideal candidate looks like:

  • What do you want them to achieve?
  • What kind of person would fit in well with the team?

Cultivate the Talent You Need

You don’t just have to throw your hands in the air and give up on your search, blaming the skills gap on the market. Instead, be proactive and cultivate the talent you need. You may have some great people on your team right now. But, consider if any of them would want to be trained and develop skills for those difficult-to-fill positions. Why go with a mediocre candidate when you can create an awesome candidate internally?

Build Your Employer Brand

Your employer brand is critical to the success of your hiring process. If great candidates don’t know who you are and what your company does, they won’t consider applying for your positions. To combat this issue and build your employer brand, showcase your company culture on your website and social media platforms.

Ensure you have a great hiring process that puts the candidate’s needs at the centre of the recruitment process (candidates will talk with others, and you want them to say positive things).

Cr right candidates for the role?eate a positive work environment that candidates will want to work in. Make top talent want to work for you, and it’ll be much easier to hire for difficult-to-fill positions.

Outsource your recruitment

If you’ve tried everything under the sun and you just can’t seem to hire the right candidates for those difficult-to-fill positions, then it’s time to stop wasting time and money. It’s time to ask for help—from the experts at Ward Williams HR.

Outsourcing recruitment can enable you to gain access to a wealth of qualified people who could actually succeed in filling the positions that you have open. Ward Williams HR have sound hiring processes, they test for skills, they perform background checks, and they have effective interview procedures that allow them to weed out the unqualified professionals. When you outsource your recruitment, you’ll be able to not only fill those tough positions, but fill them quicker, and with the right candidates who will enjoy the job, succeed in the job, and stay with your company for the long term.

If you would like to find out more on how Ward Williams HR can assist in the recruitment. Please get in touch, as we will be happy to assist – 01932 830664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

25Jun
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The importance of the induction process.

Sarena HarwoodRecruitment and Selection

The first day and induction process sets the scene of the employees work life, so it is key you as the employer create a good impression.
Make sure the induction is informative, with key information provided but don’t drown them with too much information or paper work. The induction isn’t a one day thing, it’s a process.
We recommend giving your new starter a buddy. Perhaps match them to someone before they start within their team. This can help them form their first relationship and feel more comfortable asking questions. Make sure the buddy sets up regular check ins.
Make sure your newbie gets a real feel for the culture of the organisation. This should have been relayed and explained at interview and be part of the reason why the match worked, but make sure you cover things like core values, expectations, communications. Right down to answering phones!

Why is it so important to get this right?
As I mentioned it sets the scene and gives the employee their first real insight into the operations of the organisation. It helps cement that initial relationship, and give the employee some confidence which in turn increases staff retention.
It helps set clear goals and objectives for the coming weeks, so there is a clear structure and plan. This is important so new starters don’t feel lost or overwhelmed, or worse – feel like they have made the wrong decision.
It also allows you to highlight key areas for attention – i.e mission statements, goals and values. It is your opportunity to really express what matters.

Essentially, the new employee will feel welcomed and respected, which will help integrate them into the work place and boost morale and motivation.

A good induction helps establish good communication from the very beginning.

Admin must haves?
So whilst it is important not to provide an information overload, remembering of course were taking about a process, not a quick one day tick box exercise, there are some areas that have to be addressed  on the first day.

It is vital things like a desk, equipment,  IT log on, access to the building are all sorted, as this can make someone feel a real sense of belonging, and not having appropriate access can make them feel isolated on their first day.

Clearly all the payroll info needs to be completed, so bank details, NI number etc along with the relevant ID docs if not already obtained.
Of more importance are all the health and safety procedures, so highlighting what to do in case of a fire, highlighting the exits and fire drill instructions.
There are also going to be certain policies and procedures that need to be addressed asap upon commencement depending on the nature of your organisation, so it might be money laundering for example.
Then obviously just make sure they get a good tour of the office and all the important bits – bathroom facilities, where to get a tea or coffee etc. show them your break out or kitchen area, stationary cupboard etc.
Sounds simple, but so many get it wrong and the consequences can be losing your ideal candidate. Recent research has highlighted that new hires have reported that often the areas I have mentioned are missing from their on boarding process.

When was the last time you reviewed your employee induction process and updated your policies? Or do you need help creating one but aren’t sure where to start? Ward Williams HR can provide you with the creation and review of all policies, procedures, documentation and handbooks.

If you would like to learn more of how Ward Williams HR can support your business. Please contact Sally Phillips on sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830 664

19Jun
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How to improve trust in the workplace?

Sarena HarwoodPeople Management Training

When it comes to the issue of employee performance in an organisation, creating a sense of trust is one of the key factors to be taken into consideration. Trust forms the basis of all relationships and interactions. It is just as important in professional relationships as it is in personal ones.

Why Is Trust Important In The Workplace?

Successful businesses are built on relationships. Relationships between employers and employees, staff and customers, internal stakeholders and external stakeholders. At the foundation of all relationships is trust.
If a workplace has a strong sense of trust within their organisation they will see a number of benefits:

• Increased productivity and morale amongst employees
• The ability to work more effectively as a team, rather than individuals

How to Build Trust in the Workplace

Trust is built through actions not words. As a Manager or Leader in an organisation you can’t just say you “trust” an employee or team, you need to show that you do through the actions you take on a daily basis.
In addition to this, you must also enable trust to flow between employees, teams and departments. You can help develop this by:

• Empowering staff to “own” their day to day responsibilities.
• Allowing teams to make decisions and put together their own proposals that they believe benefit the business.
• Being open and transparent on key decisions/ changes to business process or procedure.

You should also understand your employee’s expectations of you. It is easy for a lack of trust to develop when an employee feels as if an employer has unrealistic expectations of them and they don’t believe they are ever able to achieve the objectives set for them.

How to Rebuild Trust in the Workplace

Trust between people within an organisation can be lost within an instance. Rebuilding this isn’t always an easy process. What this really highlights is how important it is to maintain trust with one another once you have it.

The most important thing to do in order to rebuild trust is take ownership of the mistake or issue. You need to clearly articulate that you understand why your employees have lost trust in you and acknowledge the mistakes you made.

After you have got past the acknowledgement phase you need to show how you are going to rectify the situation and put in processes to ensure it won’t happen again in the future. Some common ways to assist with this process are:

• Creating an open door policy where staff can communicate with you about their concerns without any fear of judgement or retribution.
• Taking proactive action to involve yourself in understanding the issues that led up to the loss of trust between you and your team.
• Seek the counsel or other managers or leaders in the business and have them mediate between the various affected parties.
• Show that you have changed your management or leadership style in wake of these developments. Action always speaks lower than words.

Depending on the level of trust loss or the underlying issue you need to acknowledge that some employees may feel angry for some period of time. You may not just be able to say sorry and get straight back to where you were before. Don’t rush the process, give your staff and team time and if you are sincere in your approach eventually you will regain this.

If you would like more information or support. Please get in touch, as we will be happy to assist – 01932 830664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

19Jun
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What is Wellness in the workplace?

Sarena HarwoodOccupation Health Services

Things in the workplace are forever changing.

Employers are certainly keeping busy; from learning new technology, to supporting evolving teams, and navigating changes in employee benefits regulations. One of the biggest changes we’ve seen in the last few years is the rise of workplace employee wellness programs.
A wellness program is any program implemented by an employer to improve the health of its workforce. It can be in the form of staff training, employee seminars, or through a third-party provider with a range of programs meant to educate in the area of healthy lifestyle choices.

And while some of the biggest companies in the world have adopted a wellness program, many businesses are still falling behind.

Employees are your organisation’s most valuable assets!

The costs associated with absenteeism, worker’s compensation claims, escalating group insurance premiums, and employee turnover can be a big hit to your bottom line.

Implementing an employee wellness program can help mitigate these costs by dealing with the issues at the source.

More employers are realising that helping employees stay healthy is key to stronger and more profitable organisations. Therefore, promoting workplace wellness is one of best investments your organisation can make.

Employee wellness programs help reduce:
• health care costs
• employee turnover
• sick leave and absenteeism
• employee benefit costs
• worker’s compensation claims

As if that wasn’t enough, they can also help:
• attract the best talent to your company
• increase productivity and engagement
• increase employee satisfaction

We simply cannot emphasize the benefits of a workplace wellness program enough!

The good news is, any size of business can adopt a wellness program, and there is no set-in-stone method on how to develop one. But before you do so, make sure it’s something your employees are interested in engaging with.
You can then choose the elements that work best for your employees and the business.

Here are just some of the elements you can include:
• Stress reduction programs
• Quit-smoking programs
• Health risk assessments and health screenings
• Exercise programs and activities
• Nutrition education

Additionally, you can ask your employees about any health or wellness challenges they are facing, and what type of program they would like to participate in. Building the wellness program around the unique needs of your team will help both them and your organisation get the most out of it.

Furthermore, investing in a wellness program will save you significant health related-costs and position you as an employer of choice. Most importantly, your employees will be happier and healthier, creating a win-win situation for everyone.

If you would like more information on wellbeing and how we can support your organisation. Please get in touch, as we will be happy to assist – 01932 830664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

18Jun
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Why you should invest in Talent Management?

Sarena HarwoodStrategic HR planning for the future

Talent management seeks to attract, identify, develop, engage, retain and deploy individuals who are considered particularly valuable to an organisation. By managing talent strategically, organisation’s can build a high performance workplace, encourage a learning organisation, add value to their branding agenda, and contribute to diversity management.

For these reasons, HR professionals consider talent management to be among their key priorities. We explain the top reasons why it’s worth the investment:

  1. Attract top talent: Recruit the most talented and skilled employees available. When you have strategic talent management, you are able to create an employer brand, which organically attracts your ideal talent, and in turn, contributes to higher levels of business performance and results.
  2. Increase employee performance: It is easier to identify ‘good fit’ employees, rather than making decisions in recruitment which do not work towards the ideal organisational strategy.  This can lead to less performance management issues and grievances. It will also ensure that the top talent within the organisation stays longer.
  3. Engaged employees: an organisation can make systematic decisions about the development of employee’s, ensuring that the people you require it have the skills and development necessary and saving money on unnecessary development. Additionally, when there is a fair process for development, employees feel more engaged and this again increases retention rates and also ensures that the organisation can meet its operational requirements.
  4. Retain top talent: well-structured onboarding practices create higher levels of retention. This in turn means that the organisation saves on recruitment and performance management costs in the long run.
  5. Continuous coverage of critical roles: an organisation will be prepared for gaps in critical skills and have a plan to address the critical roles and highly specialised roles in the workforce. This means that an organisation will have a continuous flow of employees to fill these roles, which ensures operations run smoothly and your clients and stakeholders are satisfied. It also means that other employees are not left with extra workloads, which could eventually lead to burnout.
  6. Improve business performance: when employees are engaged, skilled and motivated, they will work towards your business goals, which increases client satisfaction and business performance.
  7. Higher client satisfaction: a systematic approach to talent management means that there is organisational wide integration and a consistent approach to management. This, translates to general communication and dissolving of silos within the business. When systems are more integrated, client satisfaction rates are usually higher, since they are dealing with fewer people and their needs are met faster.

Investing in talent management can be a great help for a company, but getting the right solution in place can take careful planning, time and expertise to implement across an organisation.

If you would like more information on talent management and how we can support your organisation. Please get in touch, as we will be happy to assist – 01932 830664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

24Apr
Ward Williams HR Apprenticeship

We are searching for a new apprentice!

Sarena HarwoodRecruitment and Selection

A new position has arisen as a apprentice to join Ward Williams HR Ltd and to establish a Human Resources career within our growing Company. We will encourage your Business studies and provide valuable office working experience. Your role will provide support to the HR team and senior management through carrying out a variety of different administration tasks.

To find our more about the role and how to apply. Please visit our apprenticeships section.

08Mar
Settled status for EU Nationals

Settled status for EU Nationals

Sarena HarwoodBrexit

European workers currently living in the UK will be able to apply for settled status in 2019, allowing them to remain indefinitely in the UK following the end of the Brexit transition period in 2021.

To be granted settled status individuals must be able to prove they have been living in the UK for five years by the date of application. Those who do not meet this requirement can apply for temporary status, allowing them to remain until they have accrued enough residency to be granted settled status. The deadline for applications will be 30 June 2021 if the deal goes ahead and 31 December 2020 in the event of no-deal.

It’s not yet clear what will happen when, inevitably, people fail to apply for the required settled or pre-settled status by the deadline. However, it’s looking likely that those individuals would be in the UK unlawfully and it would be a criminal offence for UK employers to employ them.

The EU settlement scheme opens fully on 30th March 2019, but employees can apply now if they meet the criteria.

What employers can be doing:

  • The main thing for employers to do urgently, if not already actioned, is undertake a full audit of their workforce to identify who is impacted by Brexit.
  • Employers should be taking an active role in encouraging employees to consider their status early on and apply for the most appropriate documentation for them.
  • Employers are not expected to fund/support the cost of their employees’ application.
  • Employers should be diarising to carry out right to work checks for May 2021 or in the event of a no-deal, October 2020.

If you would like more information or would like us to assist with an audit of your workforce or work checks. Please get in touch as we will be happy to assist – 01932 830664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

26Feb

Employers to provide itemised payslips

Sarena HarwoodHR and Employment documentation production, HR and Employment Law Advice and Support, Payroll Services

From 6 April 2019, new legislation will change how UK employers provide payslips to their workforces. More specifically, under the new system employers will have to deliver itemised payslips to every worker on their payroll, not just those classified as ‘employees’. Current legislation does not require payslips to be issued to contractors, freelancers, and other types of ‘non-employee’ workers – this situation will change this year, with obvious consequences for payroll departments around the country.

The amendment to current pay legislation was proposed in February 2018 and motivated for greater clarity over the hours of work UK employees were being paid for.

By extending the statutory entitlement to receive an itemised payslip, the government aims to ensure workers are paid fairly and accurately in all industries across the UK. Similarly, those workers will be able to react faster when they are paid incorrectly, and become more aware of their rights.

 ‘Time Worked’ Amendment

Beyond the simple expansion of payslip entitlement to all workers, the reformed Employment Rights Act also changes the information which must be included on the payslip.

UK payslips must, under current provisions, detail:

  • The employee’s gross salary/wages,
  • Deductions (tax, NI, etc)
  • Net salary/wage amount received.

Under the new legislation, payslips will also have to include information about the number of paid hours the employee has worked – but only in situations where “the amount of wages or salary varies by reference to time worked”.

In these variable contexts, payslips will have to show hours worked either as:

  •  A single, combined amount, or
  • An itemised list of hours worked for different rates of pay

Including this information on payslips means that variable-time employees will not only find it easier to reconcile their pay with their work hours, but to establish whether they are being paid the national minimum wage by their employers.

Adjusting your Payroll

With the new regulations approaching, it’s time for employers to adjust their payroll setups to facilitate the provision of payslips to all workers. As an employer, this means reviewing your business’ payroll infrastructure and ensuring there is sufficient cohesion between other parts of your organisation, such as accounting and HR. Basically, you’ll need to ensure that your payroll is not only able to collect the information required by the new regulations but that your payslip format is adjusted to present this.

Payslips can be provided to employees as a printed or even written document, or provided electronically – and must be delivered on or before the employee’s payday.

If you would like more information on the new changes and adjusting your business payroll. Why not get in touch with our payroll department at Ward Williams as we would be delighted to assist on 01932 830664 or email hrservices@wardwilliams.co.uk.

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