The summer is prime planning time. Life is often ‘different’. Maybe there’s more time to reflect on business direction and hatch ideas  … or the ‘busyness’ of the season creates exciting potential or challenges to address.

With summer being a time of reflection and ideas, autumn is the season of action. It’s the perfect time to make changes, especially those affecting your team. People are back at work after their summer breaks and changes can be discussed (potentially implemented too) before Christmas. It’s no surprise that September and October are busy months for redundancies after the peak months of April – June. (HR Review, gov.uk) The autumn is also the best time to apply for a new job. (TopCV)  If you’re thinking of changing your team, it’s time to get ahead of the pack!

What plans do you have in mind? Employees could be impacted in three ways:

1. Redundancy

If roles are no longer needed within the organisation, redundancy may be necessary. This is especially stressful for employees and often for business owners too. It’s so important to be fair and lawful. Getting it wrong means you risk a claim for unfair dismissal. The right approach involves being aware of your employees’ rights and the legal process to follow. You need to tread very carefully!

2. Restructuring

Reorganising your team may not mean losing job roles or locations. It may involve changing reporting lines or forming new teams, for example. Not all of us like change, though, especially when instigated by someone else. Even positive change can be unsettling and requires careful communication. It’s always good to talk!

3. Recruitment

From defining the new role and recruitment advert to welcoming your new employee, the recruitment process must:

• comply with legal requirements, and
• be completely fair to all applicants, internal and external to your organisation.

As with all aspects of HR, it’s crucial to get recruitment right. Finding the ideal person is just the beginning! Your on-boarding process makes a world of difference to new employees, starting with contracts and handbooks, right through to inductions. Make sure they feel welcome and engaged. You want them to stay, after all!

‘It’s exciting to plan your business journey and essential to support your employees along the way,’ says Emma Clack of Heneom HR. ‘The legal side of HR is just one aspect. It’s so important to consider the human side too. Gaining a reputation as a fair and supportive employer helps recruitment and retention in the future.’

Do you have business changes up your sleeve?

How do they affect your employees?

Getting your HR ducks in a row before you go ahead smooths the process and increases your chances of success.

Does your current HR provision support your business plans for the future? Start with an initial, no obligation call – simply contact us to arrange a convenient time for a chat. Let’s explore the HR options to help achieve your business goals.