The Second Edition of the Amazon Best Seller. A practical guide to human resources for small to medium sized enterprises. Many people believe that employment law (and human resources) is all on the side of the employee. Many entrepreneurs and leaders of small businesses are so worried about getting it wrong that they shy away from hiring staff, or even worse, continue on with employees who are a drain on the organisation, feeling that their hands are tied when it comes to making changes, enforcing the culture they're trying to build or even letting employees go. Let's just admit it. HR has developed a negative image. Rather than a help, it is often seen as a hindrance and a necessary evil, full of bureaucracy and red tape. It's seen as being about what you cannot do rather than what you can do, and being at odds with the commercial needs of the business. In the words of one of Paula's clients: - "Having a problem employee makes you never want to employ anyone again. Having a great team makes you feel as if you can take on the world!" Imagine your people worked and performed to the standard you wanted and with care and commitment. Would that make your life easier? Would it free up your time so you could concentrate on other aspects of your business? Well, this is what this book is all about. There are many books on team building, but few explain in such simple terms how business owners and managers can build effective teams, not just by staying within employment law, but by using regulations and best practices as they were intended - to support fair and reasonable behaviour on both sides. In this book Paula Fisher explains three simple steps to creating an HR foundation that is in tune with the commercial needs of the business: 1. Contracts of employment 2. Human resources policies & procedures 3. Implementing and enforcing these consistently and fairly. Although HR is a very broad (almost umbrella) term, this book specifically deals with communicating with staff, employee handbooks, whether terms should be contractual or non-contractual, disciplinary and grievance procedures, equal opportunities, family friendly rights, key performance indicators, HR investigations, appeals, recruitment, resignations, redundancies, restructuring and other types of exit from the business, as well as day to day issues such as lateness, damage to company property or even swearing, all in the down to earth and straightforward manner that has made Paula so successful. Paula also sets out when managers MUST take a hands on approach, or when professional advice is needed, as well as dispelling many common misunderstandings about employment and employment law. IMPORTANT NOTE: References in this book are made to UK employment law only, but as a practical guide there are plenty of general principles and ideas that you can apply to your business. Paula Fisher has worked in human resources for over 30 years, and founded her own business in 2002 to support small to medium sized enterprises. She has a First-Class Honours degree in Law, as well as a Master's degree in Law and Employment Relations. She has since taught Employment Law on the CIPD (Certificate in Personnel and Development) course at Anglia Ruskin University. She has also lectured at many colleges and business schools on the subject of Human Resources. 'HR for SMEs is the must have book for all small business owners. It's an easy to read guide that brings years of experience to decoding the mysteries of HR in a way that anyone can understand. If you are serious about running a business, then it should be the first book to appear on your business bookshelf.' Denise Rossiter, Chief Executive, Essex Chamber of Commerce 'This book makes HR understandable and easy to follow. It's straight talking and debunks... all the jargon. It shows how HR can add value to any small business. A must read if you employ staff.' Ray Moore, Fluid Business Coaching