Absenteeism is rising across many workplaces. 📈 On average, US employees take around 3 to 4.5 sick days each year. And you're probably feeling it in your business. You can't control the winter flu season or someone's chronic health condition. But there's a simple 10-minute conversation that most business owners skip completely. This week I'm sharing how return-to-work conversations can help to reduce repeat absences and build trust across your whole team. Read it below 👇

Is a company handbook actually worth it? From an expert HR consultant's perspective, absolutely. And in our latest article, we share exactly why, and what it protects you from. 

As a business owner, making sure your team is happy and engaged should be something you prioritize, because it fuels business success. But what actually drives that engagement?  Here's what the research tells us: 1. A caring, capable manager • Managers account for about 70% of team engagement variance. Their support, clarity and feedback matter most. • Regular one-on-one check-ins, clear goal setting and guidance boost trust and performance. 2. Clarity, purpose and strength-based work • People want to know how their role fits into the bigger picture and how to use their unique strengths. • A strong strategic vision, communicated well, inspires belief and belonging. 3. Autonomy and empowerment • Freedom to make decisions. • Less micromanagement. 4. Feeling heard and recognized • Recognition from managers and peers increases retention and engagement. • Soliciting input, giving credit and acting on feedback fosters a culture of respect. 5. Work-life balance and well-being • Burnout is a top engagement killer. Flexible schedules, time off and stress relief matter. • Programs like mental health support, resilience coaching and fair workloads help teams to thrive. 6. Psychological safety and respectful culture • Teams perform best when they can speak up, take risks and trust each other. • Respectful workplaces (where people feel valued) boost well-being, collaboration and retention. 7. Growth and development opportunities • Learning and career progression are essential drivers. Without them, engagement slips. • Mentorship, workshops, stretch assignments and volunteering programs help people to grow. 8. Good tools, communication and structure • Providing the right tech, clear roles and reliable processes frees people to do their best work. • Strong internal communication and transparency build trust and alignment. How to activate engagement today 1. Train and support your managers. They’re the biggest influence. 2. Clarify mission and roles, tying work to the wider vision. 3. Empower teams with decision-making latitude. 4. Create psychological safety through trust, respect and open dialogue. 5. Invest in well-being: flexible work, mental health support, stress relief. 6. Offer growth paths, mentorship and stretch projects. 7. Recognize contributions publicly and often. 8. Equip people properly with tools, structure and communication. Want to make your team happier and more engaged? Get in touch today.

HR isn’t just about keeping you out of trouble. Done well, it helps your business to run more smoothly, keeps your team on track and sets you up for long-term growth. But not all HR support is the same. It comes in three levels, and knowing the difference can help you to choose the right kind of help for your business.  Level 1: Advisory HR Keeping the lights on and the business legally safe. This is the foundation layer. The essential compliance work that keeps things from falling through the cracks. What it includes: • Handbooks that are legally sound • HR policies that are clear, practical and protect you • Handling day-to-day issues, like absences, lateness and conduct • Keeping employee records up to date and secure • Making sure you're compliant with employment law and payroll basics Level 2: Tactical HR Fixing problems, improving processes and helping your people to perform.Tactical HR is about putting better people systems in place, not just reacting to issues, but improving on how things work day to day. What it includes: • Hiring the right people and onboarding them properly • Helping managers to handle difficult conversations or underperformance • Introducing consistent performance reviews and feedback • Improving communication and team dynamics • Rolling out workplace policies (e.g., hybrid work, PTO or attendance procedures) • Coaching and supporting managers to lead effectively Level 3: Strategic HR Aligning your people with your long-term goals. Strategic HR helps you to plan ahead. It’s about designing the kind of team you’ll need to grow and creating a structure that supports your vision. What it includes: • Workforce planning: who to hire, when and why • Identifying future leaders and building career paths • Keeping your company culture strong as you scale • Using HR data to improve retention and engagement • Supporting big changes, like restructuring, funding growth or expansion Which level do you actually need? • If you're still stuck in admin or worried about compliance, start at Level 1. • If you're hiring the wrong people or dealing with team issues, you need Level 2. • If you're planning for growth or thinking about the future, Level 3 is essential. The best HR consultants can support you at any level. But knowing what level you're operating at helps you to get the right support and stops you from wasting time and money on the wrong kind. Want help in figuring out what level of support your business actually needs? That’s exactly what we do. Let’s talk.

October’s newsletter is here with everything that’s been happening in the small business world. It includes: 📋 The compliance mistakes that keep catching people out (and costing them thousands) 📈 Why growth can expose gaps in your HR foundations that you didn’t even know existed ⏰ Your team might be clocking more unpaid hours than you think 🎉 Some good news about small business permit reforms that could make expansion easier 🧠 The mental health challenges that are hitting businesses hard right now ❓Plus we answer your latest questions. Read it below 👇

HR paperwork may sound like a small easy job. But multiply that across your team and the time soon adds up.  Here are all of the different ways that HR admin is causing you problems: PTO tracking : Fielding questions about remaining days, manually calculating accruals, checking who's off when. Payroll admin : Gathering hours worked, calculating overtime, dealing with queries about pay. Employee questions : Answering basic questions that they could look up themselves. Compliance gaps : Employment law changes regularly, and manual tracking means a higher chance of missing updates to minimum wage, overtime rules or local leave requirements. Growing pains : During busy periods, HR admin becomes the thing that slows down hiring or managing extra staff. Error costs : Manual processes mean mistakes happen, which can be expensive to fix. What's a simple hack to reduce HR admin? It's HR software. Here's how expert HR consultants, like us, can choose, set up and roll out HR software in your business: Help you to pick the right HR software for you Help you to set it up correctly Make sure everything is compliant Create a roll out plan Train your team What are the ultimate benefits of HR software? 1. Keeps you legally compliant Stay up to date with changing employment law by setting reminders and storing key documents in one place. 2. Saves time and costs Automates repetitive tasks, like PTO tracking, payroll inputs and document sharing—freeing you up to focus on growth, not admin. 3. Scalable system that helps your business to grow As you grow, HR software makes it easier to manage more people without drowning in admin. Want to have a quick introduction to HR software? Schedule a call today.

Rising costs are continuing to bite in 2025, hitting businesses and workers alike. 💷 Here's what I'm noticing: While you're struggling with rising costs, your team is too – they're just not saying it. We're hearing more and more that financial stress is hitting employees hard, but nearly half say they wouldn’t mention it at work. 🤐 This hidden stress costs you money. Money worries mean more sick days, staff turnover, mistakes and lower energy across your team. You might not be able to give big raises right now. But there are simple, free ways to help your people through these tough times. ✅ Today I'm sharing 5 practical steps that won't hurt your budget but will make a real difference. Read it below 👇

Is your sick leave policy working for your business or just creating problems? 🔍 I was chatting with an employer last week who hadn't reviewed their approach to sick leave in years. When I showed them how a smarter sick leave setup was actually saving other clients money and hassle, you could see the lightbulb moment! 💡 This isn't about following trends, but unprepared businesses definitely feel the pain when sick leave issues arise... Think unexpected costs and staffing problems 😖 In my latest article, I share 5 practical steps that you can take now to create a sick leave approach that works for both your business and your people. Read it below 👇

It's the crisis every business owner dreads - a crucial team member is suddenly and unexpectedly out of action, with no warning and no handover. In small businesses, unexpected absences hit hard. You're balancing genuine concern for your colleague with the very real pressure of "but who's going to do their job now?" The way you handle these first 48 hours affects everything - your legal compliance, team morale, customer experience and when (or if) that employee returns. I've put together a practical guide that walks you through exactly what to do – and, importantly, what NOT to do - when you find yourself in this situation. Read it below 👇