Category: Small business

When you hear “employee handbook” you might imagine a heavy folder collecting dust on a shelf. But for small and growing businesses, your handbook doesn’t need to be complicated, in fact, it’s better if it isn’t. 

A simple, clear handbook gives your employees clarity and protects your business. Here’s why getting it right matters more than making it long. 

1. A Simple Handbook Reduces Confusion 

Your employees should be able to understand quickly: 

  • How holidays work 
  • What to do when they’re sick 
  • How their data is handled 
  • What standards of behaviour are expected 

If it requires an HR degree to interpret, it’s not helpful. 

2. It Makes Managing People Easier 

When small businesses don’t have policies, every decision becomes a “one-off”. That leads to inconsistency, and inconsistency leads to complaints. 

A clear handbook ensures: 

  • Everyone knows the rules 
  • You have something to refer to when issues arise 
  • You can handle problems fairly and confidently 

3. It Protects You Legally 

Some policies are required by law, including: 

  • Disciplinary and grievance 
  • Health and safety 

     

  • Data protection/privacy 

Even small teams need these written down. If something goes wrong, having them in place can significantly reduce risk. 

4. It Helps New Starters Settle in Faster 

A new employee wants to feel confident and informed. Your handbook gives them all the basics in one place, making their first week smoother and less stressful. 

5. It Doesn’t Need to Be Long 

Your handbook should be: 

  • Clear 
  • Concise 
  • Easy to navigate 
  • Focused on the essentials 

That’s why the HR Foundations package includes a simple, practical handbook designed for small businesses, with all the core policies you need, and none of the fluff.  

Need help creating or updating yours? 

We keep things human, friendly and flexible, exactly how HR support should feel. 

➡ Explore HR Foundations 

➡ Book a free consultation 

 

As your business grows, your HR documentation should grow with it. Out-of-date contracts, policies and processes create risk and can lead to issues when you least expect them. 

Here’s what every SME should review once a year. 

1. Employment Contracts 

Ask yourself: 

  • Do they reflect current salary and benefits? 
  • Have working hours or hybrid arrangements changed? 
  • Are they still legally compliant? 

Contracts become outdated faster than you think, especially as laws and practices evolve. Contract updates are inevitable and essential.

2. Policies and Handbook 

Check that your policies match how your business actually operates. Common updates include: 

  • Hybrid/remote working 
  • Sickness and absence 
  • Equality and diversity 
  • Data protection 

If your handbook still reflects a pre-growth business, it’s time for a refresh. 

3. Onboarding and Leaver Processes 

Growing businesses often realise: 

  • New starters aren’t getting consistent inductions 
  • Leavers’ documents or access aren’t handled correctly 
  • Holiday and absence records fall behind 

A quick review can prevent mistakes and improve employee experience. 

4. Your HR Tracker 

If you’re using spreadsheets for holidays, absences or training, make sure they’re: 

  • Up to date 
  • Legible 
  • Used consistently 

A simple HR tracker (included in HR Confidence) reduces admin headaches.  

Want a complete HR documentation audit? 

Our HR Confidence package includes: 

  • Full HR documentation review 
  • Updated contracts & policies 
  • Onboarding and leaver process review 
  • HR tracker template 
  • 1-hour follow-up consultation 

Perfect for SMEs with 5–20 employees who want reassurance and readiness for growth. 

➡ Explore HR Confidence 

Hiring your first employee is an exciting milestone. It means your business is growing and you’re ready for extra support. But it also means stepping into the world of HR, and that can feel overwhelming if you’re not sure what’s legally required. 

The good news? You don’t need a huge HR department to stay compliant. But you do need a few key documents in place before your new team member starts. 

Here are the five essential HR documents every small or new employer must have. 

1. A Legally Compliant Employment Contract 

Every employee must receive a written statement of terms and conditions on or before their first day. This is usually provided as an employment contract. 

A clear, up-to-date contract protects both you and your employee. It sets expectations, reduces misunderstandings, and ensures you’re meeting legal obligations around pay, hours, leave, benefits, and notice. 

Many small businesses rely on outdated templates or copy something from the internet, but an inaccurate contract is one of the most common HR risks. A tailored contract gives you peace of mind from day one. 

2. An Offer Letter 

The offer letter confirms the basics: job title, salary, working hours, and start date. It also sets a positive, professional tone and helps your new employee feel confident joining your business. 

It’s also useful if someone needs written proof of employment before their contract is finalised. 

3. Core HR Policies 

You don’t need a full suite of policies at this stage, but you do need the basics in writing, including: 

  • Disciplinary and grievance 
  • Equality and diversity 
  • Health & safety 
  • Data protection/privacy notice 

These are required by law and form the backbone of your HR compliance. They are also a key part of your employee handbook… 

4. A Basic Employee Handbook 

A handbook doesn’t need to be long or complicated; it simply outlines how things work in your business. The essentials usually include: 

  • Sickness and absence 
  • Holiday and time off 
  • Data protection 
  • Health & safety 
  • Code of conduct 
  • Basic well-being or workplace expectations 

This gives employees clarity and ensures consistency. It also helps you, as the employer, handle issues fairly and legally. 

Think of it as the “how we do things around here” guide. 

5. A New Starter Checklist 

When you’re new to hiring, it’s easy to forget the small but essential steps. A checklist helps you stay organised and cover things like: 

  • Right-to-work checks 
  • Payroll setup 
  • Collecting emergency contacts 
  • Sharing company policies 
  • IT or system access 

It also gives your new employee a smooth, structured onboarding experience, which boosts confidence from day one. 

Need Help Getting These in Place? 

Many new employers don’t realise these documents are required or worry about getting them wrong. That’s where our HR Foundations package can help. 

It includes: 

  • A 30-minute HR consultation 
  • Customised employment contract template 
  • Offer letter template 
  • Basic employee handbook, including a set of core HR policies 
  • New starter checklist 

Everything you need to hire confidently, professionally, and legally, without the stress. 

➡ Find out more about HR Foundations 

➡ Book a free HR consultation 

We all feel energised as the days get longer and the sun comes out. And if you’ve ever thought about working for yourself, why not use this positivity to make it happen?

In this blog, we look at the benefits of working for yourself and what support there is to help you.

Why should you choose working for yourself?

There are loads of great reasons to set up on your own. We meet a lot of business owners and we’ve learned that each one has a specific reason that made them decide to run their own business.

Flexibility

Many business owners found that being tied down to a nine-to-five schedule just didn’t work for them. Some wanted to enjoy more time with their children (they grow up so quick!), while others had caring responsibilities for family members. Others wanted to have time for hobbies and interests – there’s more to life than work!

Values

Another big group of self-employed people are those who have a clear set of values that they didn’t feel the corporate world embodied. They love their sector, but they recognised independence would offer them more of a chance to share their skills in the way that felt right to them.

Challenge

Other people simply love a challenge! Working for yourself is full of challenges, but the knowledge that you are behind every one of your business’s achievements is exceptionally satisfying. If you’re stuck in a rut and not taking your best self to work every day, it could be time to do it differently.

Working for yourself – what do you need?
Budget

Start by working out your budget. Obviously, you will need to consider business costs – remember that even home-based businesses will need a website and hosting. You also need to work out personal expenses. Look at your monthly outgoings like mortgage repayments and car finance, and work out what you need to earn to cover them.

Business plan

Your business plan maps out what you offer and how you will grow. It’s an important document – you will need to show it to the bank if you apply for a business loan. And if you want to connect with investors or form a partnership, the other people involved will want to see it.

Registration for self-assessment

You need to register for self-assessment so you pay the right tax on the amount your business has earned.

Record keeping

Businesses need to record their income and outgoings, as well as customer and client information, and details of products and services. You might think you’ll remember but trust us, you won’t (sorry!). You will also need to provide financial records to HMRC so these need to be accurate and accessible.

Support for new businesses

Fortunately, there is loads of support out there. From online guides to writing business plans to plain English guides to registering your business, any new entrepreneur can find what they need to get started on the UK government website.

Fill your skills gaps with outsourcing

If you love the idea of starting your own business but you’re worried about financial records, tax and invoicing, you’re not alone. In our experience of supporting business owners, we’ve seen that finance is the number one area of difficulty. Not feeling confident about finance means maths (yikes!), getting to grips with invoicing software, praying you’re doing your tax return properly and having to admit you’re not actually Alan Sugar.

But it doesn’t have to be scary. The good news is that you can outsource almost anything you don’t know how to do yourself. Finance, tax and admin are some of Get Ahead’s most popular services, with our admin assistants, accountants and bookkeepers all on hand to provide what you need quickly and accurately.

Get Ahead also supports businesses with writing business plans, as well as creating websites and managing social media – all great ways to get your business out there.

If it’s time you started working for yourself, remember that Get Ahead are here to help. All our services are fully flexible and we don’t tie you into long contracts. Whether you need just a few hours’ support to get you started, or monthly help with invoice reconciliation, our virtual experts are ready to meet your needs. Check out our site to find out more, or follow us on social media.

If you’re a start-up or a family enterprise and you’re mindful of the bottom line, it can be hard to think of giveaway ideas for small businesses. But the good news is that you don’t have break the bank, or leave yourself out of pocket when you give something away.

In this blog, we share our top five giveaway ideas for small businesses.

Why does giving matter to small businesses?

Giving is an essential part of any business’ marketing strategy. When we give things away, we reinforce our brand with our customers and clients. We interact with those people in a different way from usual, strengthening the professional relationship. This can be a very effective way of getting customers further down the sales funnel. It can also help you appeal to different markets who respond to different approaches.

Think of giving as lighting one candle off another – the second candle gains but the first candle loses nothing.

Top five giveaway ideas for small businesses:
  1. Promotional items

An on-message promotional item can be a great addition to your marketing toolkit. Trainers and coaches can give out branded pens and paper so their clients can take notes. Trades often prefer a branded fridge magnet to a business card – their customers don’t have to rummage when they need a plumber quickly! Events organisers sometimes give out branded bottle openers while travel agents give out branded luggage labels.

Get Ahead has a number of suppliers in our network of contacts – if you need a recommendation for branded items, please ask!

  • Your own products or services

Obviously, we’re not suggesting that you just give away all your hours and stock! Instead, think about how you can use a giveaway strategically. Who is likely to respond positively to a free software trial – will it make them more likely to buy a subscription at the end? Yes, they’re using your software for free for a month, but if they turn into loyal customers then the freebie was a valuable investment. Remember to research likely groups and target them strategically so you get the best outcomes from giving away your own product or service.

  • Expertise

Yes, it is possible to write a blog or a newsletter without giving away your trade secrets! Instead, give away a small amount of useful knowledge that will help your clients get more from what they already buy from you. For example, letters from your bank often feature a market or finance update. By sharing these insights, banks can help customers to make their money work harder, in turn promoting more of the bank’s products.

Think about what ideas you could share that would help you and your customers at the same time.

  • Discounts

Even if you can’t afford to give something away completely free, consider whether you can afford to offer a discount. Do your sums and work out what percentage you discount from the price of your product or service. You can also give a discount in exchange for something, like signing up to a mailing list. Discounts like this can be excellent investments: once customers or clients have joined your community, they’re more likely to buy from you again in future.

  • Referrals

This one isn’t a traditional sort of giveaway, but it makes a real difference to others, grows your network and establishes you as someone worth working with.

When you’re networking, be ready to praise others in the network whom you’ve worked with. And if there’s a request for a recommendation on LinkedIn, for example, don’t be afraid to put others forward – they’ll really appreciate it!

Marketing strategy support with Get Ahead

If you think that giveaways could play a bigger part in your marketing strategy, Get Ahead would love to help you make it happen! Explore our marketing pages to find out more, or contact your local regional director today.

 

Many businesses share a monthly newsletter with their client community, but we’ve seen a great engagement rate from sending out a different kind of message at Christmas. Instead of the usual combination of “hero” theme, tips and discounts, Christmas is a time to engage on a more human level.

For this blog, we talked to our digital and email marketing expert Claire about how to write a business Christmas message to strengthen your business relationships for the coming year.

What do we mean by a Christmas message?

Claire: Most monthly newsletters follow a standard format. Business owners have considered what works best for them and share a great combination of product promotion, top tips and special offers.

However, Christmas is not the time for a hard sell. It’s not really the time to talk about business either. Many businesses have their golden quarter in the run-up to Christmas…but by the time Christmas actually comes, it’s time to stop talking shop and connect on a more personal level.

What should I include in my Christmas message?

Claire: The best Christmas messages include a strong awareness of the reader, appropriate emotion and gentle humour. They’re a good opportunity to invite your clients to recognise your team members who have made a particular contribution. You can also show empathy by referring to challenges you know your clients have faced in the last year.

You can show emotion in your seasonal message with phrases like, “we’ve all found X tough this year…,” “I’m really proud of Y…,” and “Z was really exciting – such a privilege to be part of it!” Referring to your feelings will help your readers see you as a person and not just a business – this will reinforce your connection.

It’s easy for clients to overlook contributions made by individual members of your team. It’s not that they’re selfish – they just don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. But giving them some new insight has two benefits. Firstly, it shows that the service or product you offer doesn’t just magically appear – this helps your clients to understand its value. Secondly, it reinforces the fact that a real person has made something happen – a real support to the message that “people buy from people.”

Lastly, your Christmas message is the time to write about your clients and not about your business. Write about industry highs and lows, and praise your clients for how well they’ve coped with any recent storms. Thank them for supporting your business, including making referrals, being understanding in times of stress and remaining loyal.

Email marketing from Get Ahead If our blog has inspired you to write a different sort of Christmas message this year, Get Ahead are here to help. Our experienced marketing team includes content writers like Claire as well as graphic designers and email automation experts. Explore our site to find out more or follow us on LinkedIn. And if you’re ready to outsource your email marketing or any other back-office support, contact your local regional director here.

 

Social media marketing is a fantastic, low-cost solution that helps you share your message with your online community. Social media is also a great place to establish yourself as a thought leader and build your reputation through your expertise.

But what makes this complicated is that some content works better on social media than others, and it’s also important to stay-on brand.

In this blog, we look at how to flex with content while also keeping up your brand consistency.

What type of content is best for social media?

All types of content are great on social media…but you might have to adapt them. For example, sharing a whole blog as the main part of your post rarely works, because people using social media are looking for quick content rather than a long read. However, sharing the subheadings from a blog, or copying and pasting the intro paragraph, can be very successful. Both work as a teaser for the blog – you can then add the link to the whole blog if anyone wants to click through.

Similarly, you can adapt the message of your latest newsletter to share on your social channels. This helps you share the quality information that’s gone out to your mailing list with your social media community too.

If you create ebooks, you can use social media to promote your latest publication without sharing the whole thing. Remember to include a link to help people buy or download the complete ebook – don’t leave them hanging!

How do I find time to adapt my content?!

It’s often a good idea to write all your content from one idea at the same time – it can be a real time saver. If you write a blog, think about which sentence would make a strong social media post while you’ve still got the Word file open. Think too about how you can make this idea into a newsletter that will appeal to your mailing list.

All of Get Ahead’s content writers offer packages, where clients can have their blog and newsletter written from the same idea, with a suitable social media version too. This can be a great value solution that gets all the content written at the same time.

How do I maintain brand consistency if I’m changing up my content?

Editing your existing content doesn’t mean you have to compromise your brand message. If you have a strong brand that’s really embedded in what you offer, it’s almost impossible to go off-piste. That’s why it’s worth investing in your brand…but that’s another blog!

Re-read the carefully selected sentence from your blog before you post it on social media. It might be strong, but does it convey enough on its own? Consider whether it could be misinterpreted without the whole blog or ebook to give it context. Don’t be afraid to tweak it again to remove any controversy or reinforce your brand message.

Pictures can be very powerful on social media. Remember to illustrate your posts with pictures from your brand palette, accompanied by wording in the right font. If you regularly share content from your website to social media (e.g. estate agents sharing the latest properties), plan how these regular posts will look to keep up your brand consistency.

Outsource social media marketing

Our experienced social media managers love helping businesses like yours get more from Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and all the other channels. To find out more, explore our site or contact your local regional director.

 

The first budget of the new Labour government has been much anticipated, and Wednesday’s announcement had everyone glued to the news. Families, workers, savers and borrowers were all wondering what the budget meant for them. And entrepreneurs and CEOs were wondering, “what does the budget mean for businesses?”

In this blog, we look at what additional payments and reductions businesses need to cover, and how Get Ahead can help. 

What does the budget mean for businesses? 

The rise in employers’ National Insurance contributions (NICs) was not unexpected, but it has still raised the costs of taking on employees. 

In addition, the increase to interest rates means that business loan repayments will increase – another cost to business owners. 

It’s easy to see that, with these cost increases, business owners will be looking to make any savings they can. 

One way that small businesses can save is by taking advantage of the increased employment allowance, whereby they don’t have to pay NI on the first £10,500. 

Another way to save is to consider outsourcing instead of employing. Whether you’re new to outsourcing or you’ve used the model for years, Get Ahead is here to help.

How Get Ahead supports businesses impacted by the 2024 budget

Get Ahead is an established outsourcing agency. We work on a regional basis: business owners approach our regional directors in search of practical, back-office support. The regional director then connects the business owner with one of our virtual experts who delivers the required work.

There are a number of reasons why our business model gives businesses better value for money than conventional employment:

No NICs, sick pay, annual leave or pension contributions

    All our virtual experts are self-employed. This means that our clients only pay for our experts’ work and don’t have any other financial responsibilities towards them. 

    Remote working

    Our virtual experts work from home, meaning you don’t have to provide office facilities or tech hardware. This could save you renting office space, freeing up more of your profits to grow your business.

    Only pay for hours worked

    When you employ someone, you continue to pay them even when they’re on a tea break, watering the plants or signing team birthday cards. But with our outsourcing model, you only pay for the work they do for your business. We are also completely flexible – there’s no need to commit to paying for the same number of hours every month. 

    Your virtual team

    Get Ahead’s virtual experts can work seamlessly with your other employees, or even form your entire team. Use outsourced work to plug skills gaps or provide support for project work. Alternatively, let us hand pick a group of people with the specific skills you need to take your business forward in a cost-effective way. 

    We believe you’ll see considerable savings when you outsource, enabling you to meet the new increased payments while still growing your business. 

    Find out more about the financial advantages of outsourcing here.

    HR outsourcing and accounts outsourcing solutions for UK businesses

    Unlike typical virtual assistant agencies, we offer a wide range of back-office services, including finance and HR outsourcing. Our finance experts can review your systems and might find other savings, like unused subscriptions and unpaid invoices. This could mean freeing up funds to cover the increased business costs, without having to let any of your current team go. 

    Our HR experts can help you stay compliant with the new rules, ensuring that you’re making the correct contributions and doing right by your employees. And if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having to reduce the number of people you employ, our HR experts can help you manage the situation so it’s legal, fair and handled appropriately. 

    Get in touch to find out more

    If our blog has got you thinking about ways to save money after the 2024 budget, we’d love to hear from you. We offer a range of outsourced back-office support, including administration, bookkeeping, marketing, social media, finance, HR and more. Visit our service pages here, or get in touch with your local regional director for a friendly, no-obligation chat. 

    Outsource graphic design, copywriting or administration to help you prepare for your next business expo!

    Business expos can be great opportunities to find new customers and build your network. But to maximise the return on your investment of time and money, it’s important to plan ahead. Getting all your materials ready well in advance, as well as keeping your business going while you’re out for a whole day, will make the expo into a calm, positive experience to really help your business grow.

    Let’s take a closer look.

    How far in advance of the expo do I need to start planning?

    Start planning for the expo about two months in advance. Of course, it’s not an exact science, and the amount of planning you need depends on how experienced you are at business expos!

    Two months before the expo

    The first steps to take are to think about your stand and what promotional materials you will use. If this is an expo where you are likely to pick up a lot of business, it’s worth investing more in sharing the right messages and developing some really memorable promotions. On the other hand, if your business is just making a token appearance or you’ve received the stand for free, you might not feel inclined to invest as much time or money.

    Once you’ve decided on your goals for the expo, it’s time to think about what you need to achieve them. For example, the trusty pop-up banner you’ve used for the last three years might need to be updated, or you might need fresh material to promote a new product or service.

    Whether you have a specific idea of what you want, or just a very broad vision, a good graphic designer will bring it to life. Planning two months ahead should give you and your graphic designer time to come up with a successful design. Remember, while the actual design might not take long, there are other factors that can delay the process. For example, the designer might have other client work, and you will need to find time to review the draft designs and give feedback. 

    One month before the expo

    Now you’ve got your designs finalised, it’s time to send them to the printer to make into banners, leaflets, posters or whatever material you’ve decided to use at the expo.

    Again, the printer can probably do the work in a lot less than a month, but it’s a good idea to have some time contingency. For example, while good printers will take work seriously and act with professionalism, problems can still arise. Slow couriers, supply chain problems, illness and emergencies can all get in the way of quick delivery of marketing collateral.

    One month before the expo is also the right time to organise personnel to cover your stand. If you have a team, decide who is going to go to the expo (choose at least two people so you can cover breaks) and make sure it’s in the diary!

    If you work alone, you might want to ask someone else from your business family to help you on your stand. If you’re already using a virtual expert from Get Ahead, they’d be happy to help! However, it’s important to fix it up in advance so they can plan their diary accordingly. 

    Expo days can be long. If you need to arrange childcare, book it now.

    Two weeks before the expo

    Decide how you’re going to get to the venue. If you can pop your banner, freebies and your packed lunch (!) in your car and park at the conference centre, all is well. But if it’s a city centre location and parking is difficult, or you have a lot to take with you and will need to hire a van, make a plan now.  

    One week before the expo

    Get ready for your day out of the office. Tie up the loose ends, or delegate them to someone who isn’t going to the expo. Get Ahead’s virtual experts are here to help if you need us!

    At home, fill up the freezer with easy, healthy meals. Expos can be very tiring – we’ve never had the energy to cook from scratch after an expo and we doubt you have either!

    The day before the expo

    Take everything you need for your stand and set it up. In our experience, it always takes longer than you think it will. Check the get-in time with the organisers and give yourself enough time to set your stand up properly – it will give you such a boost when you arrive in the morning!

    The day of the expo

    Enjoy yourself!

    Outsource graphic design, administration and general support with Get Ahead

    There are lots of ways Get Ahead can support you with your next expo. Many business owners decide to outsource graphic design, but there are lots of other solutions too. Talk to your regional director or download Getting the most from your Expo to find out more. 

     

    The much-anticipated Employment Rights Bill 2024 is being described as a “once in a generation” shake-up, protecting all workers and establishing new norms. Looking ahead, ministers hope it will improve job security, enabling more people of working age to stay in employment and contribute to the UK’s economic growth.

    The Bill sets out new maternity rights, as well as an increase in statutory sick pay. Other rights will be introduced, including the right of a worker to retaliate against unfair dismissal without having to wait for a certain time period to elapse. While these could mean increased employment costs and workplace adjustments for small businesses, the overall benefits of the Bill are significant and a welcome protection for workers at all levels.

    To help your business navigate the new normal and meet the requirements of the updated employment law, Get Ahead are here to help. Here are four ways we help small businesses comply with the Employment Rights Bill 2024:

    1. Outsourced HR support

    You want to do right by your employees but you need to know you’re operating within the new law too. Our HR experts will review your systems, contracts and employee handbooks to ensure they are up to date and compliant. Our team can also design and deliver training to update staff and supervisors, ensuring your team understands all the implications of the new Bill.

    • Payroll outsourcing services

    The new Bill means changes to sick pay and maternity pay. If this also means changes for your payroll department, Get Ahead can help. Our payroll outsourcing services means we can set up new systems to incorporate the changes, ensuring your staff on sick leave and maternity leave receive the right pay at the right time.

    • Virtual PA services to streamline your systems

    Over the years, our virtual PA services have helped countless clients to save money by streamlining systems and introducing efficiencies. Through chasing outstanding invoices, cancelling unused subscriptions, introducing quicker methods or reducing working hours, our VAs have made a massive difference to businesses of all sizes. Business efficiencies could free up the budget you need to cover the increases in sick pay and maternity pay outlined in the Employment Rights Bill 2024.

    • Your virtual team in an uncertain time

    If you were on the point of recruiting but the new Bill has made you think twice, Get Ahead can help. Our expert team of remote workers can deliver back-office support while you test the water. And because you’re not locked into a long contract, you can hire your own permanent staff whenever you’re ready.

    Flexible back-office support from Get Ahead

    At Get Ahead, we know that businesses thrive on flexibility (that’s in the new Bill too!). That’s why all our services are fully flexible and we never tie clients into long contracts. In turn, this means your workplace changes could be sorted out quickly and efficiently – the new Bill doesn’t have to be an expensive, confusing headache at all. We can provide the short-term support to help you through the transition, freeing you up to do what you do best.

    Explore our site to find out more, or contact your local regional director today.