Tag: outsourcing

Hiring your first employee is an exciting step, but there are a few legal and practical things you must do before they start. Here’s the simple checklist small businesses rely on. 

1. Confirm the job details 

Before you recruit, be clear on: 

  • Job title 
  • Hours 
  • Pay 
  • Responsibilities 
  • Location or hybrid terms 

This clarity helps attract the right candidate and reduces future misunderstandings. 

2. Do your right-to-work checks 

This is a legal requirement for all employers. 

Make sure you copy and securely store the documents. 

3. Issue an offer letter 

Short, simple, professional, this confirms key details like: 

  • Salary 
  • Hours 
  • Start date 
  • Conditions of offer 

4. Prepare the employment contract 

You must issue this on or before day one of employment. 

A compliant contract protects both you and your new hire, setting clear expectations from the start. 

5. Share your employee handbook 

Give your new employee the essential policies, such as: 

  • Sickness 
  • Holidays 
  • Conduct 
  • Data protection 
  • Grievance and disciplinary 

Even small businesses need these. 

6. Set up payroll 

Register the employee with HMRC and organise payroll software or support. 

7. Create a new starter checklist 

This helps you remember: 

  • Emergency contact details 
  • Equipment access 
  • System logins 
  • Induction meeting 
  • Policy sign-offs 

You’ll find one included in HR Foundations.  

Ready to hire with confidence? 

Our HR Foundations package includes all the templates and documents you need, plus a consultation to guide you. 

➡ See HR Foundations 

➡ Book a free HR call 

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 

 

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 

Many business owners know they need a new website, but feel daunted at the prospect of starting from scratch. Fortunately, our experienced web designers are here to help. Our web experts will see you safely through the whole process, keeping you on track and delivering results you’ll love.

When you’re updating your website or starting a new one from scratch, you’ll usually end up working with a team of our virtual experts, made up of marketing managers, copywriters, graphic designers and web designers. We can also work alongside your in-house team or preferred freelancers.

In this blog, we look at how web design works in practice.

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ChatGPT is a hot topic at the moment. Businesses are considering whether it could make their lives easier. And skilled content creators are wondering if they’re about to be replaced by a bot. We’ve noticed that savvy business users are weighing up the pros and cons, working out where ChatGPT is the right solution and identifying where a real person will do a better job.

Let’s take a closer look.

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When you outsource social media content to Get Ahead, your new social media manager will often use a scheduling platform. Scheduling platforms like Hootsuite and Buffer help us keep up a consistent presence on social media channels and definitely make life easier. However, there are some pitfalls to avoid too – our social media managers know them all and they thought they’d be useful to share!

In this blog, we look at the benefits of scheduling social media content, and note the pitfalls to avoid.

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Social media strategy is essential if you want to take your business channels to the next level. If you have a small business you’re planning to scale up, social media is a great tool to help you reach new customers. And it’s well worth investing in social media strategy to increase your chances of getting the results your business deserves.

In this blog, we look at why a strategic approach is important, and what you should consider when you’re planning future social media posts.

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Social media is a fantastic marketing tool, but it’s not without its downsides. Many business owners struggle to find a balance between maintaining their presence online and managing their time. Could the decision to outsource social media be the right one for you?

Let’s take a closer look.

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2022 has been quite a year! With war in Ukraine, price rises, loads of industrial action and three prime ministers, very few businesses will have experienced completely plain sailing. But sweet are the uses of adversity. Here at Get Ahead, we’ve learned a lot about ourselves and our business. We’ve seen interesting opportunities arise and we’re already feeling positive about what 2023 has to offer.

In this blog, we look at how businesses can learn from mistakes and find exciting opportunities to take them into the new year.

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A new year and a new financial quarter is a great time to do a skills gap analysis. Analysing the skills of yourself and your team will help you identify what you already do well and what else you need to grow your business. A review might even help you spot other strengths and weaknesses.

In this blog, we share our five-point plan for an effective skills gap analysis.

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