Guides & Tips

Coping with the HR maze Aug 06 2007
A recent research paper from The University of Warwick found small businesses are more likely to experience employee claims than large companies and more likely to lose if the case reach the tribunal stage. Following a few simple precautions will help reduce the likelihood of problems. Read The beginner's guide to share schemes Jul 20 2007
As your business grows, you may toy with the idea of offering a small number of shares to key employees to keep them attached to the business. This can motivate staff and offers them a stake in the business that they are working so hard to build. SmallBusiness.co.uk teamed up with Gemma Taaffe of Sherrards Solicitors to give you this beginner's guide to share schemes. Read Picking professionals Jun 19 2007
When you employ a professional, such as a solicitor, marketing consultant, accountant or financial advisor, there is a lot at stake and business-owners often feel wary about parting with their money. SmallBusiness.co.uk offers some advice. Read A guide to trade marks May 21 2007
SmallBusiness.co.uk and Francesca Querci of intellectual property specialist J.E. Evans-Jackson & Co provide this guide to trade marks and the benefits of registering them. Read Companies act 2006 Feb 19 2007
The Companies Act was finally given Royal Assent to become law on 8 November 2006. It consists of a mammoth 1,300 sections and at 760 pages it is the most substantial Act of Parliament to date relating to company law.
Click to read the need to know guide... Read Intellectual property: is yours safe? Sep 26 2006
Entrepreneurial businesses can make their fortunes through intellectual property. If they can hang onto it long enough, that is. Robert Tyerman investigates the murky world of IP protection Read Need to know: Age discrimination laws Jun 19 2006
Getting to grips with the minefield that is age discrimination is a perennial problem for small sized businesses, but owners ignore these issues at their peril. Read Need to know: pensions legislation Apr 12 2006
We’re all living longer and it seems no one is going to keep us in our old age.
New laws and Government proposals are intended to help combat this problem. Smallbusiness.co.uk examines how these changes could affect your business Read Maternity cover for your business Jan 10 2006
If you decide to get help to run your business while you’re on maternity leave, even part time, it is important to have a short-term maternity cover agreement in place and allow ample time for training and a handover. Read Improve your health & safety performance Nov 22 2005
Help is at hand for small and medium-sized companies who struggle to find the time to review and improve their health and safety performance. Findings from a survey commissioned by businesslink.gov.uk revealed... Read Choosing the Right Legal Status for your Business Oct 21 2005
With the introduction of the new Community Interest Companies (CIC) legal status in July this year there are now four options to consider when deciding on the best legal status for your venture. Read Understanding health and safety: the laws explained Aug 23 2005
This factsheet explains the main steps you must take to ensure your business complies with health and safety regulations. Read How to obtain a UK patent Aug 12 2005
History is littered with inventors whose ideas have been exploited by someone else who has then gone on to become rich beyond their wildest dreams. A successful patent application could have changed all that. Read