Latest Guides & Tips
How to be a better leader
Three-quarters of small business owners admitted in a recent Business Link survey that their management and leadership skills left some room for improvement. Use these top tips to become a better leader.
Dealing with difficult employees
While a team of hardworking, capable staff can help a business thrive, it only takes one bad apple to wreak havoc within an organisation. We ask the experts how small businesses can tackle this common problem.
Should employers fight Facebook?
The dividing line between work and personal time is becoming increasingly blurred. Giving staff the responsibility of organising their own time can, however, offer significant benefits, argues Simon Norris of software supplier Temperus.
How to retain staff
Keeping employees happy is the most obvious way to retain staff. This can keep performance at a high level and even attract new, valuable candidates to the business. Read this set of top tips produced by SmallBusiness.co.uk and training and development company Dale Carnegie. Click to read on...
Dealing with discipline
If you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of having to discipline a member of staff, you have to ensure the process is fair, especially if the result is that they are dismissed. Read on for some in depth information...
Enhance office productivity
Moving offices is one of the most important decisions a company can make. If planned, budgeted and managed correctly, it could improve operational efficiency, enhance corporate image and competitive advantage and improve your ability to retain employees. Read this article to find out how.
Dealing with workplace relationships
Workplace relationships do happen, unsurprisingly when you consider how much time is spent at work by many in the UK. But when romance does blossom what can you do to ensure professionalism and productivity do not suffer.
Healthy body, healthy business
Managers should keep an eye on the profit and loss of their health as much as they do on the health of their business, suggests Dr Dorian Dugmore, Secretary General of the World Council for Cardio Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and one of the speakers at Inspire2006 – the UK’s first event for chief executives for SMEs.
Prepare for bird flu
Whether you believe it could decimate the population or it’s a lot of fuss about nothing, most big businesses have plans in place to deal with avian flu and pandemics like it. Can you afford not to protect your business?
Work smarter not harder
The United Kingdom's long hours culture has been well documented. According to the Trades Union Congress, British workers put in £23 billion of unpaid overtime in 2006. Employees should look at ways of working smarter rather than harder in order to reduce the amount of extra time they spend at work. SmallBusiness.co.uk and Suzanne Cameron have these tips.
Top ways to improve company culture
The culture of your company can make or break a business - the way that your employees and teams work together and interact is directly linked to your productivity and, in turn, your chance of success. SmallBusiness.co.uk has these tips to help you improve your company culture.
Beat winter the blues
The clocks have now gone back and winter is fast approaching. Darker afternoons have a range of negative effects including lack of motivation and tiredness, on top of the usual causes of fatigue. Follow these tips from SmallBusiness.co.uk, to perk yourself up.
How to avoid World Cup woe
Some of us can’t wait and some of us are dreading it but like it or not, the 2006 World Cup is almost upon us and sensible business owners will have taken some precautions to stop it turning into a nightmare. It all kicks off on 9 June in Germany but these tips may stop it all kicking off in the office.
