Your staff and colleagues possess information about your business that could harm you if they leave – it makes sense to protect yourself. It is a fear that haunts every business owner – that one day a trusted colleague will walk out the door and set up in competition taking vital customer information, trade secrets and even key staff with them. To avoid this horrifying scenario a growing number of employers now insert a “restrictive covenant” in contracts to protect their businesses.... Read more >

We ask Steve Williams, head of equality at Acas about rights and responsibilities when an employee becomes pregnant. The announcement of a baby on the way is usually met with joy and excitement. However, in a new or smaller business managers often find their knowledge surrounding maternity legislation is a little weak until faced with their first pregnant employee! All employers should be aware of their responsibilities to a pregnant worker and those on maternity as well as the rights the individual... Read more >

Getting paid for your services can have a real impact on your cashflow. But help is at hand. Invoice finance, also known as factoring or ‘debt factoring’ – involves selling your invoices to a third party. In return they will process the invoices and allow you to draw funds against the money owed to your business. Essentially, these companies provide a finance, debt collection and ledger management service. It is commonly used by businesses to improve cashflow but can also be used to reduce... Read more >

Make your way through the employment maze with our guide to getting you started as an employer. Whether you have one part time helper or a workforce of thousands, being an employer comes with a number of responsibilities – you have to make sure they are safe in the workplace, they are paid the right amount at the right time and they have all the rights that employees elsewhere in the country enjoy. You also have to make sure they – and you – are protected if things go wrong. Becoming... Read more >

Launching a new business is an exciting and rewarding experience, but nobody expects you to know everything about it right at the start. True, you’re expected to know your own products and services, and the market in which you’re operating. But there’s much more to it than that. If you don’t have lots of experience in running your accounts, arranging business insurance or marketing you services, for example, there are plenty of places where you can get help. Your first start... Read more >

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