Spring is in the air! After what has felt like a very long winter, where we have been forced to stay at home, adhere to restrictions and focus on personal hygiene regimes, we are now starting to emerge out of our island lockdowns. Faced with sunnier longer days and glorious bursts of colour that signals nature is starting to regenerate, means its spring cleaning time!
However, spring cleaning is not just about sorting out your house or garden… it’s a good time for businesses to refocus and reconnect. It’s a great opportunity to consider the HR side of your business, including a review of policies and procedures, to ensure your business remains current, up to date and more importantly, compliant and relevant, in the current environment.
Here are a few things to consider as part of your business HR spring clean
Has the overall business strategy and annual objectives changed as a result of Covid-19 and lockdown restrictions? Has an implementation plan been developed with HR to see how this needs to be embedded into your people and work regimes?
- Review of policies and procedures – have you updated to new legislative requirements & ways of working and adjusted your processes accordingly (and communicated them?). When did you last dust off your employee handbook – or do you even have one?
- Are your employee contracts in place, current and aligned to handbook updates?
- Is it time to review your employee benefits? With wellbeing and mental health high on the agenda following lockdown, have you considered an ‘Employee Assistance Programme’ or started to prepare for providing an employer contribution pension plan (due to become a requirement in Guernsey from 2022).
- Are there other non-monetary benefits to review or look into such as a flexible working to add value to existing practices?
- Does everyone have a valid and updated job description or do these to be amended to reflect the new strategy or businesses objectives? Are your structure charts still valid or have you evolved so much over the last 12 months that the current structure plan makes no sense?
- HR spring clean your files and paperwork such as employment contracts, leave request forms, medical certificates, qualifications and training docs, to ensure you maintain appropriate records management and are aligned to GDPR requirements.
- Are your HR and people processes as efficient as they can be? Have you considered moving documentation and processes onto an online platform? Not only is everything you need accessible wherever and whenever you need it in one central location, but getting rid of all that paperwork is likely to create greater efficiencies and restore some organisation back into your life and the life of your employees.
With so many new restrictions and guidelines in place, including local legislation changes, new ways of working and challenges following another lockdown, are you ready to spring your business into action? Don’t delay – get spring cleaning today!
Need some help?
Focus provide HR outsourcing across the full range of HR Services, which can be tailored to meet your business needs, whatever its size, sector or budget.
For more information on what an outsourced arrangement can look like and the services it can provide please visit our website: www.focushrs.com
Or contact us to arrange an initial free consultation: E: [email protected],
T: Jersey +44 (0) 1534 285824 / Guernsey +44 (0) 1481 728824,