How to reduce your NICs by £2k: introducing the Employment Allowance
16 / 06 / 2014
In recent years, the Government has tried a number of initiatives to encourage businesses to employ people. One of the latest is the Employment Allowance which has the effect of reducing National Insurance Contributions by a maximum of £2,000. NICs have often been described as a “tax on jobs” and the Government therefore believes the Allowance will enable around 1.25m...
A new political landscape – in the office as well?
13 / 06 / 2014
While many Brits have become disenchanted with politicians in recent years, we nevertheless live in a politicised world and many people feel very strongly about certain things. A good example has been the big swing to UKIP in the recent European elections. Despite UKIP appearing to be the mainstream party farthest to the right in UK politics, they are not...
Your Brand – Connecting the Personal and Corporate
11 / 06 / 2014
A brand is the emotional connection with the customer. What does your brand, personal or corporate image say about you? The first thing people notice about a company is their logo, principally the colour and style – something about its personality is indicated by the font, imagery, size and proportions engaged. The emotional connection between individuals or people to a...
Making the EU work for SMEs
06 / 06 / 2014
The European Parliamentary election results have, to quote every newspaper in circulation, caused an “earthquake” across Europe. UKIP are hailing a victory, David Cameron is citing the results as evidence that people want real action on EU reform, and even the socialist Francois Hollande has had to admit that his electorate’s decision to send the National Front to Brussels means...
How to approach pre-screening of candidates on social networks during recruitment
04 / 06 / 2014
Despite the ongoing press publicity and warnings from employers there continues to be daily instances of businesses being adversely affected by inappropriate postings made online by staff. Sarah Poynton from SP Index says there are five things to remember when looking at candidates online profiles during the recruitment process. 1. Missing out on the best talent Recruiters can easily jump...