Currently, in the UK, there is a shortage of high-quality staff to support businesses. There are multiple reasons behind this, and some of them are beyond our control. However, you can control the type of employer you are. The initial step is to comprehend your responsibilities as an employer. So what are your duties as an employer?
The 2023 Hiring and Workforce Trends Report from Indeed and Glassdoor (job search websites) suggests, that our aging population means there will be a shortage of talent to go around in years to come. For this reason, you would probably want to be an “employer of choice” whereby employees are seeking you out first.
Wouldn’t that be great? The big employers often are “employer of choice” because they are well-known and well-organised. They also have the means to make sure they invest in processes that result in them being good employers.
As a Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) you often face difficulties in providing your employees with all the benefits they deserve, due to limited resources and expertise. This might mean that you don’t have enough time or money to put towards employee appreciation, but there are still options available to you.
As an employer, it’s crucial for you to understand your responsibilities, especially in such cases where resources and expertise are limited.
7 Key Duties for any good employer:
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Treating all employees fairly
The thing that matters to us all above anything is fairness. We all want to be treated the same as others with respect. That’s why fairness is the number one priority for your employees. But fairness is not equal as we all do different jobs.
Have you got experiences where those in charge played favourites at home, school, or work? How annoying was that? Playing favorites is just demoralising.
When you treat everyone fairly, your employees will respect you for it and you’ll get the most from your team. So make fairness your number one priority.
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Providing training and development opportunities
Investment in your employees is an investment worth making. Training and development opportunities are not only great for the individual concerned but it also contributes positively to the business as it should bring more productivity.
There are various forms of training that can be effective. It’s not just about attending classes or webinars to learn theory. On-the-job learning with immediate feedback can be very helpful. This means that if something isn’t working, it should be addressed right away. Encouraging your team to provide feedback can enhance their learning experience.
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Offering market rate salary
As you may have gathered already, money matters but it is not everything. In today’s world, it is taken as a given that the pay you offer is good and at market rate. Salary is a good point to start a conversation, but it is not everything. The workforce is looking for more.
However, salary does matter, and according to Indeed, a prospect is 18% more likely to start the application process if the salary is advertised.
But it’s true you don’t have to offer the highest pay to be the best employer. You can attract the right quality of staff if you offer other incentives.
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Offer perks and benefits
So, if wages aren’t always the deciding factor what is? Offering other incentives like flexible working, time out for family, perks such as gym membership, and private health.
What are the best benefits to offer to your employees? It is not one size fits all so the best option if possible is to offer a range of benefits so the employees can choose what they want.
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Have a great culture with strong values
As you know the current generation in the workplace have got different expectations from their workplace. Their aim is to be happy in a place and with the people they spend so many hours in. You need to make sure that your company is a wonderful place to work.
The workplace culture you offer is important and a strong culture will ensure you are that wonderful workplace. It is important to this current working generation that they are contributing to the overall goal of the business. They need to belong and have the full experience. Your team needs to be valued.
Have you ever evaluated how you value your employees? Do you recognise and appreciate their contributions, regardless of their job position?
If the answer is “no” then why not? If you have an underperformer, then that is a separate issue that needs to be dealt with via a performance review but otherwise give recognition to your employees.
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Have a clear reporting structure
Everyone at work deserves to know what the reporting structure is. A reporting structure sets out the flow of authority and how your company splits the roles and duties.
Each member of your team should know who they need to go to for help. There are various types of structures, the hierarchical one being the most common one. But you need to decide what works for you.
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Adhering to Health and Safety regulations
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was created to enforce the law. So, at a very basic level these regulations set out your responsibilities for protecting the safety of your workforce. You need to make sure you are following regulations set out by the HSE.
You can find the details of the health and safety regulations here.
UK businesses are currently facing a unique set of challenges. The need to build engagement among your team and attract and retain the right talent is becoming increasingly important if you are to stay in business profitably. The problem is not going away anytime soon.
We are here to help you. Please call your normal manager if you would like to discuss this further. If you are not yet working with us have a look at our website