Buzzing About HR

In this episode of Buzzing About HR , we are looking at a real tribunal case that should make every small business pause for a second. A long-serving shift manager, clean record, no history of issues, dismissed for gross misconduct after giving a 50% staff discount on takeaway food instead of the policy-compliant 20%. On paper, it looks straightforward. Policy breached. Evidence confirmed. Decisio...

In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I am tackling the Employment Rights Bill without the drama, because if it has landed in your inbox and made you want to shut the laptop for a bit, I get it. The good news is this. It is not all crashing down tomorrow. The changes are rolling out in stages between 2025 and 2027, which means you have time to get organised if you stop treating it like one giant s...

If your phone is pinging nonstop with shift swaps, late changes, and “can someone cover me”, your rota is not a rota. It is a group chat with admin powers. And it will swallow your day. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , we talk about why letting WhatsApp run formal decisions leads to confusion, inconsistency, and the classic “he said, she said” mess. Then we show you how a few clear rules can...

Hiring can feel like a leap of faith—until the first wobble makes you wonder if you misjudged the fit. We break down how to tell a normal new starter dip from a genuine red flag, and share a calm, practical path that keeps standards high without losing heart. If you’ve ever debated whether to coach longer or call it early, this guide gives you the words, the structure, and the timing to decide wit...

In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I am tackling one of the biggest time drains in small businesses. HR paperwork that looks official, feels important, and then completely lets you down the moment something goes wrong. If your records are scattered across folders, screenshots, WhatsApp messages, and policies no one has opened since 2022, this one is for you. This episode is about getting you ou...

In this episode of Buzzing About HR , we start with a first day that far too many people recognise. No logins. An induction from 2016. A team who did not know someone was starting, let alone their name. And by lunchtime, that new hire is already wondering if they made a mistake. A messy first day tells people everything they need to know about your business. And it is rarely the message you want t...

Ever opened a simple holiday request and felt your stomach tighten? It is just time off. It should be straightforward. But in small businesses, annual leave can turn into one of the biggest sources of tension. School holiday clashes. “I booked first” debates. Quiet swaps that no one tells you about. And suddenly what should restore energy is quietly draining trust. In this episode of Buzzing About...

In this episode of Buzzing About HR , we are talking about that moment every small business owner dreads. The kettle is on, payroll is tight, and an email lands with a counteroffer attached. July has a habit of doing this. Budgets are already set, cover is thin, and suddenly a competitor is waving a bit more money or the promise of Fridays off. The temptation is to panic, match it, and hope for th...

Ever looked at someone on a monthly invoice and thought, “They’re freelance… I think”? This episode is for that moment. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I get into one of the most common and risky questions small businesses ask. Is this person genuinely self-employed, or have we accidentally created an employment relationship and just called it freelance? Because the label does not save you....

Hiring should show you who can do the job. Not who can cope best with a noisy room, a vague task, and a stopwatch. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I talk about neurodiversity in the workplace and how small, sensible changes can make hiring and day-to-day work better for everyone, not just neurodivergent employees. Because this is where a lot of employers get stuck. They want to be fair, they...

If you have not looked properly at the Worker Protection Amendment yet, this is your nudge. Since October 2024, all UK employers have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment at work. And yes, that includes small businesses. There is no “we are too small for that” exception. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I break down what that duty actually means in real life. Not...

If maternity paperwork makes you want to lie down in a dark room, you are not alone. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I break down maternity leave and Statutory Maternity Pay in plain English, so you can stop panicking every time HMRC sends you something that looks vaguely threatening. Because this is one of those areas where a lot of small business owners worry they are going to get it wrong...

Ever shoved a Performance Improvement Plan to the bottom of a drawer and hoped the problem might somehow sort itself out? You are not the only one. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I talk about PIPs properly. Not as scary legal documents that everyone dreads, but as practical tools that can help someone improve and protect their business if things do not get better. Because let’s be honest, m...

Ten years ago, I was sitting at my Harry Potter desk under the stairs with redundancy papers in one hand and cake in the other, agreeing to “give consulting a go” for six months. Well. Those six months escalated. In this special anniversary episode of Buzzing About HR , I look back on the last ten years of building Kate Underwood HR. From burnout and uncertainty to building a business that support...

There are few hiring moments more awkward than this one. You have found the right person. You have made the offer. Everyone is happy. Then something changes, and suddenly you are asking yourself, “Can we actually take this back?” In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I talk through one of the most uncomfortable parts of recruitment. Withdrawing a job offer. Whether it is a failed reference, a budg...

Have you ever wondered if robots are coming for your HR job? After my visit to the HR Technologies UK show at Excel London, I've been buzzing with questions about artificial intelligence in Human Resources—and it turns out you have been too. Ever had that moment where everyone seems to be talking about AI like it is either going to save your life or steal your job? After a trip to the HR Tech...

If you have ever had someone stroll in late, mutter “I’m on flexi time,” and then later ask to work from home every Friday like it is all part of the same thing, this episode is for you. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I get into one of the most common workplace mix-ups I see. FlexiTime and flexible working are not the same, and when businesses blur the line, it creates confusion for manager...

Ever asked what felt like a harmless question and then immediately thought, “Oh no… was that allowed?” In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I talk about one of those moments. I casually asked a new warehouse manager about old sports injuries and very quickly realised I might have wandered into dangerous territory. That is the problem with post-offer medical questions. A lot of UK employers are tr...

Sick days are costing small businesses more than most people realise. When absence starts creeping up, it is not just a few inconvenient mornings. It hits productivity, piles pressure onto the rest of the team, and quietly drains money from the business. For some SMEs, it can feel like half of January disappears into empty desks and rota chaos. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , Kate digs into...

Verbal job offers can feel quick, friendly, and harmless. Until they are not. One enthusiastic “We’d love to have you” can carry a lot more legal weight than many small business owners or managers realise. And if things change afterwards, what felt like a warm conversation can turn into a very awkward and expensive problem. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , Kate breaks down the legal reality o...

Every small business has valuable intellectual property—far beyond what you might imagine. Your sales strategies, client lists, training materials, and even the clever copy on your website represent significant assets, but are you protecting them properly? Buzzing About HR tackles the often-overlooked world of intellectual property protection for businesses of all sizes. We break down the five ess...

Does the phrase “summer party” make you smile… or sweat? For many small business owners, that one question brings back memories. Some brilliant. Some legally expensive. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , we talk about summer socials properly. Not as fluffy extras, but as strategic tools when they are done well. A good team event can strengthen retention more effectively than a small pay rise. I...

Hiring internationally is not what it used to be. Since Brexit, EU candidates are treated the same as applicants from anywhere else in the world. For many small businesses, that has turned what used to feel straightforward into something that feels… bureaucratic. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , I break down the sponsor licence process in plain English. What you actually need. What it costs....

The clock is ticking. In just days, neonatal care leave and pay becomes law. From April 2025, eligible employees will be entitled to up to 12 weeks of additional leave if their newborn needs hospital care. For some families, that will make the difference between coping and falling apart. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , we break down exactly what employers need to know. Who qualifies. How the...

The Employment Rights Bill is not a small tweak. It is one of the biggest shifts in UK employment law in years, and it will change how small businesses hire, manage, and exit people. In this episode of Buzzing About HR , Kate breaks down what is actually changing, what has been softened or scrapped, and what it really means if you run a small business. Unfair dismissal is set to become a day one r...