Cinnamon HR

07/09/2026

How well do you really know the people you’re hiring, managing or developing?

CVs tell you about experience.

Interviews tell you how someone presents themselves.

But neither necessarily tells you how someone will behave in a role, communicate with others, respond to pressure or lead a team.

That’s where profiling can make a real difference.

At Cinnamon HR, we’re accredited Thomas International Practitioners, using a range of profiling tools to give organisations objective insight into their people.

We can help with:

• Recruitment and selection
• Understanding individual behaviours and communication styles
• Team dynamics and compatibility
• Identifying leadership potential
• Employee development
• 360° feedback
• Succession planning
• Managing and reducing team conflict

It’s not about putting people in boxes.

It’s about understanding people better — and using that insight to make better people decisions.

Because the cost of a bad hire can be significant.

And sometimes, the person who looks perfect on paper isn't necessarily the best fit for the role or the team.

Want to see how profiling could work for your organisation?

Get in touch with Cinnamon HR for a chat.

04/09/2026

📠 Fun Fact Friday

Remember when sending a document meant using a fax machine?

Or when being contactable meant carrying a pager?

It’s amazing how quickly workplace technology has changed.

📟 Pagers
📠 Fax machines
💾 Floppy disks
📞 Landlines
🖥️ Desktop computers

Things that were once essential to everyday working life have either disappeared or become increasingly rare.

And yet… somewhere, there’s still a fax machine quietly waiting for its moment. 😂

Technology moves quickly — but perhaps the real fun fact is that some workplace habits take a lot longer to catch up!

What piece of technology from your working life do you remember that younger colleagues would probably have absolutely no idea how to use? 👇

03/09/2026

Dreading a disciplinary conversation you know is coming?

You’re not alone.

For many business owners, the hardest part isn’t knowing that something needs to be addressed — it’s worrying about getting the process wrong.

And that’s a genuine concern.

Get a disciplinary process wrong and you could find yourself defending an unfair dismissal claim at Tribunal.

The ACAS Code of Practice sets out the key principles of a fair disciplinary process — and if you unreasonably fail to follow it, a Tribunal can increase an employee’s compensation by up to 25%.

😬 Not something you want to discover after the event.

The good news? A fair disciplinary process doesn’t have to be complicated.

There are clear steps to follow, and knowing what to do — and when to do it — makes those difficult conversations much easier.

👉 Save this post for the next time you need to deal with a disciplinary issue.

And if you’d rather have an HR expert in your corner when that time comes, that’s exactly what we’re here for. 💚

03/09/2026

B&Q. Five Guys. Serco. Whitbread.

Big names. Big payrolls. And all among the employers recently named for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage correctly.

It’s easy to read stories like this and think, “That wouldn’t happen to us.”

But minimum wage breaches aren't always about deliberately underpaying people.

They can happen because of things like:

• Incorrect payroll calculations
• Salary sacrifice arrangements
• Allowances or deductions
• Unpaid working time
• Changes to working arrangements
• Simply getting the rules wrong

And there’s another reason employers should be paying attention.

The Fair Work Agency is now up and running, with responsibility for enforcing key employment rights, including National Minimum Wage legislation.

The latest headlines might be about some very big employers.

But it could be a much smaller organisation next.

So, when was the last time you checked that your payroll arrangements are delivering the correct minimum wage for every worker?

Because “our payroll system does it automatically” isn't a compliance strategy.

A regular review of your pay and working practices could save a very expensive headache later.

Read the full article here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c39mv4vm7exo

More than 600 companies underpaid staff, with £4m returned to workers, according to the government.

02/09/2026

🐟 Swearing at colleagues can lead to dismissal… but get the process wrong and it could cost you £11,000!

A recent Employment Tribunal case involving a fish packer is a useful reminder for employers.

The employee had been dismissed following arguments with colleagues and inappropriate language. However, the employer didn't properly investigate the allegations, hold a disciplinary hearing or give the employee a right of appeal.

The Tribunal found the dismissal unfair and awarded her more than £11,000 – although the award was reduced because of her own conduct.

So, what’s the lesson?

👉 Even when you have a genuine reason to dismiss someone, you still need to follow a fair process.

Investigate → hear both sides → make your decision → offer an appeal.

It might feel like extra paperwork when the answer seems obvious, but skipping the process can be a very expensive shortcut! 💷

Read the full article here:

A fish packer has won more than £11k for unfair dismissal after allegations that she swore at colleagues and her behaviour at work.

01/09/2026

£17,000. That’s an expensive reminder to check your pay decisions.

A recent employment tribunal case involving equal pay and s*x discrimination highlights some important lessons for employers.

The key takeaways?

👉 Can you explain why your employees are paid what they’re paid?
👉 Are differences in salary based on clear, objective reasons?
👉 Are pay decisions documented — particularly when salaries are negotiated or increased?
👉 Do managers understand the risks when making pay decisions?

Pay differences aren't automatically discriminatory. There can be perfectly legitimate reasons why two people doing similar roles earn different salaries.

But if you can't explain the difference, or the rationale isn't documented, you could have a problem when someone starts asking questions.

Good HR isn't just about paying people correctly. It's about being able to demonstrate that your decisions are fair, consistent and defensible.

A useful one to review with your management team:
“If an employee challenged this pay decision tomorrow, could we explain and evidence why we made it?”

Read the full article here: https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/woman-awarded-17k-in-equal-pay-and-s*x-discrimination-claim/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=linkedin

An employment tribunal has awarded a woman over £17,000 for her claims of equal pay and direct s*x discrimination.

01/09/2026

💡 Top Tip Tuesday: Don’t forget the accommodation agreement!

If you provide an employee with accommodation as part of their employment package, don’t leave the arrangements to a handshake or an informal conversation.

Whether it’s a room, flat, house or other accommodation, make sure you have a written agreement setting out the terms of the arrangement.

It should be clear:

🏠 What accommodation is being provided
💷 Whether rent or other charges apply
🔧 Who is responsible for bills, repairs and maintenance
👥 Who can live in the accommodation
📅 When the arrangement starts and what happens during the employment
🚪 **Most importantly – what happens when the employment ends**

That last point is one that can easily be overlooked. If the accommodation is provided because someone is employed by the organisation, what happens if they resign, are dismissed or their employment otherwise comes to an end?

Having clear terms in place from the outset helps avoid difficult conversations later about how long someone can remain in the property, what they need to do when they leave and whether any notice period applies.

Top tip: If accommodation forms part of the employment package, treat it as an arrangement that needs its own written terms — not just an informal perk.

A little clarity at the start can prevent a much bigger headache at the end! 🔑

01/09/2026

🍂 Welcome to September!

And just like that… summer is starting to feel like it’s slipping away.

The days are getting a little cooler, the evenings a little darker, and routines are starting to return.

For many families, it’s back to school 🎒 — whether that means children heading back after the summer break, starting school for the first time, or perhaps heading off to university 🎓.

For others, September brings a fresh start at work too. Holidays are (mostly!) done, diaries are filling up again and there’s a chance to look ahead at what the final few months of the year might bring.

So, as we head into September, it’s a good time to:

📅 Look ahead at key dates and deadlines
🎯 Revisit your priorities for the rest of the year
👥 Check in with your team after the summer break
📚 Think about any training or development that needs planning
🌱 And perhaps take a moment to think about what you want to achieve before Christmas!

September can feel a bit like a second New Year — a chance to reset, refocus and get things moving again.

Welcome, September. We’re ready for you! 🍁

28/08/2026

The August edition of The Swirl is here! 🌀

And there’s quite a lot packed into this month’s HR newsletter…

👀 Is your employee’s AI use leaving you exposed?
⚠️ Are you ready for the new s*xual harassment duties coming in October?
💷 How can £50 headphones end up costing an organisation £126,000?
📋 What could the proposed changes to zero-hours contracts mean for your organisation?

Plus the latest Breathe HR updates, cyber security advice, occupational health news, your top HR questions… and, of course, a little bit of Cinnamon HR life along the way! ☀️

We aim to make The Swirl useful, practical and (hopefully!) a little more interesting than your average HR newsletter.

Want to know what’s happening in HR without having to wade through pages of jargon?

👉 Get in touch if you’d like to receive The Swirl each month or click here to download previous copies. https://www.cinnamonhr.co.uk/the-swirl-newsletter

28/08/2026

At Cinnamon HR Consultancy, you’re never met with a robot or a scripted response.

You get real people who take the time to understand you, your organisation, and what you need.

Real conversations.
Real support.
Real care.

This is what sets our team apart ... don't just take our word for it - this is what our clients say about their experience of working with Karen May, Chartered MCIPD | Pamela Putt (MCIPD) | Vicky Smith (FCIPD)
https://www.cinnamonhr.co.uk/page-3