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Tailored HR for SMEs | Pragmatic employment law advice | Down to earth and approachable | Peace of mind with retained or ad-hoc support | Bespoke contracts and policies | Employee Relations

📊 Do your customer service KPIs still reflect how your hybrid team actually works?Traditional measures such as response ...
16/09/2026

📊 Do your customer service KPIs still reflect how your hybrid team actually works?
Traditional measures such as response times and ticket volumes don’t always show the full picture—particularly when employees are handling different types of enquiries across different channels.

The right KPIs can help you:

✅ Improve the customer experience
✅ Create fairer performance measures
✅ Strengthen handovers
✅ Increase efficiency
✅ Support better commercial results

In my latest article, I look at how to align your KPIs with hybrid workflows—and focus on what genuinely adds value for your customers, employees and business.

👇 Click to read the full article: https://face2facehr.com/aligning-kpis-and-workflows-for.../

📢 Make Confident People Decisions: Your September HR UpdateThis month, we look at what the cooling jobs market could mea...
07/09/2026

📢 Make Confident People Decisions: Your September HR Update
This month, we look at what the cooling jobs market could mean for employers, the proposed changes to zero-hours contracts and two tribunal cases offering valuable lessons about checking the facts and following a fair process.

Also covered:

✅ How the changing recruitment market could help you attract good candidates
✅ What employers using zero-hours or low-hours workers should review now
✅ How to manage unexplained employee absence fairly
✅ Why a proportionate investigation supports better decisions
✅ The Fair Work Agency’s first prosecution
✅ HMRC’s warning about schemes claiming to reduce PAYE and National Insurance costs

Good HR does not need to be complicated. With clear processes and timely advice, you can manage people matters confidently, protect your business and achieve better outcomes.

Click below to read the full September update. 👇
https://2828623.hs-sites.com/hr-and-employment-law-update...

Great employees don’t automatically become confident managers.Managing people requires a completely different set of ski...
05/09/2026

Great employees don’t automatically become confident managers.
Managing people requires a completely different set of skills.

Suddenly, they’re expected to:

✅ Give constructive feedback
✅ Address underperformance
✅ Handle difficult conversations
✅ Manage absence fairly
✅ Motivate and develop their team
✅ Understand the legal responsibilities that come with management

Yet many managers are promoted without receiving the practical training they need.

That’s why we created flexion – practical online management training designed specifically for small business leaders and line managers.

No endless theory.

No corporate jargon.

Just practical guidance, real-life examples and useful resources that managers can apply immediately.

With nine modules covering everything from hiring and onboarding to performance, absence, disciplinary matters and managing change, flexion helps managers lead with greater confidence, clarity and impact.

Because when managers improve, their teams – and the business – benefit too.

📩 Contact me to find out more about flexion and how it could support your managers or click on the link here: https://flexion.thinkific.com/?ref=86b2a3

s your hybrid team delivering one consistent customer experience?Hybrid customer service can give small businesses great...
05/09/2026

s your hybrid team delivering one consistent customer experience?

Hybrid customer service can give small businesses greater flexibility, wider coverage and access to a broader pool of talent.

But when employees are working across different locations and channels, inconsistencies can quickly appear.

Are customers receiving the same standard of service whether they contact you by phone, email, live chat or in person?

And does everyone in your team understand:

✅ Who is responsible for what
✅ The standards they are expected to deliver
✅ How information should be handed over
✅ When and how customer issues should be escalated
✅ How good performance will be recognised—wherever they work

Without clarity and regular communication, customers may receive mixed messages, employees can feel disconnected and important details can fall through the gaps.

Our latest guide explores how to manage remote and in-person teams effectively, create greater consistency and turn hybrid customer service into a genuine commercial advantage.

👇 Click to read the full guide: https://face2facehr.com/download/bedford/

The last few days, I’ve been making the most of these beautiful summer evenings. 🌅There’s something about an evening wal...
04/09/2026

The last few days, I’ve been making the most of these beautiful summer evenings. 🌅

There’s something about an evening walk, longer days and a bit of fresh air that gives you the space to pause, reflect and reset.

And perhaps that’s why I value perspective so much in my work in Employee Relations.

Complex workplace issues rarely have simple answers. They require careful listening, sound judgement and the ability to navigate difficult conversations constructively.

As an Employee Relations Specialist, I support organisations with:

• Complex ER matters
• Workplace conflict & mediation
• Investigations
• Performance & conduct issues
• Difficult employee relations cases

My approach is practical, balanced and people-focused — helping bring clarity to challenging situations and supporting positive outcomes.

If you’re navigating a complex ER matter, workplace conflict or mediation challenge, I’m always open to a conversation.

Regular feedback can improve performance, engagement and accountability. But when every task becomes a debrief and every...
01/09/2026

Regular feedback can improve performance, engagement and accountability.

But when every task becomes a debrief and every conversation carries commentary, it can quickly feel like scrutiny rather than support.

The problem is rarely feedback itself. It’s usually how it is introduced.

To build a sustainable feedback culture:

✅ Start small
Introduce one short weekly or fortnightly check-in—without unnecessary forms or processes.

✅ Use time that already exists
Add feedback to team meetings, one-to-ones or project reviews instead of creating more meetings.

✅ Keep routine feedback light-touch
Not every conversation needs to be significant. Sometimes confirming that everything is on track is enough.

✅ Adapt the approach
A new employee may need frequent guidance, while an experienced team member may prefer less regular input.

✅ Notice when it becomes too much
If conversations are becoming lengthy, unfocused or something employees dread, it may be time to scale things back.

The aim isn’t to maximise the amount of feedback people receive. It’s to make useful, timely conversations a natural part of how work gets done.

Done well, regular feedback can identify problems earlier, improve performance and prevent issues from escalating into more difficult—and costly—employee relations matters.
Is feedback in your business experienced as support or surveillance?

If you would like help creating a practical feedback approach that works for your managers and employees, please get in touch.

Summer Is Drawing to a Close—What Are Your Business Goals for September?It’s easy to head into autumn with a packed diar...
31/08/2026

Summer Is Drawing to a Close—What Are Your Business Goals for September?
It’s easy to head into autumn with a packed diary and an even longer to-do list. But sustainable growth isn’t simply about doing more—it’s about tackling the right things.

Are you avoiding a difficult employee conversation?

Putting off a change you know your business needs?

Allowing a people issue to consume management time, affect morale or hold back performance?

Over the past few months, I’ve partnered with several small business owners who decided to stop delaying and tackle these issues head-on.

The reality? It wasn’t nearly as painful as they had anticipated.

With the right planning, pragmatic HR support and a clear process, we managed the risks, protected their businesses and achieved good outcomes.

If there’s a people issue or business change you’ve been putting off, September could be the right time to address it and move forward with confidence.

📩 Get in touch for a confidential, no-obligation conversation about how I can help.

What impact do you have on others?I came across this quote recently, and it’s a powerful reminder of the importance of s...
27/08/2026

What impact do you have on others?
I came across this quote recently, and it’s a powerful reminder of the importance of self-awareness:

“Your smile is your logo.
Your personality is your business card.
And the way you make others feel is your trademark.”

We’re often very aware of other people’s behaviour—but how often do we stop and consider our own?

How do people feel after an interaction with you?

Do they feel heard, valued and supported—or dismissed, uncomfortable or drained?

Our intentions matter, but so does our impact. The two aren’t always the same.

Self-awareness means recognising how our words, tone and behaviour affect those around us. For leaders and managers, that awareness can shape trust, engagement and the culture of an entire team.

Take a moment today to reflect:

What trademark are you leaving with others?

Probation periods are about to carry much more risk.From 1 January 2027, employees will gain ordinary unfair dismissal p...
25/08/2026

Probation periods are about to carry much more risk.

From 1 January 2027, employees will gain ordinary unfair dismissal protection after just six months—not two years (this will include some of your new recruits this year - after 1 June 2026).

The cap on unfair dismissal compensation will also be removed.

For employers, the message is clear:

You cannot afford to let probation concerns drift.
Waiting until the final review to mention poor performance, inadequate conduct or doubts about suitability will leave businesses unnecessarily exposed.

Probation should be an active management process—not simply a date in the diary.

That means:
✅ Setting clear expectations from day one
✅ Holding early and regular review meetings
✅ Addressing concerns as soon as they arise
✅ Providing appropriate support and time to improve
✅ Keeping clear written records
✅ Making timely, fair and evidence-based decisions
✅ Training managers to handle difficult conversations confidently

A signed contract and probation clause will not be enough.

Employers will need to demonstrate that expectations were clear, concerns were raised, support was considered and a reasonable process was followed.

The businesses that prepare now will be better placed to manage underperformance, reduce legal risk and make confident decisions before problems escalate.

Is your probation process ready for January 2027?

I help SMEs strengthen their recruitment, onboarding, probation and performance-management processes—and equip managers to use them properly.

Get in touch if you would like a practical review of your current approach, click on the link below: -
https://1omkv.share.hsforms.com/2jWUjjHj0QUS62_gzjupyug

Technology won’t fix poor feedback — but it can stop good feedback being forgotten.Continuous feedback doesn’t need an e...
25/08/2026

Technology won’t fix poor feedback — but it can stop good feedback being forgotten.

Continuous feedback doesn’t need an expensive platform or another complicated HR process.

It needs managers who have regular, honest conversations.

But when teams are busy delivering for clients, managing costs and meeting deadlines, even the best intentions can quickly disappear.

Used well, simple technology can help managers:

✅ Capture feedback while the details are fresh
✅ Spot recurring performance or development patterns
✅ Recognise consistent good work that might otherwise be overlooked
✅ Prepare for fairer pay, promotion and performance discussions
✅ Maintain regular conversations when workloads increase

The commercial benefit?

Problems are addressed earlier, good performance is reinforced and managers have a clearer evidence trail when more formal action is needed.

The key is to keep it simple. A shared document, calendar reminder, HR system or existing messaging platform may be all you need.

Technology should prompt the conversation and preserve the evidence — not replace management judgement or make feedback feel automated.

If your managers struggle to give consistent feedback, or you would like help introducing a practical approach that supports performance without creating unnecessary bureaucracy, please contact me for more information or get a free HR Checkup:

https://1omkv.share.hsforms.com/2jWUjjHj0QUS62_gzjupyug

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Bedford Heights
Bedford
MK417PH

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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+447922599915

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