It is hoped that the new and free Step by Step guides will help SMEs get the best from their people and stay on the right side of the law by breaking down the most common employment issues into a series of practical steps that can be used as needed.
Anne Sharp, Acas Chief Executive, said: “These new free online guides are simple to use and help employers understand the basics of how to hire, manage and get the best from their staff.
“Some employers want to grow their business but are worried about getting employment law right or find it too time consuming as they just want to run their business.
“The step by step guides build on our knowledge as workplace experts to make it as easy as possible for small business owners to quickly pick up a guide that best suits their circumstances and get it right first time.
“A better understanding of the law can make the difference between managing staff well and potentially facing a costly and stressful employment tribunal when things aren’t handled correctly.”
The six step by step guides cover:
- Recruiting an employee
- Settling in a new employee
- The new employee’s contract
- Managing a complaint at work
- Managing staff absence
- How to get the best out of your staff
Acas has also announced the launch of a new online guide on managing discipline. The free guides include a legal checklist, useful tools and templates that can be downloaded from their website deal with the myths about common workplace scenarios which bring common problems to life.
Employment Relations Minister Jo Swinson said: “We know that small businesses can find taking on staff a daunting prospect because of a lack of understanding of employment law. It is important to help employers better understand their responsibilities.
“This is why promoting the benefits of good communication, better management, and early dispute resolution is important as it can lead to the best outcomes for everyone and cut out the need for costly and stressful employment tribunals.
“The new Acas guides will provide small business with an invaluable free resource and give them greater confidence to grow their business which will in turn support a stronger economy.”
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has today also launched an online toolkit to help startups through the process of hiring their first member of staff. The “Taking on a employee” toolkit can be found at https://www.gov.uk/employing-staff
