http://www.artipot.com/authors/3147/iain-mackintosh/ Latest articles by Iain Mackintosh from Artipot - your one-stop resource for free articles. http://www.artipot.com/articles/321804/an-introduction-to-flexible-working-terms.htm When dealing with the world of employment contracts, and legal documents in general, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the diversity of terms and phrases used The following is a guide to the key terms that you are likely to encounter when you find yourself discussing flexible working policies in a business environment Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:13:41 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/321804/an-introduction-to-flexible-working-terms.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/320783/an-employers-tough-choices-redundancy-flexible-working-lay-offs-or-short-time-working.htm Unemployment is making all of the headlines at the moment, and over a million more job losses are expected in the next year or so Managers around the country are frantically consulting employment contracts and legal documents, looking at redundancy procedures and assessing just how many staff they need to lose in order to keep their business afloat Sat, 04 Apr 2009 09:36:39 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/320783/an-employers-tough-choices-redundancy-flexible-working-lay-offs-or-short-time-working.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/299326/an-employees-redundancy-glossary.htm In an economic downturn, every employee is likely to be double and triple checking their employment contracts and company redundancy policy so that they know what to expect if the worst comes to the worst These documents are likely to be filled with specific legal terms, and just like any legal procedure, redundancy has small print and fine details which it is vital to... Sun, 08 Mar 2009 02:28:18 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/299326/an-employees-redundancy-glossary.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/298743/know-your-redundancy-rights.htm In this straightened economic climate, redundancy is a threat faced by millions of UK employees Large corporations are hitting the headlines by making thousands of their employees redundant, but redundancy could happen at a company of any size when things get tough and businesses are forced to cut their costs Sat, 07 Mar 2009 07:59:13 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/298743/know-your-redundancy-rights.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/297948/the-five-worst-ways-to-fire-an-employee.htm There's nothing less pleasant than an unsought redundancy, particularly if the fellow doing the firing makes Otto Von Bismarck look like a soft-spoken, conscientious old soul We at Simply-Docs thought we'd have a look at the five very worst ways that one could choose to fire an employee, and just why they should never be attempted Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:14:50 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/297948/the-five-worst-ways-to-fire-an-employee.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/297566/redundancy-pay-information-for-managers.htm Redundancies and downsizing are unfortunate, but often an inevitable measure for a business, especially in the current economic climate There are, however, many factors that you have to take into account with your redundancy policy, one of the most important of these being redundancy pay Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:07:15 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/297566/redundancy-pay-information-for-managers.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/297541/historys-great-redundancies.htm History is strewn with redundancy and ruin Though some falls from power are more graceful than others, there is something to be learned from each one Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:28:51 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/297541/historys-great-redundancies.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/281869/essential-redundancy-documents-for-managers.htm As the economic crisis worsens and company after company goes to the wall, every manager is focusing on how to keep their business afloat In many cases, this involves trimming overheads and making redundancies Wed, 11 Feb 2009 09:42:25 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/281869/essential-redundancy-documents-for-managers.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/275288/can-fathers-have-the-same-rights-to-time-off-as-mothers.htm Basic Maternity Leave The UK is often thought of as good on parental rights, maternity leave rights and pregnancy leave in general It is true that compared to many other countries around the world, Britain is fairly advanced Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:41:03 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/275288/can-fathers-have-the-same-rights-to-time-off-as-mothers.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/274897/one-step-ahead-uk-business-law-changes-for-2009.htm So, business managers up and down the country are preparing to bid farewell to 2008 and usher in a whole new year Over the last 12 months, we've seen changes to flexible working, dispute resolution and even how companies that cause a person's death are dealt with Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:56:30 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/274897/one-step-ahead-uk-business-law-changes-for-2009.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/260051/5-essential-employment-documents-your-business-needs.htm There are plenty of kinds of business documents that a company needs to conform with the law and help it to run more smoothly, and employment is one of the most important areas where you should make sure that your paperwork is up to scratch As any HR manager will tell you, dealing with the myriad demands and concerns of your employees can be like navigating a legal minefield... Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:14:40 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/260051/5-essential-employment-documents-your-business-needs.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/238911/trimming-the-workforce-a-guide-to-uk-redundancy-procedure.htm No manager wants to face the possibility that they may need to make some of their staff redundant Yet with the credit crunch, it would be irresponsible for managers struggling with costs not to think about the possibility Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:07:10 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/238911/trimming-the-workforce-a-guide-to-uk-redundancy-procedure.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/226047/top-tips-to-get-your-business-through-the-credit-crunch.htm With the UK economy and housing market teetering and consumer confidence plunging, many UK businesses are facing tough times ahead Business owners will have to ride out the coming storm, and ensuring that their companies have no legal or operational vulnerabilities will be a crucial part of this Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:28:19 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/226047/top-tips-to-get-your-business-through-the-credit-crunch.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/225944/common-mistakes-when-buying-a-business.htm There's no denying it - buying a business creates a real buzz of excitement The key is to make sure this keenness doesn't cloud your judgement and leave you with a business you don't want, or don't know the full history of Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:27:37 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/225944/common-mistakes-when-buying-a-business.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/225666/the-5-biggest-mistakes-employers-make-when-firing-staff.htm Every employer, at some point or another, will have to fire one of their employees It isn't easy, and it certainly isn't fun, but whether it is because of economic cutbacks or a poorly performing employee, sooner or later it is going to happen Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:20:43 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/225666/the-5-biggest-mistakes-employers-make-when-firing-staff.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/225149/update-your-business-documents-legal-changes-for-october-2008.htm Each year, October is usually the month when a wide variety of changes to employment, company and trading law are rolled out Many of these of are small changes, and many more will not be applicable to your particular business, but be careful - getting caught out by the changes could lead to a serious legal headache Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:34:45 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/225149/update-your-business-documents-legal-changes-for-october-2008.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/213019/basic-uk-employees-rights.htm Contracts of employment come in all shapes and sizes, but if you're in full time employment and not a freelancer there are certain guarantees you should be entitled to If your contract doesn't contain these things, your employer is breaking the lawy - and if you're the employer, well - you could be leaving yourself open to costly legal battles should your employees feel... Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:41:15 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/213019/basic-uk-employees-rights.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/210620/time-to-settle-up-how-to-get-the-best-price-when-selling-your-business.htm So you've had enough of your start-up business, and want to sell it while the going's good and move on to better things (or simply retire on the profit you make) Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:35:34 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/210620/time-to-settle-up-how-to-get-the-best-price-when-selling-your-business.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/204535/sports-travel-insurance-are-you-covered.htm Sport and activity holidays are hugely popular nowadays, as people look to practice their skills in a new environment or even learn an entirely new sport as part of their holiday Many sports and activities, like skydiving and scuba diving, can be much cheaper to do abroad than in the UK Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:05:32 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/204535/sports-travel-insurance-are-you-covered.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/200966/happy-employees-more-productivity.htm It sounds like an obvious cliché to say it, but like many clichés there's truth in it: happy employees are more productive And yet it's amazing how often you hear of companies suffering from massive turnover, instability and a failure to live up to their full potential by ignoring this Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:48:40 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/200966/happy-employees-more-productivity.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/195722/a-guide-to-employment-contract-clauses.htm Employment contracts are some of the most important UK business documents you will ever sign in your working life, and yet they are written in a deliberately convoluted and confusing manner, which often makes it difficult to get the clear points of what you're signing up for Take your time, and read and re-read every contract, but pay special attention to the clauses, to... Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:54:11 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/195722/a-guide-to-employment-contract-clauses.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/192745/confidentiality-and-non-disclosure-agreements-protect-your-company.htm In today's business world, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements are becoming increasingly important for businesses looking to protect themselves from damaging leaks Most employee contracts will contain some kind of confidentiality agreement as standard, but these kinds of agreements are very important if you share information with another company for any reason, or... Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:47:34 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/192745/confidentiality-and-non-disclosure-agreements-protect-your-company.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/186336/an-equality-policy-does-your-business-need-one.htm What is an equality policy An equality policy is a business document that outlines a company's position on equality in the workplace Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:12:15 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/186336/an-equality-policy-does-your-business-need-one.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/183989/legal-documents-8-situations-when-your-business-needs-them.htm If you are the owner of a Small to Medium Enterprise, it's likely that the last thing you want to do is worry about the fine details of legal documents, contracts, business agreements, and similar pieces of paperwork You may want to get on with the running of your business, but if you don't have the correct legal documents in certain situations you pay a high price, whether... Thu, 14 Aug 2008 02:39:59 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/183989/legal-documents-8-situations-when-your-business-needs-them.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/183711/how-to-form-a-limited-company.htm If you've been self-employed for a while, you may wonder what the next step on the path to becoming the next Coca Cola or Nike is Although that stage is a long way off (and will remain so for most businesses), the next step to becoming a respectable household name is to form a limited company Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:12:17 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/183711/how-to-form-a-limited-company.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/176184/what-the-proposed-changes-to-the-uk-equality-law-mean-to-you.htm Last week, Harriet Harman announced new equality laws to tackle widespread discrimination Under these new plans, age discrimination would be removed from all aspects of society, and further changes would be made to prevent workplaces from discriminating against minorities Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:12:02 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/176184/what-the-proposed-changes-to-the-uk-equality-law-mean-to-you.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/147618/what-managers-need-the-fundamentals-of-employment-contracts.htm Getting that initial contract of employment template ready can be a real hassle, and it's tempting to get a professional to draft it up, but even at that stage, it's important to know what you're promising your employee, and to make sure that there are no loopholes that can be exploited by less scrupulous employees Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:28:36 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/147618/what-managers-need-the-fundamentals-of-employment-contracts.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/145601/flexible-working-what-it-means-for-your-business.htm Flexible working is becoming popular in the 21st century workplace, as an increasing number of people seek to combine an active family life with full-time employment Employers have become more aware of the benefits that flexible working can bring to their business: these can include greater staff retention and better morale along with increased efficiency and productivity Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:43:32 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/145601/flexible-working-what-it-means-for-your-business.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/143924/undertaking-a-fire-safety-risk-assessment.htm Nobody imagines their office will suffer from a fire... and to be honest, the level of preparation often reflects this Previously in the UK, fire certificates were handed out by the fire services, but as of 2006, businesses are required to carry out their own fire risk assessment Sat, 31 May 2008 14:11:28 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/143924/undertaking-a-fire-safety-risk-assessment.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/128744/how-to-deal-with-problem-staff-and-poor-performance.htm Poor staff performance and 'problem workers' are some of the trickiest things to be dealt with in the office It's difficult to balance morale and productivity in the optimum way for office success, and as a result I often hear of managers turning a blind eye to poor staff performance, fearing that drawing attention to it will cause problems in the atmosphere and work... Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:51:51 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/128744/how-to-deal-with-problem-staff-and-poor-performance.htm