Workplace injuries can cost your business a lot of money – from a loss of working days to personal workplace injury claims made from your employees. In 2016/17, there were 137 workers killed due to a work-related accident. In 2015/16, there were also over 0.6 million workers who suffered from a non-fatal work injury which led to over 4.5 million working days lost, according to self-reports from the Labour Force Survey. It is also worth noting that in 2016/17, there were 92 members of the public killed due to work-related activities.

In 2014/15, the cost of workplace related injuries was £4.8 billion – £2.8 billion was billed to the employers, which doesn’t include potential personal injury workplace claims.

The importance of health and safety in the workplace is clear, not only for reducing the annual bill. As an employer, your staff’s safety should be at the forefront of your mind. Here, experts in accident at work claims claims, True Solicitors, discuss what measures a business can put in place to ensure the safety of their employees, as well as the public, to prevent the risk of workplace fatal and non-fatal injuries that could cost your company money in the long-term.

 

Safety Equipment

The construction industry is the most common industry prone to workplace injuries, with 30 deaths in the industry in 2016/17 – closely followed by agriculture (27 deaths) and the manufacturing industry (19 deaths). These industries in particular often require certain safety equipment to abide by health and safety regulations – and wearing the equipment could separate your employees from a near death experience and a non-fatal injury.

In the construction industry, a hard helmet is required on any work site to protect your head from any falling debris and bumps, impacts, scrapes and electrical exposure. If your staff fail to wear the required hard hat, any of those injuries could be a direct cause of not wearing the correct safety equipment. Protective glasses should also be worn by employees that are exposed to debris, dust and bright lights that could damage the employee’s sight.

Other protective clothing that can be compulsory within working environments like construction and manufacturing include steel toe cap boots, hi-vis clothing, safety gloves and noise cancelling headphones. Implementing a work policy that says your staff are required to wear safety clothing and equipment is the first step to preventing workplace injuries that could lead to fatal deaths or long-term work absences, which cost your company money.

 

Training

Some industries require special training to ensure all employees are fully qualified for the working environment. Every employee should be briefed on the safest fire exits around the premises, as well as what the procedure is in case of an emergency. In fact, many premises are permitted to carry out practice fire drills to ensure all members of staff are aware of the routine.

However, it is not just fire safety procedures that staff need to be trained for. In the manufacturing industry, which is the third most dangerous environment for fatal injuries in the workplace, some job roles require particular training and qualifications to use machinery. Where hazardous or dangerous machinery is involved, staff must be trained on how to use it – and must use the correct safety equipment and clothing at all times. 152,000 of the 621,000 non-fatal injuries in 2015/16 led to over 7 days of work absence – providing your staff with the appropriate training could save you a big cost seen through a loss of working hours due to workplace injuries.

In some instances, employers must ensure that their employees have the correct certification to be able to safely carry out procedures. For example, in the construction industry, any employee who will be navigating a crane will require a Construction Plant Competency Scheme (CPCS) licence.

 

Safety Regulations

One of the main causes of non-fatal injuries is slipping and tripping – 19% of the 621,000 workplace injury victims in 2015/16. The main causes of slips, trips and falls in the workplace are uneven floor surfaces, unsuitable floor coverings, wet floors, changes in levels, trailing cables and poor lighting – all of which can be prevented or marked out safely if the proper regulations are followed. Legally, businesses must follow The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which stipulates that employers must ensure that floor spaces are in good condition and free from obstructions.

The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 legally require businesses to provide and display the appropriate safety signs when there is a potential risk too – whether that is a wet floor sign, or signs indicating loose cables or exposed electric cables.

For most companies, there are specific legal safety regulations in place to follow – it is worth looking up the regulations for your sector to maintain the safety of your staff and to outsource cleaning services to maintain safety if necessary.

 

Sources

http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/hssh1516.pdf?pdf=hssh1516

 

 

 

 

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If your business provides your staff with a uniform, there are important things to know when it comes to uniform tax. You and your staff will be liable to pay taxes for a uniform if it doesn’t meet certain criteria. So whether you provide your team with a corporate uniform from a high-street retailer, carabiner clad safety gear, or a medical uniform from an online healthcare uniform specialist, this blog should help you and your employees avoid paying unnecessary tax.

 

Uniforms and branding

Your business uniform is only untaxable when it’s permanently branded. That is, branded with the logo of your business. According to HMRC, if a uniform is not branded it’s not actually a uniform. It’s instead classed as a fringe benefit, as it can be worn outside of work hours. This makes it taxable, meaning you or your staff are liable to pay tax for it. The only type of unbranded uniform that’s untaxable is clothing that’s provided for a specific role, like a medical tunic in a hospital. Or clothing that’s designed to ensure staff safety, like a hard hat or high-visibility jacket.

 

Ensuring your uniforms remain untaxable

To make sure the uniforms you provide remain untaxable, branding must be permanent. This includes branding via embroidery, screen printing or tabbing. Detachable branding doesn’t count, such as a name tag, as it’s not permanent, meaning that garment could be worn outside of work. Examples of permanent branding include your business logo embroidered onto the sleeve of a business shirt or blazer, or tabbing that’s sewn into the waistband of a skirt or a pair of trousers.

 

Tax rebates for uniform upkeep

When providing your staff with a branded uniform, it’s important to know that they can claim tax back for the upkeep. This means the money spent to wash the clothing and ensure it’s clean and presentable for them to do their job. Staff can’t claim for the upkeep of something like an unbranded suit jacket, even if it’s part of the dress code for their job. This is because the cost for its upkeep is not exclusively for their job, meaning the jacket could be worn outside of work and would need washing after those occasions too. However, staff can’t claim for upkeep if you offer the facilities for them to wash their uniform, such as a free laundry service. This even applies if they choose not to use those facilities.

The typical claim for the upkeep of a branded uniform is £60, but some professions offer more depending on the nature of the job, with a top limit of £185. Medical staff, for instance, can claim £125 a year. The UK government allows people to make claims for up to five years of consecutive uniform upkeep.

 

Helping your staff claim tax for upkeep

If your staff are entitled to claim tax rebates on the uniform you provide them, it’s best practice to provide them with the resources for them to do so. Making a claim is a straightforward process, which involves them completing a P87 form. This can be obtained on the UK government website. You should make your employees aware of this process and provide them with the correct information to make a claim successfully. Once the claim has been made, the employee’s tax code will be altered and their tax pay will be reduced. There should then be no need to make future claims in their current employment with you.

 

 

 

 

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When you first decide to form a business, the decisions can be overwhelming. One of these decisions involves whether you should do all of the work for registering your company yourself or hire a company formation agent. There are some things with regards to your business that you must do yourself. For instance, you will need to determine what your company’s name will be and what you will be doing with regards to trading. However, a company formation agent can help you with all other tasks associated with getting your business started. You simply have to determine if you want the assistance of a company formation agent or if you prefer a more do it yourself type of company formation.

If you are familiar with the process, you can submit your own company registration application to Companies House. There are certain steps that you must remember to take and you have to ensure that everything is included that is required. These are not difficult tasks to do but you have to be certain that you have an idea of what must be done in order to register your company properly. You have to have the right information on hand and you must submit the proper forms. Remember to have your company name, company address and at least one director and shareholder for the application.

There are other things that you will need which include your memorandum of association, articles of association, statement of capital and various other documentation. If you are unsure of what these documents are or how to draft them, you may want to consider using a company formation agent to assist you in this process. One of the main disadvantages of filing these documents for yourself is that you risk errors, particularly if you are unfamiliar with the process. Errors could get your application rejected, which would lengthen your time to get started.

Using a formation agent offers a number of benefits, not the least of which is experience. Company formation agents have done this many times so there is very little risk of error, which means that your application is virtually guaranteed to be accepted and you can begin trading quickly.  A company formation agent can also shorten the turnaround time for the application process, so you can receive your certificate of incorporation much faster, typically within just a few hours after filing.

Most companies can be incorporated on the same day that their applications are submitted, even if there are errors that need to be corrected. A formation agent can help you by submitting your application online as well as helping you to properly choose your company structure, assign the right offices and help you to draft important documents like your articles of association. Often, the fees for using a company formation agent work out to be about the same as filing with Companies House yourself, so if you feel that you are not ready to tackle this task on your own, it may be in your company’s best interest to hire a company formation agent for your registration.

 

 

 

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Life is a journey of personal development and the goals that we set help us to evolve, improve and shape our lives in the way we want.  You face uncertainties during the journey and might feel alone. To work your way through you require some guidance and assistance. Do not despair because personal development books are there to provide you with the necessary stimulus and knowledge that helps to overcome the hurdles and obstacles that you face. Reading nourishes your brain, lifts your spirits and trains you in skills that help to move ahead with ease to enjoy life by fulfilling the goals that you have set for becoming a complete person.

Books are all around you. Whether you need help in overcoming difficulties that you face in the life’s journey, seek guidance in self-improvement and success, want to search for inspiration or it is just for recreation and healing, there is a book available on the topic. The more you read more clarity you gain about life and its goals and more confident you become about refining yourself and moving towards the goals. Best of all, you can read anywhere at all, from your morning commute to an evening relaxing on a hammock under the stars.

Keep learning

We learn as long we live, and books are invaluable resources for learning.  Books are not for information only but educate you on any subject or topic that you need help to progress in life. Books are your best companion in the life’s journey because it covers almost every aspect of life that you have to face while progressing.  Books help to remove all doubts and concerns about the situations you face and shows the way forward that gives you confidence and the satisfaction of accomplishment. The habit of reading initiates an ongoing process of learning that is very important for progress.

Lift your spirits

Reading good books help to lift your spirits, as you feel enthused to pursue your dreams. Selecting the right books is important because not all books motivate you, but many do. If you develop the habit of reading, you will come across books that truly lift your spirits and set your mind on fire. You feel charged up to follow the path towards realizing the goals with much more conviction and self-belief as you refine your life to make it better.

Get motivated

Expand the sources that motivate by reading books on self- development that tell you stories of success. You come to know how people have overcome steep hurdles to reach their life goals. By reading what others have achieved you would realize that things that appear insurmountable in life are conquerable. This provides great motivation.

Sustain mental agility and sharpness

Ageing reduces our mental abilities and agility, as the thinking process tends to get sluggish. Since we have to strive to evolve and improve as long as we live, reading kept the brain fresh and stimulated that helps to stay agile and alert.

Reading with a purpose helps to select the right books that take you to new levels in achieving life goals.

 

 

 

 

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Employee satisfaction and retention is key for any business. Unhappy employees are unlikely to give their 100%, and a high staff turnover causes disruption and costs a company money as well as lowering overall morale. According to Glassdoor’s 2015 Employment Confidence Survey, about 60% of people report that benefits and perks are a major factor in considering whether to accept a job offer. For that reason, many employers put incentives in place to try and boost employee productivity and satisfaction.

Virgin, Netflix and LinkedIn reportedly offer an unlimited holiday policy to their staff. The policy states that staff can take as many days holiday as they want as long as the job/work is done – and this appears to be a common policy implicated across the USA as well. In fact, it is estimated that 9% of companies around the world offer the same, if not similar holiday policies. However, how good is this policy as an effective workplace incentive?

Incentives are put in place by employers to encourage staff productivity and boost satisfaction around the workplace. Unlimited holidays, upon the understanding that they can be taken as long as the work has been done, should hypothetically boost productivity. Employees could use the policy as a means for motivation to get the work finished. However, HR departments question how reliable this policy is, as it becomes clear that holiday allowances aren’t a top driving motivation for recruitment and retention – but according to US figures, 80% still said that the benefit would be considered in the decision-making process.

Badgemaster, retailers of name badges, take a look at which incentives and workplace benefits have been proven successful at boosting employee production, satisfaction and retention.

 

The big motivators

Incentives don’t necessarily have to cost your company an arm and a leg, but by investing money into boosting your employee’s satisfaction, and taking into consideration what they want to see will pay off. At the end of the day, your staff are central to your company’s success. Better health, dental and vision insurance benefits is top of the list for employee motivators (88%), with flexible hours and vacation time, and work from home options not far behind. Companies which offer free eye tests, dental check-ups etc are very appealing to many people. Taking away mundane but necessary costs for your employee is recognised as a good company benefit.

Paid maternity and paternity leave is another benefit that influences a job offer, with 42% of respondents in a Harvard Business Review survey, singling this out as a valued benefit when job seeking. Whilst planning for the future has now also become an increasing consideration for many employees who are now aware of the importance of pension contribution. Workplace pensions are now a compulsory benefit that must be provided by an employer to their employees – and now, employee benefits specialist Thomsons even found that employees rated a decent company pension above private medical insurance, extra holiday or childcare vouchers.

Other additional benefits that are considered as great perks for employees are gestures such as birthday days off, company/team building activities, social office events, bank holidays off, free snacks and coffee, and employee of the month incentives.

 

The money factor

Whilst it is undeniable that salary is a good recruitment motivator, it is not necessarily this incentive that guarantees employee retention. In a survey by Glassdoor in 2015, it also found that 80% of employees would choose additional benefits over a pay rise. For many employees, new opportunities, challenging work, good management, recognition and rewards make more of an impact on their satisfaction than salary alone does. When it boils down to it, communication is key to ensuring your internal workforce, and management team are satisfied in their roles.

Whilst many employers and employees are still under the impression that holiday allocation and salary are the main motivators to recruit and retain staff, it seems whilst they are good motivators to get new employees through the door, there are other benefits that are more likely to help boost employee retention.

Sources

https://hbr.org/2017/02/the-most-desirable-employee-benefits

https://hiring.monster.co.uk/hr/hr-best-practices/workforce-management/employee-retention-strategies/what-are-the-big-motivation-factors-for-employees.aspx

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/finance/pension-auto-enrolment/10744934/pensions-motivate-staff.html

 

If you are a manager of people, you may have seen ‘that look’ on your staff members’ faces during the morning or the afternoon: not passionate about arriving and looking for the moment to go home and leave it all behind.

The truth is that you can never know what is happening in the detailed lives of your staff, but you can remember that they are people and you can make their lives easier. You have the unique power to do this and so here are some easy ideas to take the leap of faith:

 

Flexible mornings

Maybe it’s a few too many drinks the night before…or it’s a fight with the other half..or it’s recovering from the flu. If you insist on every member of staff being at their desk at the same moment, it’s likely that there will be reasons why some employees will not be bringing their A-game. Vice versa, other people may wish to start early and spend some extra special hours with their children in the afternoons.

So how do you create the solution? All you need to do is offer flexible working. For example, if your staff currently work 9-5, simply offer them flexibility to start between 7-10 and finish between 3-6. Your workforce will produce the same number of hours, but with more efficiency that may even reduce costs on recruitment. And won’t you feel better when you start seeing happier, more prepared and committed faces in the mornings?

 

Childcare

Many leading companies such as Goldman Sachs and Google offer cutting edge on-site childcare to their staff, retaining top talent rather than losing them to entrepreneurship (mothers with small children create £7 billion to the UK economy per year through small businesses). Parents can go through many stresses with their children, including days when their children are sick and emergency childcare is required. Rather than lose your staff to absenteeism or a new career, maybe it’s time to consider using an employer childcare provider.

 

Courses

If your staff really believe in your management, then it’s likely that they don’t really want to go to interviews with other companies during their lunch breaks. If you’ve solved flexible working and childcare, another strong reason for a lack of full commitment could be that your staff members feel that their careers are stagnating.

It may not be possible to offer promotions, but you could certainly be helping their personal development by partnering with flexible online course or online language providers. Show your staff that you are committed to their development and provide new experiences to their lives, because new routines open up new connections and feelings of happiness. You will be thanked with a smile and maybe even some extra hours of work.

 

Put your staff first and you will see the goodness in people; your staff will appreciate your help and return the loyalty with interest. Have a good day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Give an excellent presentation and you’ll win not just respect but also new or additional business. Under-perform, and your reputation and business may experience a wobble.

If you’ve got years of experience, seizing the opportunity to speak to an audience can bring huge benefits both for you personally and for your business.

The question to answer is:  are you recognised as an expert in your field right now? Do you have the reputation that will draw investors and clients to you? Until you can demonstrate your expertise in a compelling manner, you’ll miss out on the best rewards. You won’t command the highest fees, negotiate the best deals, or win business awards!

Fortunately, while gaining a deep understanding of your industry takes years, you can create a fantastic presentation and acquire the skills to present it well in weeks.

 

Get your presentation content ready

After plenty of hard graft, your industry knowledge is both deep, and wide. Start by choosing your topic. With a broad knowledge of your industry, it may be difficult to pick just one. Find something that will truly interest your target audience. For maximum appeal, identify a narrow slice of your area of expertise. By going deep and avoiding generalities, you’ll be forced to be specific and showcase what you know and your audience don’t (until they hear you!)

With your niche in mind it’s time to decide what it is you want to communicate. In The 7 habits of highly effective people Dr Stephen Covey advises, “start with the end in mind”. What do you want your audience to know (or do) when you are finished? Identify three main points.

Sketch these out on a piece of paper, creating a mind map. Now note down three or more interesting or important aspects of each of your three main points. Is there a story you can tell to illustrate your point? People love stories. They bring examples to life.

If you are using figures or statistics to support your business proposition, see if you can bring these numbers to life as well. Think about translating them into analogies your audience can relate to. This will help reduce barriers to understanding, and improve how your material is received.

Depending how much time you have can add additional, appropriate examples, particularly ones that will resonate with say a customer or investor audience.

To give you the best chance of maintaining your audience’s attention for the duration of your presentation, be succinct. Don’t go into more detail than you need to to make a point or illustrate an example. Your audience will thank you!

Write down your presentation. Structure it into the three main points you wish to make. Add a beginning, and a conclusion. One hint: it’s helpful to signal your closing. By saying, “And in conclusion. . .” you give your audience a clue that you are nearly finished, and they’ll reward you with renewed attention.

And if you really want to “wow” your audience, don’t use slides at all. By being the speaker who simply spoke to her audience, without any audio-visual backup, you may paradoxically make the biggest impression.  If you have a product demonstration to give – so much the better.

 

Getting your delivery ready

To really stand out, you’ll need more than just your great presentation: you’ll have to deliver it with energy and style.

The most important part of being comfortable on stage, is to be prepared. You are an expert in your business but you still need to rehearse the delivery of your presentation.

Start by simply saying it out loud. Notice if some sections are too wordy. One of the most common mistakes nervous speakers make is to use overly long sentences. These can create mechanical problems that may make you think you are anxious. Did you know that speaking sentences that are too long can leave you breathless – literally? Shorten them and you’ll eliminate the risk of needless strain, and maintain your professional poise.

Even though you’ll be the only one speaking, aim for a style that is conversational. Imagine you are speaking to friends or colleagues. How would you speak to them? This will help you adopt an informal approach. So keep your sentences reasonably short, and avoid jargon (unless everyone in the audience is an industry insider).

Knowing your audience is helpful. It enables you to use language they will understand, and perhaps even make a joke or two.

If I’m doing an important presentation, I like to record it and listen to it a number of times. I will play it back while I am driving, and speak along to the recording. As I get better at reciting it, I will make a fresh recording. This help me use more accurate inflection, and I will have a better handle on where to put the emphasis in each sentence.

If you are serious about doing a great presentation, consider joining a Toastmasters club. Members give prepared speeches at each meeting, and most clubs have a number of experienced speakers, many of whom run businesses.  From them you’ll get helpful, constructive feedback before you deliver your presentation “for real”.  For example, there are clubs across the UK and Ireland, and most cities and towns have one.

 

When the day arrives

When it comes time to deliver your presentation, remember why you are there in the first place. You want to establish your authority, and enhance your business by sharing your expertise. You’ll want to dress like an expert, too. While many speakers have mastered the “casual look” on stage, there is a certain confidence that comes from knowing you look professional.

I highly recommend videoing your speech for later review (or at least capturing the audio). You’ll be able to objectively assess your presentation on screen in a way you’re simply not able to in the moment. Appreciate what you did well, and note areas you’d like to improve.  Think of this as an important business investment. It is well worth the time it takes.

Building your business means showcasing your expertise and becoming the go-to person. Hone your skills and make your presentations both a useful and engaging event for all your future audiences.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Bruce is from Toastmasters International a non-profit educational organisation that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of meeting locations. Headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, the organisation’s membership exceeds 345,000 in more than 15,900 clubs in 142 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people of all backgrounds become more confident in front of an audience. There are more than 300 clubs in the UK and Ireland with over 7,500 members. To find your local club: www.toastmasters.org  Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.

 

 

 

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