Exit Interview Questions-An exit interview is a carefully planned and structured conversation between a departing employee and key personnel at their employer, usually a line manager or HR manager. Exit interviews play a vital role in understanding why the employee is leaving and identifying areas in which the employer could improve. To get the most out of ... Read more
HR Support For Small Business-If you are searching for ‘HR support for small business’, the expert HR consultants at GAP HR are on hand to help. We offer specialist, affordable guidance that helps our clients navigate the complexities of employment law and HR practice and avoid making costly mistakes. Call us now on 01491 598 600 or Click Here ... Read more
Roles Of HR-Modern businesses recognise the importance of the roles of HR as strategic, commercial functions. Far from being merely a back-office department focused on payroll processing, filing paperwork, and handling the occasional disciplinary action, HR roles are wide, varied, and crucial to a business’s success. At GAP HR, our consultants specialise in all the roles of ... Read more
Pays to proofread-Chances are you’ve heard that it’s ‘tough out there’ for job seekers. It’s undoubtedly true, which makes it even more important for candidates to ensure that they’re doing the very best they possibly can. And in our attempt to hire an Executive Assistant, I’ve seen plenty of them not just failing to do their best, ... Read more
Disciplinaries: 9 classic employer blunders (and how not to make them)-Running a small organisation is tough enough — you’re juggling budgets, staff, customers, volunteers, and the occasional crisis about who drank the last bit of milk. The last thing you need is a disciplinary going pear-shaped because of a technicality. But that’s exactly what happens. Employers often think they’re handling things “about right”, only to ... Read more
My very expensive dog walk-Last week, I set off on a dog walk — fresh air, soggy shoes, and those delightful “free deluge showers” courtesy of Mother Nature. Halfway down a muddy path, my phone rang—unknown number. Normally, I’d ignore it, but because I get random calls all the time from people needing help with their staff, I answered. ... Read more
Sexy coffee pods, Lake Como and making the dull desirable-Now that the days are turning colder and darker, my morning coffee feels more essential than ever — and in our office, that means the Nespresso machine. We’ve got two coffee machines (and a kettle), but the Nespresso is our pride and joy. Sleek, stylish, and a little indulgent — it’s not just coffee, it’s ... Read more
The Staff Issue of the Year (and Employer Delusion) Award Goes To…-All of my clients know that if they come up with a staff issue we’ve never seen before, they get chocolates. It is with deepest regret (and some disbelief) that I have to announce: the 2025 award has already been won. A client, a manufacturing company, rang with what they thought was a simple query: ... Read more
Human Resource Outsourcing-At GAP HR, we understand how time-consuming and complex it can be for SMEs to navigate the intricacies of employment legislation and HR practice. That’s where human resource outsourcing comes in. We partner with small, owner-managed businesses across the UK, providing the advice, support, and guidance they need to effectively manage their workforce, comply with ... Read more
HR Advisory Services-At GAP HR, we specialise in providing HR advisory services to small businesses like yours around the UK. We have over 20 years of experience in the field, and we are the go-to specialists for those operating in the leisure, entertainment, and hospitality sectors, as well as many others. Call us now on 01491 598 ... Read more
Why Office Romances Still Need Rules-By now, you’ve probably heard about that unfortunate CEO who got caught on the big screen at a Coldplay concert getting very cosy with someone who wasn’t his spouse. Embarrassing? Absolutely. But honestly, that’s tame compared to some of the workplace antics we’ve seen in the wild. Here’s what we’ve seen in real life (no ... Read more
Judging a Book by Its Cover – Or a Member by Their Tattoos?-A golf club contacted me this week after admitting a new member with visible face tattoos. They had clearly seen the tattoos at the time of joining and had no issue—until another member complained. Not about the content of the tattoos, just the fact that they were on his face. The club wanted to know ... Read more
Human Resource Consulting Services-Running a small business comes with a set of unique challenges, one of which is staying up to date with your obligations under employment law. At GAP HR, we offer specialist human resource consulting services to small, owner-managed businesses throughout the UK. Our expert HR consultants will work closely with you to ensure you comply ... Read more
Human Resource Consulting-Human Resource consulting can play a crucial role in your business’s HR function. Specialist human consulting firms like GAP HR offer the strategic guidance, operational support, and crisis management you need to ensure your organisation complies with its legal obligations and manages its workforce effectively. Call us now on 01491 598 600 or Click Here ... Read more
How to erode goodwill (in just 45 minutes)-I may be betraying my age, but when it comes to clothes shopping, there’s one retailer that sits right at the top of the tree: Marks and Spencer. (Or at least it did…) I bought a load of clothes from a store recently and brought them home to try them on in comfort and privacy. ... Read more
Flexible Working Briefing – What You Can’t Say No To (Even If You Want To)-Here’s the key thing: under the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023, employees now have a day one right to request flexible working. And as employers, you’re legally required to give the request proper and reasonable consideration. That doesn’t mean you have to say yes – but it does mean you need a solid business ... Read more
Toilet Tribunal-We recently had to investigate a bullying claim, with a twist. The claim was brought by a number of greenkeepers against the Head Greenkeeper, and the thing that made it all come to a head? Turns out the Head Greenkeeper had taken the door off their one standalone toilet and insisted on holding team meetings ... Read more
“No protected characteristics – go ahead.” Famous last words…-We’ve found another “protected characteristic” that employers of all sizes need to be aware of. Last week, we were advising a golf club that wanted to dismiss an employee with under two years’ service. There were personality clashes. He was 39 years old, white, male – no obvious protected characteristics which could lead to a ... Read more
Sexual Harassment Policy-Developing and implementing an effective sexual harassment policy is a crucial step in complying with your legal obligation to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Our HR specialists, with our decades of experience in employment law and practice, can provide the advice and guidance you need to produce an effective sexual harassment policy tailored to ... Read more
