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Employment and skills

Explore different ways to add skills and resource to your business and understand your obligations to workers.

Choosing the right employment arrangement

Once you have decided to employ someone, you need to decide the type of arrangement that suits your business. This decision influences your ongoing costs, your legal responsibilities and the availability of the people you hire.

Deciding if you're ready to hire

As your business grows, you may need extra help. Learn how to spot the signs that you are ready to hire, identify the tasks that you need help with and explore alternatives to taking on an employee.

Getting flexible help in your business

Flexible help allows you to manage the business's workload without committing to ongoing employment costs.

Recruiting people for your business

Recruiting as a small business does not have to be expensive. Figure out the best way to recruit for your business and explore advice and support services that can help you find the right person.

Setting up as an employer for the first time

To employ someone for the first time, you must follow certain steps, including registering as an employer, setting up payroll, organising a workplace pension, getting insurance and preparing an employment contract.

Understanding employer responsibilities and workers’ rights

UK employers have legal obligations covering pay, working hours, leave, contracts, health and safety, discrimination and dismissal. Failing to comply with these can result in HMRC penalties, employment tribunal claims and reputational damage.

Understanding the costs of employment

In addition to paying a person their salary, you must pay National Insurance and pension contributions and cover the costs of leave, insurance, equipment and training. This can add another 10-30% to the total cost of employment. Find out what help is available.

Understanding worker types and employment status

UK law recognises three types of employment status: employee, worker and self-employed. Each carries different rights and tax obligations. Someone’s employment status depends on the facts of the working relationship, not on what a contract says.

Backing you with recruitment support

Whether you have 1 vacancy or 100, our expert recruitment consultants are here to help you:

  • advertise your vacancies
  • sift applications and set up interviews
  • find the right people for your business
  • build your business's future workforce
Backing you with recruitment support

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