Specialist HR coach Sue Catlow says that new businesses in Pennine Lancashire should not be afraid to grow and take on staff but it is crucial that they get it right from the start in terms of their staff.
Sue is one of the indemnified professionals who is delivering HR seminars as part of Pennine LEAP programme, a free high growth business start-up support programme.
Run by Regenerate Pennine Lancashire and financially supported by European Regional Development Fund, it covers all aspects of growing your business and is open to people living in Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle, Hyndburn and Rossendale.
As well as the HR coaching, new start businesses also have access to a four day start-up Bootcamp, social enterprise coaching, international trade expertise and an experienced business mentor for up to two years.
One of the key support strands of Pennine LEAP is the HR coaching seminars delivered in partnership with Blackburn based Community Business Partners. They give new businesses the basic knowledge in terms of what they need to have in place but also provide them with best practice templates to help them develop the material for their new businesses.
Sue from 15Dd said: “Employment legislation is so complicated now and businesses need to get it right from the start, whether they are employing one person or 100 people. Ensuring that they have basic contracts of employment and statements of terms and conditions for employees when they start with the organisation is an absolutely vital minimum.”
Sue added that Pennine LEAP was specifically about growing new businesses so effective recruitment was crucial.
She added: “Organisations need to be equipped with effective modern recruitment techniques that will support them in recruiting the right person with the knowledge, skills and competence to provide maximum benefit for their business.
“Once a business starts to grow and recruit new employees, it also needs to ensure it has the right policies, processes and procedures in place to manage the people aspects of that business fairly, ethically and legally. This includes such aspects as adherence to Employment, Health, Safety and Environment, Data Protection legislation etc.
“As it grows, it needs to develop its employees in the best way possible so there is mutual benefit for the company and the individual. It needs to have the right development and performance management processes in place to get the best out of those people, which is an extra element that the seminars bring.
“The follow-up one-to-one coaching support is vital as that helps delegates embed the learning from the seminars from a personal point of view and supports driving the individuals to implement their personal tailored action plans that are unique to the growth of their own business.”
To find out more, come along to free business event at Blackburn Enterprise Centre on Wednesday, September 19 between 11am and 3pm. To book, call Community Business Partners on 01254 505050 or email jo@cbpartners.org
For further information about Pennine LEAP click here or call Regenerate Direct on 0800 612 2029.
