Buzzing About HR

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we are talking about flu-jab season and how something meant to help your team can quietly damage trust if it is handled badly.

Because on the surface, it sounds simple. Offer flu jabs, reduce absence, everyone wins.

In reality, this is where small businesses can accidentally create pressure, confusion, and a bit of an “us and them” culture if they are not careful.

So this episode is about doing it properly.

We start with the reality of winter absence and why it hits rotas, cover, and stress levels so hard in small teams. Then we look at how a voluntary, voucher-based approach can reduce absence without turning into something that feels forced or monitored.

I break down the legal and data side in plain English, including how to keep things privacy-first, what you do and do not need to record, and why less data is usually the safer option. We also talk about setting clear deletion points so you are not holding onto health information longer than you should.

From there, we get into the bit that really matters. How you communicate it.

Making sure your approach is inclusive for people with allergies, pregnancy considerations, or faith-based reasons. Training managers so this does not turn into subtle pressure, rota penalties, or awkward “have you had yours yet?” conversations that land badly.

We also cover the common mistakes that trip businesses up. Asking for proof. Linking it to shifts. Creating quiet pressure. And how to fix each one with a simple, fair approach.

Finally, I answer the questions I get all the time. Can you make it mandatory? Should you ask for proof? Can you link it to attendance? How do you measure if it is working?

If you want to support your team, reduce absence, and avoid turning a good idea into a trust issue, this episode will help you get it right.

Subscribe, share it with another business owner who is about to roll this out, and leave a review if it helped you rethink your approach.

If you would like to offer flu-jab vouchers at a discounted rate, you can find more details here.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.

If the word inclusion makes you want to roll your eyes a bit, I get it.

For a lot of small businesses, it sounds like code for awkward workshops, forced icebreakers, and someone telling you to “bring your whole self to work” while everyone silently dies inside.

That is not what this episode is about.

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, I am talking about what inclusion actually looks like in a small business. Not posters. Not slogans. Just people feeling safe, respected, and able to speak without being laughed at, talked over, or made to feel like they are on the outside of the room.

Because this is what I see all the time. A brilliant new hire joins full of ideas. They start strong. Then the interruptions begin. The banter gets a bit pointed. Meetings feel cliquey. No one means to be awful, but no one really notices either. They get quieter. Stop offering ideas. Then they leave. And everyone says, “Ah well, they just did not fit.”

Sometimes they did fit. The culture did not.

We talk about what to do about that without turning into a corporate parody. How to take vague values like “be kind” and turn them into actual behaviour standards people can follow. How to run meetings so quieter people get heard and remote staff do not feel like spare parts. How to deal with banter before it tips into someone being the joke.

And yes, we talk about fairness too, because inclusion is not just about language. It is about how decisions get made. Who gets flexibility. Who gets opportunities. Who gets listened to. If that feels inconsistent, resentment builds fast.

I also share a really simple one-to-one question that can tell you more than most staff surveys ever will:

“Is there anything here that makes you feel like an outsider?”

It is a small question, but it opens the door to the stuff people do not usually say out loud.

If you want practical inclusion without the corporate cringe, this one is for you.

Subscribe, share it with a manager who needs to hear it, and leave a review so more small business owners can find HR support that actually sounds like a human wrote it.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.

“Be reasonable” sounds lovely, doesn’t it?

Until you are the one who has to make the call.

Because in real life, “be reasonable” often translates to “just say yes and feel bad if you don’t.”

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, I unpack what reasonableness actually means at work, and more importantly, what it looks like in a small business where you do not have endless cover, five managers, or a full HR team sitting in the background.

We strip it right back. Reasonableness is not about being soft, avoiding conflict, or saying yes to everything. It is about making decisions that fit your business, thinking them through properly, and being able to explain them calmly afterwards without sounding defensive or vague.

I share a simple six-question check you can use when something lands on your desk, plus one of my favourite tests. If you cannot explain your decision clearly in one calm paragraph, there is a good chance you are winging it.

Then we get into the real-life stuff.

Flexible working requests, and how to say no without sounding like the villain.

Performance issues, and why early conversations with clear standards are so much better than suddenly launching into formality when everyone is already fed up.

Investigations too, because a lot of small businesses still slide into what I call corridor justice. Half a conversation, someone’s version of events, and a decision made before anyone has properly looked at the facts.

We also talk about the thing that causes more trouble than people realise. Inconsistency. When two similar situations get two different responses and nobody can really explain why. That is where resentment starts, and where grievances are born.

The thread running through all of this is simple.

• Think clearly.
• Respond calmly.
• Keep a few notes.
• Be consistent.

That is what protects you.

If you are tired of hearing “just be reasonable” with absolutely no clue what that means in practice, this episode will help.

Have a listen, send it to the manager who needs it, and let me know what people call is doing your head in right now.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.

If you’ve ever said “we’ll fix payroll next month”… this one’s for you.

Because payroll isn’t admin. Payroll is trust.

And once that trust wobbles, people don’t shout about it. They quietly update their CV.

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, Kate breaks down the payroll mistakes that make good people leave and how to fix them quickly, properly, and without drama.

We start with the reality. Most payroll issues in small businesses aren’t deliberate. They’re process problems. Late inputs, missing overtime, confusing holiday pay, or everyone assuming someone else has checked.

But when pay is wrong, the impact is bigger than the amount. It creates doubt.

• Do they value me?
• Is this going to keep happening?
• Can I rely on this business?

From there, we walk through the most common payroll mistakes that damage trust:

• Late payroll runs that create stress and panic
• Missing overtime or commission because it lives in messages or memory
• Holiday pay confusion that no one explains properly
• Deductions that feel unclear or unfair
• And the classic “we’ll correct it next month” that quietly breaks confidence

Then we get practical.

You’ll get a simple payroll system you can actually use. A clear timetable with deadlines. One source of truth for variable pay. A 10-minute pre-check that catches errors before they land. And a fast, human response process for when mistakes do happen.

Because mistakes will happen. What matters is how quickly and clearly you fix them.

We also cover manager accountability, why payroll always needs an owner, and how small tweaks like cut-off rules and one place for queries can reduce errors overnight.

The thread running through all of this is simple.

• Clear process.
• Consistent checks.
• Fast fixes.

That’s what keeps payroll boring. And boring payroll is exactly what your team needs.

If payroll has started to feel like a monthly headache, or you’ve had a few near misses recently, this episode will help you steady it.

Press play and take back control before your best people start quietly looking elsewhere.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we are looking at one of those moments that catches businesses out all the time. It is Friday afternoon, tempers are up, someone says something they absolutely should not, and the instinct is to sack them on the spot and be done with it.

The problem is that it is often where the real trouble starts.

Because when a workplace conduct issue ends up at a tribunal, the big question is not usually just, “Was the language inappropriate?” It is, “Did the employer follow a fair and reasonable process?”

And if the answer is no, things can get expensive very quickly.

This episode breaks down how to handle swearing, outbursts, and workplace conduct issues properly under UK employment law. We talk about the Employment Rights Act 1996, the ACAS Code, and why process matters just as much as the behaviour itself.

I walk you through a simple disciplinary approach that works whether you are a small business owner doing this yourself or the HR person trying to stop a manager from making a bad situation worse. We cover what to investigate, when suspension is actually appropriate, how to think about context, and why proportionality matters.

We also get into the myths people cling to when things get heated. No, WhatsApp messages are not automatically private. No, under two years’ service does not mean “no rights”. And yes, a genuine apology can matter, but it does not replace a proper process.

This is really about being the grown-up in the room. Pausing. Gathering facts. Following a fair process. And choosing an outcome that makes sense, rather than reacting emotionally and hoping for the best.

If you want to protect your business, keep standards high, and avoid turning one bad Friday into a very expensive lesson, this episode is for you.

Subscribe, share it with a manager who needs to hear it, and leave a review so more small businesses can find practical HR support before things get messy.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we are talking about dogs in the workplace. Because yes, office dogs can be brilliant. They can lift morale, get people moving, spark conversations, and make a workplace feel warmer and more human.

But they can also cause absolute chaos if no one thinks it through.

This episode is about getting the balance right.

We look at the real upsides first. Dogs can genuinely help with employee wellbeing, encourage proper screen breaks, and act as natural ice-breakers in teams that do not always talk much. For some businesses, a pet-friendly office can even help with recruitment and retention, especially when culture really matters.

Then we get into the reality.

Not everyone loves dogs. Some people are allergic. Some are frightened. Some just do not want to spend the day stepping over a Labrador under a desk while trying to answer emails. And those concerns are not “being difficult”. They can link to health, safety, and even equality issues if handled badly.

So I talk through what small businesses actually need to think about before they jump on the office dog bandwagon. Lease agreements. Insurance. Hygiene. Trip hazards. Welfare. Space. Boundaries. And whether your workplace is genuinely suitable, not just cute in theory.

I also share a really simple framework to help you think it through properly, plus why a pilot scheme is usually the sanest place to start. One calm dog. One day a week. A short trial. See what happens before you accidentally create a four-legged free-for-all.

And yes, we cover how to make decisions fairly. What should make you stop? What might be fixable? And how to avoid creating a culture where one person’s lovely perk becomes everyone else’s quiet resentment.

If you are thinking about allowing dogs at work, or you already have and suspect it might need a bit more structure, this episode is for you.

Subscribe, share it with a fellow manager, and leave a review if it helped. And if you have a sticky pet policy question, send it in. Anonymous is absolutely fine.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we are looking at a real tribunal case that should make every small business pause for a second.

A long-serving shift manager, clean record, no history of issues, dismissed for gross misconduct after giving a 50% staff discount on takeaway food instead of the policy-compliant 20%.

On paper, it looks straightforward. Policy breached. Evidence confirmed. Decision made.

But the tribunal said otherwise.

Because this was not really about the discount. It was about proportionality. And more importantly, the appeal stage that should have caught it and didn’t.

In this episode, I break down exactly where it went wrong. The line between negligence and dishonesty is getting blurred. Documentation that did not quite stack up. Inconsistent application of rules. And a policy that clearly was not as understood as the business thought it was.

Most importantly, we look at the appeal process. Because that is your safety net. The moment where you step back, sense check the facts, and ask one simple question. Is this decision fair?

In this case, that did not happen. And that is what turned a manageable situation into an unfair dismissal finding.

I then walk you through a simple small business playbook to stop this from happening in your world. How to make policies actually usable with real examples. How to follow a fair ACAS-aligned process without overcomplicating it. How to sense check proportionality before you land on an outcome. And how to keep evidence clean, clear, and consistent.

We also talk about when to bring in an independent appeal chair, especially when you do not have someone senior and uninvolved who can genuinely review things with fresh eyes.

Because this is the bit people miss.

The appeal is not a rubber stamp. It is your second chance to get it right.

If you want your processes to be fair, defensible, and not end up costing you far more than a discounted meal, this episode is for you.

Subscribe, share it with a manager who needs a reminder that fairness matters, and leave a review telling me the one policy in your business that probably needs tightening.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, I am tackling the Employment Rights Bill without the drama, because if it has landed in your inbox and made you want to shut the laptop for a bit, I get it.

The good news is this. It is not all crashing down tomorrow.

The changes are rolling out in stages between 2025 and 2027, which means you have time to get organised if you stop treating it like one giant scary blob and start looking at it in chunks.

So that is exactly what we do in this episode.

I walk you through what is changing and when, in plain English. We start with the early changes expected around Royal Assent, then move into the April 2026 updates like day-one rights to paternity leave, Statutory Sick Pay from day one, and the new Fair Work Agency. We also look ahead to the next stage of changes around harassment prevention, fire and rehire, unfair dismissal, and flexible working.

But this episode is not just a timeline.

It is also about how to prepare without turning your life into one long HR admin session.

I talk through a phased readiness approach that actually works for small businesses. Review what you already have. Pick one area to tighten at a time. Use quieter periods to tackle something manageable, like sickness, flexible working, or harassment prevention. And create a simple tracker so you can see what needs doing and when, instead of leaving it all until autumn and regretting your life choices.

We also deal with a few of the myths that are already doing the rounds. No, you do not need to rewrite every policy this week. No, you do not need a huge system to stay on top of it. And yes, a spreadsheet is still a perfectly respectable plan if you actually use it.

If the Employment Rights Bill feels big, this episode is here to make it feel doable.

Subscribe, share it with another business owner who needs a calmer way to tackle it, and leave a review so more small businesses can find practical HR support without the panic.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.

If your phone is pinging nonstop with shift swaps, late changes, and “can someone cover me”, your rota is not a rota. It is a group chat with admin powers. And it will swallow your day.

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we talk about why letting WhatsApp run formal decisions leads to confusion, inconsistency, and the classic “he said, she said” mess. Then we show you how a few clear rules can calm rota chaos fast.

We start with the real cost of a messy rota. It is not just annoying. It hits morale, service, and safety. It creates fairness disputes that feel personal. It breeds resentment when the same people always cover. And it damages trust because nobody knows what is actually agreed.

Then we lay out a simple framework that works for small businesses in hospitality, care, retail, and manufacturing.

Step one is one source of truth. One rota. One place. One rule that changes everything: if it is not on the rota, it is not agreed.

We add a sensible cut-off so the target stops moving. Issue rotas two weeks ahead where possible. Ask for changes at least 72 hours before a shift. Define what counts as an emergency. That alone removes so much stress.

From there, we share a swap process that actually holds. Staff can find cover. Managers approve. It only counts when the official rota is updated. No quiet side deals. No “I thought you said it was fine” moments.

We also tackle holiday chaos with a visible tracker and a clear approval rule to prevent last-minute gaps and “I thought I booked it” surprises.

WhatsApp still has a place for quick updates and reminders. But decisions that affect pay, hours, and fairness must be confirmed properly.

Finally, we talk about rolling this out without becoming the bad guy: calm language, clear reasons, and consistent follow-through. Changes by the deadline. Both parties confirm. If it is not on the rota, it is not agreed.

When the rota is calm, everything else gets calmer too. Managers stop firefighting. Teams know where they stand. Service improves.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.

Hiring can feel like a leap of faith—until the first wobble makes you wonder if you misjudged the fit. We break down how to tell a normal new starter dip from a genuine red flag, and share a calm, practical path that keeps standards high without losing heart. If you’ve ever debated whether to coach longer or call it early, this guide gives you the words, the structure, and the timing to decide with confidence.

We start by making “what good looks like” tangible. No fluff, just clear tasks, examples of quality, and milestones for week two, week four, and week eight. From there, we use a simple diagnostic—skill, will, or fit—to pinpoint the real issue. Skill gaps respond to training, shadowing, and templates. Will issues show up as repeated problems after feedback. Fit misfires appear when the person can do the job, but the pace or culture is wrong. Naming the problem guides the remedy and saves everyone from endless, vague coaching.

You’ll hear the exact language to use in early check-ins, how to give specific feedback that is kind because it’s actionable, and how to write a short, focused improvement plan: three priorities, clear support, firm review dates. We talk about providing real help—time, tools, examples—then watching the trend line instead of reacting to one off days. Improvement means keep coaching; a flat line after support signals it’s time to act. When ending probation is the right step, we show how to do it properly and respectfully: be clear, reference expectations, confirm notice, and protect dignity. It’s not cold; it’s fair. And it protects your team’s morale, energy, and standards.

This conversation is built for founders, HR leaders, and managers in small teams where every seat matters. If you need practical HR advice, onboarding best practices, and performance management you can actually use tomorrow, you’ll find it here. Listen, take the checklist, and then tell us: what’s your clearest sign that a wobble has become a warning? If this helped, subscribe, share with a manager who needs it, and leave a quick review so more teams find the support they need.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.