In this episode of Buzzing About HR, host Kate Underwood explores one of the most important topics for any workplace: mental health.

For small and medium-sized businesses, the impact of poor mental health can be huge. But with the right approach, supporting your team’s wellbeing isn’t just good ethics, it’s good business.

Kate shares practical ways to create a mentally healthy workplace, the role of leaders in setting the tone, and why investing in mental health support can pay off in performance, loyalty and culture.

Here’s what’s covered in this episode:

• The current state of mental health in UK workplaces

• Why SMEs often feel the strain most

• Kate’s own experience of mental health and seeking support

• How proactive strategies make all the difference

• Using the Mind.org.uk Workplace Action Plans effectively

• The value of occupational health services

• The real economic benefits of investing in mental health

• Common questions and practical solutions from the field

• A call to action for business owners and HR professionals to make mental health a priority

☕ And if you’re ready to see how your business measures up, start with a FREE HR Health Check.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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, host Kate Underwood tackles one of the hardest parts of running a business: redundancies.

Whether it’s financial pressure, restructuring, or simply the need to evolve, making roles redundant is never just a legal process — it’s a human one. Kate unpacks how to do it properly: with fairness, empathy, and a clear plan that keeps both the business and its people steady through change.

You’ll learn how to:

• Plan a compliant redundancy process from start to finish
• Communicate difficult news with honesty and care
• Support those staying behind to avoid “survivor syndrome”
• Keep morale, trust, and engagement from falling off a cliff

If you’re a business owner or HR lead facing tough choices, or just want to be better prepared for the future, this episode will help you approach redundancies with confidence and compassion, and keep your culture intact along the way.

Ready to check how resilient your people processes are? Complete a FREE HR Health Check and see where your business stands.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Richard Oring, from New Century Financial Group in Princeton, New Jersey, discusses...

Listen on: Apple Podcasts  

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.

Buzzing About HR
Straight talking HR for real businesses.

Welcome to the hive.

This is the podcast for business owners and managers who sometimes think, “Why does managing people feel harder than running the actual business?”

If you have ever opened your inbox to a resignation you did not expect, avoided a tricky conversation for weeks, or found yourself googling employment law late at night hoping for a straight answer, you are in exactly the right place.

I am Kate Underwood. I work with small businesses every day, often when things feel messy, uncomfortable or slightly on fire. Buzzing About HR is where we talk honestly about what really happens at work, not what the textbook says should happen.

Each episode digs into the real people stuff. The awkward conversations. The grey areas. The decisions you have to make without a perfect answer. There is no fluffy nonsense here and no corporate waffle. Just practical advice you can actually use, shared with warmth, humour and a good dose of realism.

We talk about things like:
How to handle difficult conversations without losing sleep
How to make compliance feel like protection, not punishment
How to build a culture people want to stay in
How to stay sane while running a business that never really switches off

You will hear real stories from the frontline, lessons learned the hard way and simple frameworks to help you make better people decisions with confidence.

The podcast is powered by cake, coffee and the quiet judgement of Hazel, our resident Wellbeing Officer, who firmly believes most HR problems could be solved with clearer boundaries and better snacks.

If you want to know where your business really stands, start with a free HR Health Check. It will show you what is working, what is wobbling and what to fix first. You will find it at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk.

You can also visit the website, email [email protected], or connect with me on social media for behind-the-scenes moments and the occasional photo of Hazel on tea break duty.

So grab a coffee, pull up a chair and let’s talk about the people side of business properly.

Thank you for listening to Buzzing About HR.

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, rate and leave a review. It really helps more small businesses find support that makes sense.

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

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.