There are plenty of kinds of business documents that a company needs to conform with the law and help it to run more smoothly, and employment is one of the most important areas where you should make sure that your paperwork is up to scratch. As any HR manager will tell you, dealing with the myriad demands and concerns of your employees can be like navigating a legal minefield – high quality, reliable documents can be invaluable in helping you deal constructively with personnel. Many employers settle for just having good quality employment contracts, but there are many additional areas where employment documents can help your business…
Employment Contracts
Naturally, the most important employment document is the employment contract. These need to be comprehensive, covering all the significant areas (such as a detailed outline of the position, holiday allowance, notice period, prohibited behaviour and any applicable confidentiality agreements). You may need a wide variety of employment contracts – depending on the nature of your business.
Disciplinary Documents
In an increasingly litigious society, employers have to be very careful when they handle disciplinary and dismissal issues. Written warnings and dismissal documents need to be carefully phrased, and your disciplinary procedure needs to follow the letter of the law – if you don’t have the right business documents or your company deviates from legal procedure you could face an employment tribunal for wrongful dismissal.
Anti-Discrimination Policy
It is now recommended for all UK businesses to have a comprehensive anti-discrimination policy, outlining what constitutes unacceptable behaviour, the methods the company is using to combat discrimination, and the official procedure for employee complaints. This business document is typically included as part of the employee handbook, and needs to cover discrimination on age, religion, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity and disability.
Maternity and Paternity Policy
Your business needs to have an up to date policy on maternity and paternity leave, outlining the conditions concerning the length of leave (26 weeks Ordinary Maternity Leave or 52 weeks with Additional Maternity Leave), the renumeration that is offered (this must conform with the requirements of Statutory Maternity Pay), the rights of an employee to return to a job at an equal or higher level after maternity/paternity leave is concluded. This is potentially a very sensitive area – make sure your business is equipped to handle it.
Sickness and Absence Policy
UK businesses lose over £13 billion each year to staff sickness and absence, and many companies struggle with a culture of absenteeism that costs them heavily. A written policy concerning sickness and absence can be a crucial business document that helps to prevent this problem, outlining actions that will be taken if repeated sick days are taken. This solves a two fold problem, by providing a framework of support to people who are taking time off for genuine reasons and discouraging people from taking needless sick days.
Just remember, with all of these documents it is important to keep up to speed on the latest legal developments. Employment law is constantly evolving, and missing out on important updates can be disastrous
2009/01/02
Living With Fibromyalgia - Tired Of The Pain And Of Feeling Tired?
Fibromyalgia, what is it? It is not very surprising that you don't have any idea about fibromyalgia as it is a syndrome which causes many problems in the body. The word has been formed with two words taken from Greek and Latin which means pain in the muscle. Does that mean that muscular pain is known as fibromyalgia?
No, do not get confused if you have some minor muscular pain. If the pain diminishes within few days then there is nothing to worry but if the pain in the muscles, joints and ligaments persist for more than three months then there are the chances that you might be suffering from fibromyalgia.
Facts about Fibromyalgia
Is it true that only middle aged women suffer from fibromyalgia? No, it has been observed that even men and children suffer from this disease. What causes fibromyalgia? The causes are still not known Research is going on and many factors are being considered but one reason that all the doctors say is possible is the effect of a traumatic experience at some stage of life.
Does it mean that there is no cure for this disease and a person has to live a painful life till death? No, that is not true. It has been found that if the disease is treated at an early stage then the patients have fully recovered and were bale to lead a normal life. What about the people who have been diagnosed at a late stage?
How to live with fibromyalgia?
Yes, your concern is quite natural as this syndrome causes so many problems that leading a normal life becomes difficult. But that does not mean that you should lose hope surrender yourself to pain and suffering. Always remember there is no problem in life which does not have a solution. You can also lead a normal life in spite of suffering from this disease.
The only thing you have to do is bring a little change in your lifestyle. First of all change your eating habits. Eat more fruits and vegetables which will provide all the required nutrition to the body. Stop the intake of tea, coffee or alcohol.
Do not do heavy or strenuous work. As you may tend to develop minor loss of memory always keep a diary where you can note down the important things. Take the medicines provided by the doctor and follow all the restrictions sincerely.
Oh yes! The most important thing and that are do not forget to do some light exercises so that the flexibility of the body parts can be maintained and the paralyzing pain can be reduced.
Disclaimer: All content within this articles is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Always consult your own doctor if you’re in any way concerned about your health.
No, do not get confused if you have some minor muscular pain. If the pain diminishes within few days then there is nothing to worry but if the pain in the muscles, joints and ligaments persist for more than three months then there are the chances that you might be suffering from fibromyalgia.
Facts about Fibromyalgia
Is it true that only middle aged women suffer from fibromyalgia? No, it has been observed that even men and children suffer from this disease. What causes fibromyalgia? The causes are still not known Research is going on and many factors are being considered but one reason that all the doctors say is possible is the effect of a traumatic experience at some stage of life.
Does it mean that there is no cure for this disease and a person has to live a painful life till death? No, that is not true. It has been found that if the disease is treated at an early stage then the patients have fully recovered and were bale to lead a normal life. What about the people who have been diagnosed at a late stage?
How to live with fibromyalgia?
Yes, your concern is quite natural as this syndrome causes so many problems that leading a normal life becomes difficult. But that does not mean that you should lose hope surrender yourself to pain and suffering. Always remember there is no problem in life which does not have a solution. You can also lead a normal life in spite of suffering from this disease.
The only thing you have to do is bring a little change in your lifestyle. First of all change your eating habits. Eat more fruits and vegetables which will provide all the required nutrition to the body. Stop the intake of tea, coffee or alcohol.
Do not do heavy or strenuous work. As you may tend to develop minor loss of memory always keep a diary where you can note down the important things. Take the medicines provided by the doctor and follow all the restrictions sincerely.
Oh yes! The most important thing and that are do not forget to do some light exercises so that the flexibility of the body parts can be maintained and the paralyzing pain can be reduced.
Disclaimer: All content within this articles is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Always consult your own doctor if you’re in any way concerned about your health.
2009/01/01
Nine Ways to Know It’s Time to Expand Your Marketing
By now you’ve probably read one or more of the jillion articles being published on the subject of how and why you should market in a recession. But, let’s face it. Marketing in a recession is not right for all companies.
How do you know if it’s right for you?
Here are nine triggers that should make you think seriously about expanding your marketing efforts now.
You have some cash. If you’ve got the resources, it’s rarely ever a bad idea to increase marketing. In 25+ years of marketing, I’ve never run across a company that had perfected its marketing efforts to the point where nothing more was needed. In a bad economy, extra cash invested in marketing can pay off many, many times over.
You’re a risk taker. It goes without saying that trigger #1 is pretty much a requirement. But you also need to be comfortable operating outside of the norm. Most businesses will cut back on marketing during a recession. It’s a very common, knee-jerk reaction. You’ve got to be able to sleep at night while you’re moving against the crowd. Most successful entrepreneurs are pretty good at this.
Your competitors are hiding. As I mentioned above, the most common reaction to a recession includes whacking the marketing spend. When your competitors do this, they create a great opportunity for you to jump in and fill the void. If you’re clever, it might not even cost you any extra money.
Your marketing has succeeded and you have market share to protect. This is the reverse of trigger #3. If you pass the test in trigger #1, don’t become one of those companies in hiding. Some smart competitor will pull a #3 on you.
You need to sell to people who don’t know you personally. Trust and integrity are very big in a recession – especially this one where so many problems have been caused by people who were supposed to know what they were doing. Marketing – especially in the form of client testimonials, case studies, education, word of mouth and thought leadership programs – can help you gain your prospects’ trust.
Your sales people are cold calling instead of chasing warm leads. This is a classic sign that you need marketing to find and develop leads for your sales team. Cold calling is a struggle in the best of times, and your most talented closers are never the most successful at it.
Your customers love you. You must be doing something right. Now’s a great time to get the word out to other people.
You believe in marketing. A recession is probably not the best time to test a shaky belief in marketing. Marketing is a process and people are taking longer to make buying decisions now. You’ll most likely get too nervous and quit too soon. Then you’ll have a difficult time ever learning to benefit from marketing. If you question the value of marketing, maybe you should wait.
You like to win. If stealing market share from your competitors, growing your business while others are just hoping to survive, and coming out of the recession on top motivate you, now is a great time to act. Buyers need you. There’s less competition. You may find some good deals on marketing costs. What more could you want?
How do you know if it’s right for you?
Here are nine triggers that should make you think seriously about expanding your marketing efforts now.
You have some cash. If you’ve got the resources, it’s rarely ever a bad idea to increase marketing. In 25+ years of marketing, I’ve never run across a company that had perfected its marketing efforts to the point where nothing more was needed. In a bad economy, extra cash invested in marketing can pay off many, many times over.
You’re a risk taker. It goes without saying that trigger #1 is pretty much a requirement. But you also need to be comfortable operating outside of the norm. Most businesses will cut back on marketing during a recession. It’s a very common, knee-jerk reaction. You’ve got to be able to sleep at night while you’re moving against the crowd. Most successful entrepreneurs are pretty good at this.
Your competitors are hiding. As I mentioned above, the most common reaction to a recession includes whacking the marketing spend. When your competitors do this, they create a great opportunity for you to jump in and fill the void. If you’re clever, it might not even cost you any extra money.
Your marketing has succeeded and you have market share to protect. This is the reverse of trigger #3. If you pass the test in trigger #1, don’t become one of those companies in hiding. Some smart competitor will pull a #3 on you.
You need to sell to people who don’t know you personally. Trust and integrity are very big in a recession – especially this one where so many problems have been caused by people who were supposed to know what they were doing. Marketing – especially in the form of client testimonials, case studies, education, word of mouth and thought leadership programs – can help you gain your prospects’ trust.
Your sales people are cold calling instead of chasing warm leads. This is a classic sign that you need marketing to find and develop leads for your sales team. Cold calling is a struggle in the best of times, and your most talented closers are never the most successful at it.
Your customers love you. You must be doing something right. Now’s a great time to get the word out to other people.
You believe in marketing. A recession is probably not the best time to test a shaky belief in marketing. Marketing is a process and people are taking longer to make buying decisions now. You’ll most likely get too nervous and quit too soon. Then you’ll have a difficult time ever learning to benefit from marketing. If you question the value of marketing, maybe you should wait.
You like to win. If stealing market share from your competitors, growing your business while others are just hoping to survive, and coming out of the recession on top motivate you, now is a great time to act. Buyers need you. There’s less competition. You may find some good deals on marketing costs. What more could you want?
Personal Branding: It's All About You!
When you are in business, network marketing is the way you show people who you are and what your business is all about. This article will show you about network marketing and how it's all about you and your business.
Network Marketing (Direct Sales, Internet Marketing, Online Business) is all about you. It is about branding yourself. It is not about your product, service, or opportunity. Your company pay plan means nothing. Even the famous and rich founder of the company or their track record can be totally forgotten. Keep reading and you will learn why.
The Network Marketing arena is actually a small world. You will find a lot of the same people joining a lot of the same programs or companies. If you have been in this industry long enough you are probably used to seeing the same people again and again, as you and them are exploring the new life that enters our industry at a rapid pace. It is normal for most people and even expected to be in many more than one business. In fact, it is not uncommon to be, or have been, part of a dozen or even more over time.
How can this benefit you as a network marketer? It is not only you who sees other marketers time and again, they also see you time and again. But in order for you to make an impact on them and draw them to you, you need to make a positive impression that will be a memory attached to your name. To be the person that this person decides to join the next business under you need to attract them to you, and they need to like you. This means you need to create personal branding for yourself. You need to create an opportunity for them to actually WANT to be a part of your business, buy your product, or whatever else your final goal is.
As I said in the introduction, people are not interested only in the product, service, or opportunity. The pay plan alone will not make them join you. YOU will make them join you. That means that the impression you give them will help them decide if they want to work with you or not.
So how do you create personal branding? I will cover this briefly because there are really many possibilities, but there are some major tips I can give you:
1. Always strive to offer more support to your downline, more helpful tips and content for your e-mail list, and more quality relationships than anyone else.
2. Use websites to brand yourself. Offer people who don't know you the ability to read and learn more about you online, without even interacting personally with you.
3. On every promotion you have, include your name, and preferably a photo picture, with a personal touch. If you promote splash or lead capture pages online try to create your own so you can add a personal touch and a photo.
4. Write a regular newsletter to your contact list. If you have a blog you can easily post your newsletters to it and increase traffic and exposure.
There is much more you can do but that should help you get started. Remember to focus on creating quality relationships with others. As a rule, ask more about them and their experiences than you do talking about your own. If you stop trying to think of a way to get them into your business and instead focus on helping others and connecting with them then you will start to experience more joy and accomplishment in your business. The students I have had and the people I have seen most successful in network marketing are those that you can recognize by their name alone. Next time when someone sees you in another business, especially in social networks, give them a reason to say... "I remember you because..."
Network Marketing (Direct Sales, Internet Marketing, Online Business) is all about you. It is about branding yourself. It is not about your product, service, or opportunity. Your company pay plan means nothing. Even the famous and rich founder of the company or their track record can be totally forgotten. Keep reading and you will learn why.
The Network Marketing arena is actually a small world. You will find a lot of the same people joining a lot of the same programs or companies. If you have been in this industry long enough you are probably used to seeing the same people again and again, as you and them are exploring the new life that enters our industry at a rapid pace. It is normal for most people and even expected to be in many more than one business. In fact, it is not uncommon to be, or have been, part of a dozen or even more over time.
How can this benefit you as a network marketer? It is not only you who sees other marketers time and again, they also see you time and again. But in order for you to make an impact on them and draw them to you, you need to make a positive impression that will be a memory attached to your name. To be the person that this person decides to join the next business under you need to attract them to you, and they need to like you. This means you need to create personal branding for yourself. You need to create an opportunity for them to actually WANT to be a part of your business, buy your product, or whatever else your final goal is.
As I said in the introduction, people are not interested only in the product, service, or opportunity. The pay plan alone will not make them join you. YOU will make them join you. That means that the impression you give them will help them decide if they want to work with you or not.
So how do you create personal branding? I will cover this briefly because there are really many possibilities, but there are some major tips I can give you:
1. Always strive to offer more support to your downline, more helpful tips and content for your e-mail list, and more quality relationships than anyone else.
2. Use websites to brand yourself. Offer people who don't know you the ability to read and learn more about you online, without even interacting personally with you.
3. On every promotion you have, include your name, and preferably a photo picture, with a personal touch. If you promote splash or lead capture pages online try to create your own so you can add a personal touch and a photo.
4. Write a regular newsletter to your contact list. If you have a blog you can easily post your newsletters to it and increase traffic and exposure.
There is much more you can do but that should help you get started. Remember to focus on creating quality relationships with others. As a rule, ask more about them and their experiences than you do talking about your own. If you stop trying to think of a way to get them into your business and instead focus on helping others and connecting with them then you will start to experience more joy and accomplishment in your business. The students I have had and the people I have seen most successful in network marketing are those that you can recognize by their name alone. Next time when someone sees you in another business, especially in social networks, give them a reason to say... "I remember you because..."
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