Belt and braces for the smaller business

James Qualtrough | October 25, 2012 | 0 Comments

Three Jersey businesses have joined forces in a unique collaboration to help small business owners avoid the costs and stress of an employment tribunal or Health and Safety claim.

HR Now, Parslows Lawyers and Tony Pallot Training have formed a strategic alliance to help smaller businesses understand and overcome the challenges involved, and offer support at key moments during their start up and growth phases.

Employee rights and complying with health and safety regulations can be a significant obstacle for the smaller business owner to deal with and negotiating them requires skilled advice and support. Ignorance is no defence in law and increasingly in Jersey’s courtrooms and tribunals businesses are being penalised for failing to ensure their legal obligations towards their employees are properly met.

Smaller business owners will rarely have the in-house resources or budget to manage this risk effectively and this is where an outsourced solution can make a difference. Establishing the right policies and procedures is critical during the start-up phase of a business and once this is in place, the business does not want to be paying consultancy fees for an eventuality that may never arise, as the it grows.

Becky Hill of HR Now, Advocate Carl Parslow and Tony Pallot have the necessary knowledge to provide a comprehensive advisory service in the key employment and health and safety areas that can trip up any business. The principals behind the three companies are seasoned industry professionals who are still actively and individually involved in their respective sectors. Their mantra is clear: keep the business legal, keep people performing and keep health and safety simple.

One of their primary aims is prevention before pain, ensuring that Jersey businesses are equipped to achieve ‘best practice’ standards in all key areas of their operations and are well placed to avoid litigation that is expensive in both time and money.

Becky Hill of HR Now said: ‘In our own businesses we are discovering employers who are crying out for guidance and advice on how to design and implement procedures for employing their staff and ensuring the work environment and practices meet best industry standards. It makes absolute sense for us to work together to deliver a rounded, comprehensive service from one point of contact. What we do is ensure that businesses are following best practice but also protecting themselves against costly claims or tribunal hearings. It’s a belt and braces approach but it frees up managers and owners to concentrate on growing or running their business.’

To avail themselves of the service businesses can contact any one of the three experts and can tailor the service to suit their particular needs, at any given time.