Buzzing About HR – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Sick pay changes are coming fast, and messy sickness processes will feel every bump. In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we unpack what day one SSP, the removal of the lower earnings limit, and the new rate calculation could mean for small businesses, especially if you rely on part-timers, casual hours, or weekend shifts. Then we turn policy into practice with a simple framework managers can use at 7:58 a.m. when the first text arrives.

We walk through the Four Cs: Clear, Consistent, Calm, Captured. You will hear how one reporting route, a firm cut-off time, and a few short, respectful questions stop absence from turning into WhatsApp drama. We cover the minimum information to collect without prying, how to set expectations while someone is off, and why a five-minute return to work chat after every absence is one of the most effective tools in attendance management.

We also talk about fit notes. When they are needed, sensible deadlines, what to record and where, and how to avoid risky over-sharing of health details. This matters because health information is sensitive data, and it is easy to store more than you need.

To keep culture steady, we share manager scripts you can lift and use. Warm openers that show care, and fair trigger conversations that address patterns without being harsh. Part-timers matter here, too. With more people qualifying for SSP, their admin needs the same consistency as full-timers, or resentment creeps in fast.

Want the full training session and toolkit for managers? This topic is covered inside Coffee, Cake and Compliance, click to find out more 

If this episode helps, share it with a manager who handles sickness calls, and leave a quick review so more small businesses can find practical HR support that actually works.

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 1st April 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 

Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you.

Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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

Ever find yourself stuck in the middle?

One side asking, “Why isn’t this sorted yet?”

The other asking, “Why are you doing this to us?”

That awkward, lonely space is middle management. And for a lot of people, it feels like being squeezed from both ends with very little room to breathe. This episode is about why that role so often feels impossible, and how to make it workable without burning people out.

We start by naming the real reasons middle managers struggle. Accountability without authority. Promotions based on being good at the job, not good with people. And the quiet emotional load of being the first person everyone comes to with complaints, tears, frustration, and the occasional snap. None of that is in the job description, but it shows up every day.

From there, we look at the friction points that stall progress. Mixed messages from senior leaders. Managers being undermined in front of their teams. The two-job trap, where someone is expected to lead people and still be the top doer. That combination drains confidence fast and turns small issues into constant firefighting.

Then we get practical. I share simple system tweaks that make a big difference. Clear standards written in plain language. Decision rights that explain who decides what. Light-touch documentation that protects the manager as much as the business. Nothing heavy. Just enough structure to stop everything feeling personal.

You will also hear starter scripts managers can actually use. For performance conversations. Attendance issues. Behaviour that needs addressing early. We talk about how public backing and private coaching protect a manager’s credibility, why consistency matters more than perfection, and how removing just one admin blocker can give managers hours back each week.

This episode is not about telling people to be more resilient. It is about building resilience properly. Through clarity. Authority. Skills. Backing. And time. I also share a quick audit for owners and senior leaders to check whether their setup is helping or quietly hindering their managers, plus a one-thing challenge to make next week easier than last week.

If you are a manager who wants confidence rather than constant self-doubt, or a leader who is ready to stop firefighting and start seeing progress, this episode is your playbook for calmer, fairer, faster delivery.

Subscribe, share it with a colleague who needs some backup, and leave a review telling us the one

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 1st April 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 

Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you.

Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, I am talking about something that is getting lost in the headlines. Hiring might be slower, confidence might be wobbling, but small businesses can still build a strong early careers pipeline without spending a fortune or burning everyone out in the process.

This one is for anyone who has noticed fewer decent applicants, candidates disappearing halfway through recruitment, or managers saying they simply do not have the time or headspace to train someone new.

I talk honestly about why higher unemployment does not magically solve your hiring problems, and why transport, shift patterns, confidence, and basic skills still get in the way for a lot of perfectly capable people.

Then we look at how to take the panic out of early-career hiring and turn it into something calmer and more repeatable. I walk through how to design one starter-friendly role that actually adds value in the first few weeks, how to write a clear job advert that separates must-haves from trainables, and why a short work task often tells you far more than a polished interview ever will.

We also get into mentoring, because that is where a lot of businesses either make this work or quietly sabotage it. I share how experienced team members, including people nearing retirement, can pass on knowledge without carrying the full workload, and why pairing that with a buddy for day-to-day questions makes a huge difference.

I also talk through a simple 90-day plan that helps people settle, build confidence, and show what they can do, without leaving managers in constant firefighting mode.

And yes, we cover inclusion too. Flexible interview times, written instructions, protected learning time, and small adjustments that help people start well and stay.

If you are fed up with churn, tired of chasing “ready-made” candidates who still need retraining, and want a steadier way to grow talent, this episode is for you.

Subscribe, share it with a manager who needs a calmer hiring plan, and leave a review telling me one thing you are going to try differently.

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 1st April 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 

Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you.

Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we step straight into the festive chaos that hits every small business in December. Hazel is under a pile of Christmas lights, the inbox is bursting with last-minute shift changes, and everyone is one rota wobble away from losing the plot.

If December usually feels like fairy lights wrapped around a burnout buffet, this episode is for you.

I talk through the real reasons things go wrong at this time of year and how to spot the pressure points before they blow up. The last-minute leave requests. The people who are technically off but still somehow replying to emails. The one person with all the logins who has vanished. Suppliers are quietly shutting early. Payroll deadlines are creeping later and later. And the slow build-up of pressure that makes good people snap or shut down.

More importantly, I walk you through what to do about it.

This is not about creating the perfect festive workplace. It is about putting a few sensible things in place now so your team can actually switch off, your customers are looked after, and the same three reliable people are not carrying the whole business on their backs.

We also cover the grey areas that always seem to pop up in December. Holiday clashes. Sickness during leave. Bank holiday rules. Remote working tensions. And how to keep trust steady when everyone is tired and running on mince pies and adrenaline.

You will come away with a short, practical list of what to fix this week so your team, your service, and your sanity all make it into January in one piece.

And if December is already wobbling, book a discovery call, and we will map one quick win for the week, so you are not trying to sort it all alone.

Subscribe, share it with a manager who needs a calmer December, and let me know which fix you are going to try first.

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 1st April 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 

Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you.

Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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 and turning all the noise into something much more useful. A plan.

Because if you are a small business owner or the poor soul holding HR together with coffee and spreadsheets, you do not need another dramatic headline. You need to know what is actually changing, when it is likely to land, and what is worth doing now, so you are not scrambling later.

We start with what looks locked in and what is still developing. That includes the likely six-month unfair dismissal threshold from 1 January 2027, day-one Statutory Sick Pay from April 2026 with no lower earnings limit, and the new predictable hours rules that will matter if your rotas and contracts do not match real life.

We also talk about the possible removal of the cap on ordinary unfair dismissal compensation and why that matters most if you employ higher earners or have managers who still think “gut feel” counts as a fair process.

Then we get into the practical side. What these changes mean for probation, SSP wording, rotas, contracted versus worked hours, and why basic forecasting is about to become much more important if you want to avoid cost, conflict, and chaos.

We also touch on union duties, but without making it sound like you need a full employee relations department. I talk through a simple, neutral approach that keeps things compliant and low effort.

And because I know everyone wants the “just tell me what to do” bit, I finish with five things you can actually do this week. Straightforward changes that make a real difference now and save you pain later.

If the Employment Rights Bill has been sitting in your brain as one big scary blob, this episode is here to break it down into manageable pieces.

Subscribe, share it with another business owner or HR lead, and leave a review if it helps. And if you need a sanity check on your contracts, policies, or people process, send us a message before the dates hit, and the panic starts.

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 1st April 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 

Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you.

Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, I am digging into the Autumn Budget 2025 and what it actually means for small businesses.

Because the headlines always sound shiny. Promising. Reassuring, even. But if you run a business, you know the real story is never in the headline. It is in the numbers, the knock-on effect, and the quiet little changes that suddenly make life more expensive.

This episode is about cutting through that noise.

I talk through the updates people are buzzing about and what they could mean for your wages bill, staffing costs, hiring plans, training spend, and the way you think about the year ahead. Yes, there are challenges. But there are also opportunities if you know where to look and you are not making decisions in a blind panic.

The aim here is simple. Plain English. No waffle. No government-speak. Just a grounded look at what is changing and what deserves your attention.

I also share practical next steps you can take straight away. The kind that helps you protect your people, your margins, and your culture without overcomplicating everything or sending yourself into a spreadsheet spiral.

If you want the full breakdown, this episode will help you make decisions with confidence, not fear.

Subscribe, share it with another small business owner, and leave a quick review so more people can find useful support that actually helps.

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 1st April 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 

Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you.

Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we are talking about men’s health at work and why a few posters in November are not enough if the culture still punishes people for slowing down, switching off, or going to an appointment.

Because this is what I see all the time. The appointment that keeps getting pushed back until it becomes urgent. The calm, capable supervisor who suddenly starts snapping because they are overloaded and running on fumes. The reliable driver or engineer who says yes to everything until something gives.

This episode is about spotting those warning signs earlier and doing something useful before they turn into sickness absence, burnout, or a much bigger problem.

We talk through the small, practical things that make a real difference in small teams. A simple health time policy that people can actually find. Proper cover planning so appointments do not feel like a burden. Manager check-ins that focus on workload and pressure, not trying to play doctor. Caps on hero hours. And clear praise for switching off instead of glorifying people who run themselves into the ground.

We also get into something that trips a lot of workplaces up. Banter. Because sometimes what looks like joking is actually masking stress, exhaustion, or someone not wanting to admit they are struggling. I talk about how to move from banter-as-deflection to kinder, shorter, more useful conversations that do not make people feel exposed.

And yes, we cover the privacy piece too. You do not need everyone’s medical history. You do need enough clarity to manage workload, time, and risk properly. We talk about what is fair to ask, when evidence is reasonable in safety-critical roles, and how to keep things confidential without becoming vague or avoidant.

You will also come away with a simple weekly playbook. Protected appointment time. A short manager huddle. Better rota habits. A quiet space for real breaks. Small changes that make it easier for people to ask early instead of disappearing later.

If you want less firefighting, steadier teams, and a healthier way of working that actually functions in a small business, this episode is for you.

Subscribe, share it with a manager who needs a nudge, and leave a review so more small businesses can find practical HR support that goes beyond the posters.

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 1st April 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 

Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you.

Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we are talking about quiet quitting. Or more accurately, what is usually sitting underneath it.

Because by the time someone is keeping their camera off, doing the bare minimum, and giving you absolutely nothing in meetings, something has already gone wrong. Quiet quitting is rarely laziness. More often, it is a very rational response to fuzzy goals, uneven workloads, and the feeling that extra effort changes absolutely nothing.

So this episode is about reading disengagement for what it really is. Information.

We start with the three things that drain teams fastest. Clarity, fairness, and growth. When people do not know what matters, feel like the workload is lopsided, or cannot see how they move forward, they stop stretching. Not dramatically. Quietly.

I talk about how this shows up in real businesses. Shops. Salons. Agencies. Field teams. The “reliable” person who quietly absorbs more and more until resentment kicks in. Slack chats full of noise but no decisions. Pizza and perks are being used to patch over rotas that change every five minutes.

Then we get practical. I share some quick tests you can run straight away. A calendar check to spot meetings that achieve nothing. A chat health check to work out whether your team is actually communicating or just narrating their day. A customer lens that helps you see whether the issue is people or a broken process.

We also look at a simple weekly rhythm that helps re-engage people without forcing fake enthusiasm. A short pulse. Better one-to-ones. A proper Friday wins round-up that notices real work, not just the loudest person in the room.

And yes, we tackle the harder questions too. How to tell the difference between a disengaged person and a broken system. How to stop high performers from carrying everyone else. And what to do when the bare minimum is dragging the team down.

If you are tired of gimmicks, posters, and trying to fix morale with snacks, this one is for you.

Subscribe, share it with a manager who needs a reset, and leave a review so more small businesses can stop guessing and start fixing what is actually causing the drift.

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 1st April 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 

Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you.

Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, I am diving into a question that so many businesses quietly worry about. Does offering menopause support genuinely help you keep brilliant people, or does it risk looking like special rules that create tension in the team? It is a tricky one, and today I take you through a grounded, practical way to get it right without drama.

We start with the legal bits you actually need to know. Nothing overwhelming, just the parts that protect you and your employees. I explain how the Equality Act 2010 links menopause to sex, age and disability, why harassment risk is real if conversations are handled badly, and how health and safety, data protection and the new day one flexible working rights all fit into the picture.

Then I bring it right back to real life. The whole thing becomes easier when managers understand this simple idea. Reasonable adjustments are available to anyone with a health or life stage need. Menopause is not a special category, it is just one example. Once you take that heat out of it, fairness stops being a worry.

I walk you through a quick and memorable manager briefing that gives them the confidence to handle these conversations kindly and consistently. You will hear supportive scripts, a simple review rhythm and privacy habits that build trust instead of gossip.

Then we get into the practical examples that actually work.
In office roles, that might mean cooler desks, a short mid morning breather or small deadline tweaks that stop errors creeping in.
In warehouses and production, it is breathable base layers under PPE, water access that moves with the job, rest points that are actually usable and smarter shift swaps that keep people steady.
I also share universal fixes like better ventilation, sensible fabrics and shared water points. These small changes help everyone and stop the whole why her and not me issue from even starting.

You will leave this episode with clear answers to the fairness questions managers always bring up, a simple way to test flexible working without committing forever and kind return to work conversations that record only what is needed. No heavy dashboards, no drama, just grown-up decisions that prevent bigger problems down the line.

If this episode hits home for you, subscribe, share it with a manager who needs some guidance and leave a quick review, so more people can find the show.

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 1st April 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 

Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you.

Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, I am diving into one of those moments every HR person and business owner knows too well. A client is pushing for speed, your gut is shouting no, and you are stuck trying to keep the work without dropping your standards. We have all been there.

I walk you through a simple way to stay calm, respond confidently and keep things legal without blowing up the relationship. You will hear wording you can use straight away, practical alternatives that take the heat out of the situation and how to protect yourself long before these requests even land in your inbox.

We start with the basics. What the Equality Act 2010 really means when you are under pressure. Why neutral rules can still land you in trouble. And why a client saying they want a certain type of person is never going to stand up in recruitment.

Then we get into the messy real world stuff.

No headscarves on reception? Offer a fair, branded dress code.

Requests for unpaid trial days? Keep it legal with a short paid trial or a simple skills task.

Feedback like not the right vibe? Bring it back to skills and behaviours.

Night time demands for instant replies? Set up a paid on call rota or promise a next day response.

Need checks done quickly? Use digital verification with a conditional start.

None of this is about being awkward. It is about being fair, protecting your business and showing your standards through your actions. It matters even more during Black History Month when people are watching what organisations actually do.

Fairness will not slow you down. It reduces risk, builds trust and makes hiring cleaner and easier. Hold your line, offer options where you can and only walk away if you have to.

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 1st April 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 

Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you.

Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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