Tips and Advice

Employers – you are not alone. Whatever the size of your company or organisation there is support available to you. Whether it be Business Development, Employment Law or Recruitment and Selection there is an organisation waiting to assist you.

More about financial assistance for taking on new staff and incentives for taking on apprentices or even training your own staff. Get personal advice on developing your workforce or improving your ICT capabilities from local professionals

• RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION - GET IT RIGHT

To get the right person for your vacancy and to make that sure you are carrying out the process efficiently, effectively and within the Law it is worth giving each stage careful thought and, if unsure of what you should do, get the right advice. There are a number of organisations that exist to give advice, guidance and support in recruitment and employment matters. Here are a few of them:

General Employment, Recruitment and Selection Advice

	Provide advice about all employment issues. Their website is simple and easy to use. They will provide, free of charge, booklets on various employment subjects – one on Recruitment and Induction – and have a very good Help-line Acas aims to improve organisations and working life through better employment relations. They provide up-to-date information, independent advice, high quality training and work with employers and employees to solve problems and improve performance.	www.acas.org.uk
	The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is the professional body for those involved in the management and development of people.	www.ipd.co.uk
	Investors in People - The Investors in People Standard provides a framework that helps organisations to improve performance and realise objectives through the effective management and development of their people. It is the vision at Investors in People UK to deliver continuous business improvement to organisations through the development of business improvement tools enabling people management and people development within the UK.	www.iipuk.co.uk




• BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ADVICE

	Ten Sixty Six Enterprise is the enterprise agency for Hastings and Rother, and also the Chamber of Commerce for Hastings and St Leonards. They have a comprehensive strategy for helping those who wish to start up new businesses and also provide on-going guidance and support for established businesses.	www.1066enterprise.co.uk
	The Enterprise Hub Network is the lynchpin between entrepreneurial ideas and commercial success, helping to create new, innovative and prosperous businesses that can contribute to the economic growth and development of the South East.	www.eastsussexhub.co.uk
	Got a great idea for starting a business? Maybe you’ve just started one? Or have you been going for a while but need some help with a challenging business issue? Whatever your business stage, whatever the issue, Business Link can help. We provide the information, advice and support you need to start a new business or maintain and grow an existing business. Rather than providing all the advice and help ourselves, we put you in touch with a range of experts from across the private, public and voluntary business support sectors. How Business Link can help: We have specialists on hand to help you identify your key business needs and issues, and recommend a solution Face-to-face – Take the opportunity to set up a free face-to-face consultation with an adviser Over the phone – Our Business Advisers are ready to answer your business questions On the web – Our website offers a wealth of free information and advice 24/7. By email – Keep up-to-date with the latest issues affecting your business by subscribing to our email newsletter Over the past year, 25,000 businesses have benefited from our services and we have helped over 3,500 companies intensively in Sussex. If you’d like to know how we can help you, then give us a call on 0845 600 9 006 or visit www.businesslinkguides.co.uk	www.businesslinkcompaniesact.co.uk www.businesslinktraining.co.uk www.businesslinkbusinessreview.co.uk




• EQUALITIES ADVICE

(All applications for any job should be treated equally regardless of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, family commitments, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, religious or political beliefs, social class, trade union activity or irrelevant spent conviction.)


Equality On-line gives
• Age

  Age Positive	www.agepositive.gov.uk
  Employers Forum on Age	www.efa.org.uk

• Disability

  Disability Discrimination Information	www.disability.gov.uk
  Employers Forum on Disability	www.employers-forum.co.uk
  Disability Consultancy (part of RNIB)	www.disabilityconsultancy.org.uk
  The Disability Rights Commission	www.drc-gb.org
  Epilepsy site	www.fit-and-well.co.uk

• Gender

  Women's Business Network	www.wbn.org.uk
  Women and Equality Unit	www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk

• Race

  Commission for Racial Equality (CRE)

  www.cre.gov.uk