Your Responsibilities As An Employer

Owning your own business can be stressful enough with the responsibilities of registering yourself and the company, paying the correct taxes, working out the legalities that do and do not apply to you, and so on. There are also additional responsibilities to being an employer. With this position comes the additional duties of interviewing and employing, paying, managing and often the disciplining of team members. Here are some things to think about that should help you to manage your employees.

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Contents
Contents................................................................................................................................. 2 Employing People...................................................................................................................3 Performance Management.....................................................................................................4 HR Support............................................................................................................................. 5 Disciplinary Procedures.......................................................................................................... Conclusion.............................................................................................................................. !

#mplo$i%g &eople
Your first role to even become an employer is, of course, to employ people. n order to be an employer you must be registered with H! "evenue and #ustoms $H!"#% and run a &ay 's You (arn $&'Y(% scheme. )pon registration you are advised how to do this. #hoosing your employee is usually prepared for through a series of interviews and tests, the results of which you will use to Figure 2 http,--farm..staticflickr.com-/012-2/10034/5673f8/.caa/6o.9pg select the person most suited to what you are looking for. Once your selection process has been completed, your ideal candidate must also be registered with H!"#. When paying your employee$s% you must notify H!"# of the payment made, either through your own reliable payroll system that works with "eal Time nformation $"T %, or using an accountant or payment bureau. There is an option however, if you employ nine or fewer people, for you to use H!"#*s free payroll software system. +ot registering with H!"# can result in heavy penalties which could have damaging effects on you and your business.

&erforma%ce 'a%ageme%t

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+ow that you are a fully functional employer, it is your responsibility to keep everything running smoothly. :epending on the si;e and dynamics of your business, and your financial situation, you may employ a manager to oversee how your workers are performing, yet overall, this will still be your responsibility. )sually a contract of employment is drawn up which stipulates their roles and responsibilities, and your expectations. t will usually contain details of certain procedures too, such as holiday allowance, statutory sick pay information and so on, or these can be provided in an employee handbook. The contract should be signed by both parties, and serves as documentation of your working relationship, while the handbook provides the employee with a constant reference point throughout their contract. <oth records are very useful if behavioural disputes occur as they serve as a written outline of your position as an employer, by which the employee has willingly agreed to abide.

*+ )upport
=or many employers, this responsibility can often be too much with all of the other aspects of owning and running a business. f this is the case, H" support can often be found either through outsourcing, whereby you employ a team or individual who is fully trained in the legalities of employment, or hiring a team or individual to become part of your own team. :epending on the service you re>uire, they can be used to advise you when necessary, or to complete the work on your behalf. This is often useful for the drawing up of contracts, where improper wording can land your business in grave danger if an employee dispute occurs, or the dismissal of a worker which can often lead to unpleasant reactions.

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-iscipli%ar$ &roce!ures

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Taking disciplinary measures as an employer is a common yet often stressful event. When an employee underperforms, or goes against the terms they agree to in their contract, it is necessary to discipline them. Without the power of discipline, it would be a very difficult task to keep your business going. )sually an employee is given three warnings, and then if their negative behaviour continues, the situation can result in dismissing an employee. !any small businesses do not have a stated disciplinary or dismissal procedure which can often land them in trouble if the employee feels unfairly treated. n some cases, this can lead to a tribunal, or even court hearing. When a disciplinary or dismissal procedure is in place and abided by, the company can present this at times of doubt and will be protected against any potential employee claims. t is often recommended to have this stated in your employee*s contract of employment so they know what to expect if this sort of situation occurs.

Conclusion
<eing an employer is a very taxing and challenging 9ob role, yet it definitely reaps its rewards. Working as your own boss allows you a freedom that employees cannot have, yet it also bears much greater responsibilities. 'bove are 9ust a sample of some of the considerations an employer must take in the workplace, and they are governed by a series of laws and regulations by which to abide. 's an employer, it is essential that you ac>uire employment law advice before any decisions or actions are taken, as if any mistake on your part is made, the repercussions can be devastating for you and your business.

?ources, https,--www.gov.uk-employing@staff http,--www.hmrc.gov.ukhttp,--www.ird.govt.n;-payroll@employers-become@employerhttp,--employeradvice.org.uk-