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Buzzing About HR
Kate Underwood
38 episodes
6 days ago
In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we step straight into the festive chaos that hits every small business in December. Hazel is asleep under a pile of Christmas lights, the inbox is bursting with last minute shifts and mystery calendar blocks, and everyone is only one rota change away from losing the plot. If December normally feels like a burnout buffet mixed with fairy lights, this episode is your life raft. I take you through the real reasons things go wrong at this time of year and how...
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Management
Business
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All content for Buzzing About HR is the property of Kate Underwood and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we step straight into the festive chaos that hits every small business in December. Hazel is asleep under a pile of Christmas lights, the inbox is bursting with last minute shifts and mystery calendar blocks, and everyone is only one rota change away from losing the plot. If December normally feels like a burnout buffet mixed with fairy lights, this episode is your life raft. I take you through the real reasons things go wrong at this time of year and how...
Show more...
Management
Business
Episodes (20/38)
Buzzing About HR
How To Keep Morale High And Customers Happy When December Chaos Hits
In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we step straight into the festive chaos that hits every small business in December. Hazel is asleep under a pile of Christmas lights, the inbox is bursting with last minute shifts and mystery calendar blocks, and everyone is only one rota change away from losing the plot. If December normally feels like a burnout buffet mixed with fairy lights, this episode is your life raft. I take you through the real reasons things go wrong at this time of year and how...
Show more...
6 days ago
15 minutes

Buzzing About HR
How To Get Ready For The UK Employment Rights Bill Without Drowning In Admin
Big HR changes are on the way, and we’re turning the noise into a clear plan. Kate breaks down the Employment Rights Bill for UK small employers with plain-English timelines, practical examples, and the exact places to focus so you protect people, manage risk, and avoid last‑minute scrambles. We start with what’s locked in versus what’s likely: a six-month unfair dismissal threshold from 1 January 2027, simpler statutory sick pay from April 2026 with day one eligibility and no lower earnings...
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1 week ago
17 minutes

Buzzing About HR
How The Autumn Budget 2025 Hits Small Businesses
Send us a text In this episode of Buzzing About HR, I am digging into the Autumn Budget 2025 and what it actually means for small businesses. The headlines sound promising, but if you run a business, you know the real story is always in the numbers. This episode helps you understand what is changing, what it means for you, and what you can do next without any panic or guesswork. We talk about the big updates everyone is buzzing about right now and how they might affect wages, costs, hiring, t...
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2 weeks ago
16 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Making Men's Health Routine At Work
The moustaches are fun, but posters don’t cover shifts. We take a straight look at men’s health at work and how small teams can spot trouble early, protect time for care, and avoid expensive firefighting. From missed safety steps to hero shifts that end in burnout, we walk through the subtle signals leaders often miss and show how a few plain rules can turn chaos into calm. We share three vivid workplace snapshots: the appointment that never happens until it’s urgent, the calm supervisor who...
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1 month ago
13 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Quiet Quitting Isn’t The Problem; It’s The Signal You’ve Been Ignoring
The signs show up before the resignation letter lands: cameras off, ideas thin, meetings that end with nothing decided, and work kept tightly to the job description. We call it quiet quitting, but what’s really happening is a rational response to fuzzy goals, uneven workloads, and stalled growth. I unpack why disengagement is data, not defiance, and share a simple toolkit to turn the trend without cheesy pep talks or another all-hands. We start by naming the three big gaps that drain teams—c...
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1 month ago
15 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Practical Ways To Support Menopause And Keep Teams Fair
Send us a text 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 y...
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1 month ago
18 minutes

Buzzing About HR
How To Keep Clients Without Breaking Employment Law
Send us a text 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 th...
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1 month ago
11 minutes

Buzzing About HR
From Cake Crumbs To Fair Perks: How To Spend HR Budget Where It Works
Send us a text A birthday cake, a messy keyboard, and a very pleased office dog set up a sharper question: are your perks pulling their weight or just glossing over deeper problems? We dig into a clear, UK‑focused approach to benefits that actually help people work and live better, starting with the truth that pay must be right before perks can shine. We share a simple framework that keeps teams included and spending tight. You’ll hear why small health wins like flu jabs, eye tests and a rea...
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2 months ago
8 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Why Promoting Your Star Performer Can Backfire And What To Do Instead
Send us a text In this episode of Buzzing About HR, host Kate Underwood tackles a familiar challenge for many businesses: what happens when your best doer becomes your newest manager. You know the story. Someone’s brilliant at their job, so you promote them… then watch them drown in rotas, one-to-ones and tough conversations they’ve never been trained for. Kate walks through a fair, practical way to grow real managers without losing your top talent along the way. She starts with the big tensi...
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2 months ago
7 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Flu Jabs: Perk or Pressure?
Send us a text Flu-jab season can help teams or harm trust. We show how to offer voluntary, privacy-first vouchers that cut absence without rota penalties, proof demands, or “us and them” culture. • why winter absence spikes disrupt rotas • how a voluntary scheme reduces risk • legal and data basics in plain English • minimal data design and deletion dates • inclusive comms for allergy, pregnancy, and faith • manager training to stop shaming and shift nudges • practical fixes for common poli...
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2 months ago
8 minutes

Buzzing About HR
You Can't Fire Someone Just Because They Called You a Dickhead
Send us a text Heated words exchanged on a Friday afternoon lead to an instant dismissal that could cost a business thousands in tribunal payments. Why? Because process matters more than the actual language used. Whether you're running a small business or handling HR solo, navigating workplace conduct issues is fraught with legal pitfalls. One poorly handled disciplinary action can spiral into costly tribunal claims, damaged team morale, and reputational harm. The truth is, tribunals don't s...
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3 months ago
16 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Beyond the Wagging Tails: The Real Impact of Dogs in the Workplace
Send us a text Office dogs can transform workplace culture when implemented thoughtfully, but require careful planning to avoid potential pitfalls. From boosting morale and facilitating connections between colleagues to serving as recruitment tools, dogs offer numerous benefits that must be balanced against considerations for allergies, safety, and fairness. • Dogs can significantly improve workplace morale and reduce stress levels • Regular dog walks encourage movement and provide healthy r...
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3 months ago
10 minutes

Buzzing About HR
How One Appeal Mistake Cost a Pub More Than Halloumi Fries
Send us a text A shift manager with a clean record was unfairly dismissed for giving a colleague a 50% staff discount for takeaway food instead of the policy-compliant 20%. The tribunal ruled that the appeal process failed to consider proportionality, treating negligence as deliberate dishonesty and ignoring the employee's long service. • Long-serving shift manager allowed 50% discount on takeaway food when policy only permitted 20% • Business dismissed for gross misconduct after CCTV and ti...
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3 months ago
10 minutes

Buzzing About HR
HR Without the Headache: Decoding the Employment Rights Bill
Send us a text Feeling overwhelmed by the Employment Rights Bill landing in your inbox? Take a deep breath – you've got time. The latest legal roadmap outlines changes rolling out in stages between 2025 and 2027, not crashing down tomorrow. This episode cuts through the complexity with a clear timeline of what's changing and when. We start with union-related measures at Royal Assent (likely late 2025), moving to the April 2026 changes including day-one rights to paternity leave, sick pay fro...
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4 months ago
9 minutes

Buzzing About HR
The Reality Check Your Business Needs Before Hiring Your Next Freelancer
Send us a text Have you ever hired someone who invoices monthly, works regular hours, and calls themselves a freelancer? That seemingly straightforward arrangement might be putting your business at serious financial risk. I'm shedding light on the murky world of employment status and why getting it wrong could lead to eye-watering tax bills and tribunal nightmares. Walking through the New Forest with my dog one morning, I received a simple client question about a freelance designer that spar...
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5 months ago
10 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Equal Does Not Always Mean Identical
Hiring should reveal real skill, not who can sprint through a noisy, time-pressured hoop. We take a hard look at neurodiversity in UK workplaces and show how to swap tick-box gestures for simple, lawful changes that raise the bar for everyone. From the Equality Act 2010 to recent tribunal cases, we translate legal duties into day-to-day steps you can use this week without drowning in paperwork. We start by reframing assessment around outcomes. If the role needs problem solving on the phone a...
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5 months ago
16 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Your Business Has a Legal Duty to Prevent Sexual Harassment—Here's Exactly What to Do
Send us a text Have you caught up with the Worker Protection Amendment yet? Since October 2024, all UK employers have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment at work - and there are no exemptions for small businesses. Whether you're running a boutique design agency, a local shop, or a growing startup, this law applies to you. And as real tribunal cases demonstrate, the financial and reputational costs of getting it wrong can be substantial. From Tesco's £45,000 pay...
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6 months ago
12 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Navigating the Complexities of UK Maternity Pay: A Small Business Guide
Send us a text Drowning in maternity paperwork? Feeling like you're juggling flaming spreadsheets while trying to decipher HMRC emails more terrifying than overdraft notifications? You're not alone. Today's episode dives deep into the complex world of UK maternity regulations and Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), transforming this often-dreaded HR challenge into a manageable process for small business owners. With approximately 600,000 mothers claiming SMP annually and a shocking 77% experienci...
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6 months ago
13 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Can a Well-Crafted PIP Save Your Business?
Send us a text Ever hidden a Performance Improvement Plan in your bottom drawer, hoping you'll never need it? You're not alone. Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) are often dreaded by managers and employees alike, but this episode transforms them from scary legal documents into practical tools for genuine improvement. We break down exactly why poorly executed PIPs can devastate small businesses, sharing real-world horror stories of expensive tribunal cases that could have been avoide...
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6 months ago
13 minutes

Buzzing About HR
Cake, Crisis & Compliance: A Decade in HR
Send us a text A decade ago, I sat at my Harry Potter desk under the stairs, redundancy papers in one hand and a comforting slice of cake in the other, reluctantly agreeing to "try" consulting for six months. Ten years, countless cups of coffee, and an embarrassing amount of cake later, Kate Underwood HR has evolved from that uncertain beginning into something truly special. This anniversary episode takes you on the journey from corporate burnout to building a business that's transformed doz...
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6 months ago
11 minutes

Buzzing About HR
In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we step straight into the festive chaos that hits every small business in December. Hazel is asleep under a pile of Christmas lights, the inbox is bursting with last minute shifts and mystery calendar blocks, and everyone is only one rota change away from losing the plot. If December normally feels like a burnout buffet mixed with fairy lights, this episode is your life raft. I take you through the real reasons things go wrong at this time of year and how...