Are you an employer or about to become an employer?
For many people, the appeal of franchising is making the big switch from being an employee to becoming a business owner. You can go toe-to-toe with the financial might of other established businesses, and rather than being out there on your own with no safety net, you have the parent franchise company to help provide a strong brand, training and on-going support.
But that doesn’t always cover you for everything. You still have to shoulder the responsibility of three of the biggest issues that every business owner has to face—franchisee or otherwise. They are:
People management
Recruiting and looking after your best asset: the people who work for you.
Employment law Many franchisors are unable to advise their new franchisees on employment law legislation and compliance due to the complexities, liability and frequent changes.
Health & safety
Just like employment law, health & safety is a round-the-clock responsibility, and to protect your business and the brand you have invested in, it is key that you are compliant with your health & safety responsibilites.
Things to consider as an employer?
Franchises are not exempt from upholding employment law and health & safety regulations, so based on the advice we give to franchise owners every day, here are some of the major elements you must be aware of as an employer:
1. Recruitment
As well as just getting people in to do the work, you need to attract the best candidates. Of course, this requires documentation. Otherwise, how would you benchmark the qualities of the people you want to employ and make sure you are adopting the correct processes.
2. Contracts and documents
Once you recruit people, all employees need a contract of employment. But many new employers at franchises don’t realise the importance of having a comprehensive company handbook. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ documentation for franchises, so a tailored company handbook is the best way to outline your franchise’s brand ethos, culture, as well as your standards, expectations and policies.
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Want to know more about how Bright Link can help you and your franchise?
0800 783 2806
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3. Managing absence
Some employee absences are authorised while others are unauthorised. That means different processes to follow for different absences. We recommend you have a thorough understanding how to manage different types of absences and make sure you following the right steps. Absence is one of the biggest topics we advise on to make sure our clients get it right.
4. Shifts & rotas
This one sounds so simple but tends to be one of the most time-consuming tasks for employers. Find a simple way to manage your rotas and, more importantly, find ways to notify your employees of their shifts so can maintain the right cover across your business, and are delivering the best service to your clients.
5. Document storage
If you haven’t heard about GDPR, it’s worth looking it up. How you store, process, manage and handle your employee’s data is important. There are strict new laws looming and a raft of responsibilities for employers— including those at franchises. Make yourself aware of the changes coming in May 2018.
6. Health & safety responsibilities
The key to health & safety is keeping your employees and the general public 100% safe from harm. It is your duty to get this right, because it is your responsibility if it goes wrong. You need to keep evidence as proof that people are safe, which highlights the importance of a management system, regular training sessions, risk assessments, policies and procedures.
Don’t let it put you off
Our Bright Link service becomes your virtual HR management team and health & safety experts, designed specifically for franchises. Providing support in understanding and managing responsibilities and offers ongoing advice around compliance, without taking you away from your number one priority: your franchise.
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