Business Update July 2006

Key links

Premises security "More than ever, securing your premises is important," warns Ian Johnson, chairman of the Security Consultancies Section at the British Security Industry Association."For a start, you ...Managing your suppliers "It pays to spend time building good working relationships with your suppliers - it will help you get the best deals," argues Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) senior ...Q&A: Valuing a business Rob Harman, partner at accountants Morris Owen and adviser to Business Link Berkshire and Wiltshire, talks to Georgina Harris about the best ways to value a business.What are common reasons for ...Selling to big businesses "Whether you are an independent food manufacturer trying to win an initial order from a supermarket or a small IT firm pitching to supply a major banking group, securing your first big order can ...Keeping it in the family "Family businesses are bound together by more than just commercial interests," says Grant Gordon, director general of the Institute for Family Business. "This can make them stronger, but ...10 ways to ...get through the summer For many firms, the longer days of summer means having to manage annual leave for employees and reduced workload for a few months. There is also the warmer weather and the problems this can bring. ...DTI plans to increase statutory minimum holiday entitlement Employers will no longer be able to include the eight UK bank and public holidays as part of their employees' statutory annual leave under proposals published in a Government consultation paper. ...New DTI factsheets on age discrimination The effect of the age-discrimination legislation, in force from October, will be wide- ranging. The DTI has published a set of eight free factsheets to help businesses get ready for the new ...New steps to encourage small firms to claim business rates relief More than half the small businesses in the UK are missing out on up to £2,500 in Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR), according to a survey by the Local Government Association. Eligible ...New sexual harassment guide for employers available free Employers are advised to have policies and procedures in place to deal with complaints of sexual harassment. A new guide from the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), Sexual Harassment: ...Online pregnancy and maternity advice tool for employers A new interactive questionnaire tool launched on the Business Link website will help businesses meet their obligations to expectant and new mothers. The online questionnaire, which takes about ...Your chance to comment: compulsory pension contributions for employers Employers will have to contribute three per cent of salary to their employee pension schemes if a new National Pension Savings Scheme announced by the Government in its pension reform White Paper ...Your chance to comment: advertisements featuring 'own price' discounts Businesses that advertise price discounts against their own previous prices need to comply with the relevant consumer protection laws in order not to mislead consumers. In a landmark High Court ...Your chance to comment: guidance on managing the risks of transport at work Vehicle accidents are the second biggest cause of fatal injury at work. The Health &Safety Executive (HSE) has issued proposals for managing the risks of transport in the workplace, and is ...Case law: why employers must carry out workplace assessments Employers must carry out workplace assessments for all workers, or risk paying damages or an out-of-court settlement. A freelance editor working for a national newspaper has received £37,500 ...New guidance to help disabled people into jobs A TUC report, Jobs for Disabled People, contains useful information on employers' duties towards disabled people, and includes a three-point plan for helping disabled people (especially those ...I need to raise my prices but fear I'll lose sales... Increasing prices involves some risk, but if you handle ...How I clinched deals with supermarkets "I launched the business because I wanted to produce premium-quality sausages that were affordable and aimed at the mainstream market. Many independent suppliers ignore the supermarkets and just ...