Q.
Our last Christmas party was a torrid and drunken affair. A married senior manager ended up in bed with his assistant and there was a violent argument between two other employees. This led to a tribunal and we’ve only just settled. I don’t want to ban festivities, as it is a chance to reward hardworking staff. Other companies seem to have a good time at Christmas, so how can I lay down the law without being an old humbug?
Q.
As my design company has grown my role has changed from being very creative to simply managing the business. What options are open to me in terms of restructuring the company, re-skilling to run a larger business, while retaining my strengths, or should I just accept the situation?
Q.
We recently sold a part of our business to a competitor. The contract stipulates we cannot poach any staff from them for two years. However, three of our old staff have now handed in their notice to their new employer. I have been contacted by these former employees who want to come back to work for my business. As they have left anyway and want to work for me, I would like to take them back. Will this create a legal problem? Do I have to compensate the other company? And if so, how much?
Q.
I run a design agency and new ideas and creativity are important to my company. I need self-starters and people who use initiative at all times. However, some of the people I bring in are quite young and I cannot really expect them to be ‘oven-ready’. I want to inspire rather than spoon-feed and ensure that an entrepreneurial spirit is alive at every level and not just in my office.
Q.
I run a company of just over 40 people and there has been a good atmosphere since we began trading five years ago. However, some of the leading lights in the company (in personality terms) moved on recently. There was no single reason for these departures, but the result is that the mood in the office is subdued and I am concerned that falling morale could harm results. How can I raise spirits and boost productivity?
Q.
Two people on my company’s board have been having an affair, which until now has been kept a secret from the rest of us. Both are married and their respective partners have found out, which is particularly uncomfortable for everyone as one of them used to work at my company. The affair is over now, however there has been all sorts of unpleasantness between them and gossip is rife all over the company. What should I do?
Q.
I run a company comprised of 80 staff and we rent offi ce space in a nice block in the centre of town. Business is good, however recently we have been hit by a spate of vandalism which can only have been committed by someone I employ. The gents’ toilets have been targeted three times: a urinal has been damaged, glass has been smashed and rubbish tipped on the floor. No-one seems to know anything and managers are struggling to give me the names of anyone who would be suffi ciently disgruntled to do this. What should my next steps be?
Q.
Since setting up five years ago, I have become increasingly dependent on my finance, sales, marketing and creative directors. I don’t want to give up equity but I do want to lock them in as much as possible because I would hate to lose them. What strategy and methods would you suggest to ensure I keep hold of my key players?
Q.
My business is growing very quickly. As a result, it now has twice as many employees as it did a year ago. I used to handle much of the personnel management myself, but it is no longer possible. However, now I’m not sure whether all of my managers are getting the best out of their staff and giving me the quality feedback I need. What strategies can you suggest for managing the managers?
Q.
I run a regional three-store retailing operation, and my cashfl ow is out of control. I prepared budgets at the start of the year, and although sales have been worse than budgeted, my cashflow is a lot worse and I don’t know why. I’ve extended my overdraft at the bank, but now I’m bumping up against my limit again. What should I do?
Q.
My business has, up to now, been selling computer hardware via a call centre. I am now considering becoming more heavily involved in e-commerce, reducing the need for so many call centre staff. How do I best target the redundancies and make an effective transition to different methods of selling?
Q.
I need to install a layer of key management staff in marketing, sales and finance departments. I don’t feel my young motivated staff – who have been brilliant so far – yet have the skills for senior positions or experience of the issues the business is now facing. I intend to headhunt and expect to pay considerable salaries for the right people. How do I ensure I get value for money and that the whole process doesn’t upset and demotivate my existing employees?
Q.
I am one of three directors (all of us are shareholders in the company), one of my fellow directors, the FD and minority shareholder has, after a period of ongoing dispute, requested that we buy him out of the business. Assuming this is the right thing to do how should we go about resolving this situation without causing any undue disruption to the business?
Q.
One of my regional sales managers returned from maternity leave two months ago but is struggling to balance her new life and has requested to go part-time. I’d love to be able to help her, but need someone who’s motivating the sales team and building client relationships fulltime – two voices wouldn’t work. How do I justify saying no without losing goodwill and where do I stand legally?
Q.
I hear a lot about ‘the mobile office’ and am sure I could be operating smarter and more efficiently, but don’t know where to start. Can you give me an idea of the main offerings and what the clear business benefits are? What should my business be looking at? For instance, what are the benefits of WiFi, 3G cards, PDAs, etc?
Q.
I’ve built an industrial components business over the past five years to an £8m turnover. My management team has grown with the business, however I don’t feel they possess the necessary skills or formal training to take it to the next level. Ultimately I would like to step down in the next few years and sell the shares to the management team, retaining a non-executive role on the board. How can I ensure the team is best placed to take the business forward?
Q.
I’ve always been pro-active in motivating staff by making them feel valued. We throw regular parties, subsidise sports teams, back employees to raise money for charity and try and make it a fun place to work. I think we get the money back through having a motivated and dedicated workforce, but my FD is becoming increasingly worried by the rising costs of supporting such activities, especially as we grow in numbers. How do I strike a balance without looking like I’m pulling the fun?
Q.
I’ve been running an online alternative music clothing and accessories company for two years. The company is growing rapidly – turnover this year will be £1.2m – but erratically. I need to bring in an MD to provide some structure and to ensure we’re realising our potential, while I concentrate on new product ranges. I realise it’s a crucial appointment, what do I need to consider?
Q.
The sales force of my IT business operates a profit-related pay scheme. However, although it motivates each person individually, I have found it to be divisive as a way of getting them to work as a unit. How can I implement a pay scheme, which motivates my staff to work for the business as a whole and not just for themselves?
Q.
We’ve recently lost two managers who joined larger companies to ‘fulfil their management ambitions’. It’s made me realise how difficult it is to find and keep good managers. I want to place greater emphasis on developing managers to ensure I retain staff and that they feel they can achieve their goals with us. What is the key to operating a successful development plan?
Q.
I’m recruiting for a new sales director. I’ve got one strong candidate I could appoint from within who desperately wants the job and is more than capable of doing it. However, he’s also my best sales person and I’m concerned about the trade I’ll lose if I take him off direct sales duties. What should I do?
Q.
A fellow director’s husband has been made redundant and she wants us to find a role for him inside our company. I don’t see that he’s got anything to add and am concerned about how it will appear to other members of staff. How do I dissuade her without jeopardising our working relationship?
Q.
My marketing and sales managers have recently announced they’re now a couple. While I have no problem with the relationship itself I’ve noticed their drinks and meals expenses have increased in frequency and I suspect they’ve been taking liberties with company money. They’ve both been assets to the company and I’d be reluctant to lose them, so how do I tackle the issue?
Q.
My only technology guy is working from home three or four days a week. I find it difficult to assess if it’s possible for him to manage our servers and look after the office in this way. I’ve also noticed some IT-related projects are behind schedule. Is he really working or watching too much daytime TV?
Q.
A member of my staff was recently headhunted but decided to reject the offer. However, now they’re asking for more money. I tend to review salaries annually and am worried this will set a precedent, but would also like to reward the employee’s loyalty. What should I do?
Q.
Over the past 12 months there have been a handful of my employees who are generally very good at their jobs, but who have been careless in a number of areas resulting in a financial loss for my company. It’s not a sackable offence, but I would like to ensure it doesn’t happen again. I was wondering whether I’m legally entitled to dock their wages when such mistakes occur?
Q.
I’ve recently made a small number of redundancies in my 85-person company. Morale has noticeably suffered and I‘m looking to refocus my workforce, as despite trimming staff, the company’s revenues are still growing steadily and there’s a danger that productivity will be affected at what is a critical time. What can I do to give them back their impetus and develop the people I’ve already got to take on added responsibilities?
Q.
An ex-employee has alleged racial discrimination over her redundancy. I’m convinced there has been none, but she is trying to take me to an Employment Tribunal over the issue. How can I deal with it or prevent it from happening again?
Q.
We are a successful growing business and are in the top five companies servicing our market. While our products are tried and tested, staff turnover among my sales team is very high. Apart from the sales director we have no one who has been with the business for more than 12 months. How can I go about improving retention?
Q.
We are a 100-strong company with a sales force of 40. I want our office network to be available to all of these remote workers, while they are out on the road. What’s holding me back is the security aspect and the prospect of overpaying for something which is too sophisticated for my needs. How would you recommend I go forward with this?
