August is the perfect time to plan for September
There’s something about September. It’s a great kickstart month.
Summer vacations are winding down, kids are heading back to school, and Q4 is just around the corner.
So, what’s your focus for the next couple of months?
3 questions to ask yourself now
- What does your team actually need to focus on between September and the end of the year?
- What will tell you whether you’re making progress?
- How will you know if this quarter’s been successful?
These are simple questions, but they help you to cut through the noise to focus on what actually matters for your business.
From an HR point of view, here are some things you could work on:
- Check your employment terms and handbook – so you know, once and for all, that you’re not unknowingly non-compliant.
- Setup clear sick leave policies now – sickness tends to spike in November. Get ahead now to avoid a productivity crash later.
- Focus on employee engagement – employees are most likely to resign after summer and January. Time to keep them engaged now.
Need help with turning your ideas into action? Get in touch for a confidential chat today.
Latest news stories
Are your parental leave policies helping or hurting retention?
In the US, many new parents receive limited or no paid time off. This is pushing families into debt or forcing early return to work.
Employers offering better support are seeing stronger staff loyalty as a result.
We understand that fully paid leave might not be realistic for every business, but there are other ways to make things easier.
Flexible return plans, or even just being understanding about medical appointments, can make a real difference to how supported people feel.
Your managers might be the cause and the cure of team burnout
Nearly 60% of managers finish each day feeling completely drained, with two-thirds showing signs of real burnout.
When your managers are stressed out and overwhelmed, it becomes a team problem.
Some basic leadership coaching can be the best way to help managers to reset. It could even improve performance, reduce sick days and boost retention.
If you’re seeing stress spread through the business, let us give your managers hands-on support with managing workload and improving communication.
Why one ‘quick’ layoff cost $30,000
Recently, a woman was laid off during a video call on her day off. The company called it a ‘catch up’ meeting and gave her no warning as to what was going to happen.
She sued and was awarded $30,000 after the court found that the process caused avoidable harm. She had no advance notice and the company failed to take her mental health into account.
We haven’t included this to scare you, but it is a gentle reminder that cutting corners on process can be costly, even with the best intentions.
How to handle impulsive resignations
Someone storms out of a meeting saying “That’s it, I quit”.
Is that legally binding, or can you treat it as a heat-of-the-moment outburst?
The legal position
In most states, employment is at will, which means that employees can resign at any time, including verbally, with or without notice.
But if someone quits in the middle of an emotional outburst, courts sometimes treat it as a “heat-of-the-moment” resignation and employers who accept it without follow-up can risk wrongful termination claims or complications with unemployment benefits.
The key is whether the resignation was clear, voluntary and genuinely intended. Context matters more than the exact words.
What to do
- Don’t react right away. Avoid accepting their resignation on the spot.
- Give them space to cool off. Let emotions settle before doing anything formal.
- Follow up in writing. Ask them to confirm whether they intended to resign. Keep it factual.
- Document everything. Save their original words, your response, their reply. You’ll need records if this escalates.
The follow-up conversation
“Yesterday was clearly difficult. Did you mean to resign, or were you just frustrated?”
This gives them a chance to explain what they meant and protects you legally if they later claim they never resigned.
Most people will either confirm they meant it or admit they were just venting. Either way, you’ll know where you stand.
Need help with a tricky employment situation? Get in touch for a confidential chat about how we can support your business.
Q&A
Do I need to document every time someone gets a raise?
Yes, you should always document it. The key thing is either getting it in writing or in one of your company’s HR/Pay systems. Most merit increases are discussed as part of an employee’s annual performance review, so it should be included during the review and documented in the performance review document or summary. If nothing else, even a quick email saying “Following our conversation, your salary is increasing to $X from [date]” creates a clear record and protects both of you if there’s confusion later.
Can I legally reduce someone’s hours if business is slow?
Employees who work at will are usually not guaranteed a set number of hours per week. Unless you’re covered by a collective bargaining agreement or a specific employment contract, then an employer can often reduce hours if business needs dictate.
There may be differences in reducing hours for salaried employees versus employees who are paid hourly.
Either way, it’s worth getting some advice before you make any changes – there are ways to handle this properly that protect you and your team.
How do I handle it if two employees are in a relationship?
You don’t need to ban workplace relationships – they happen and people are allowed to have personal lives. What matters is how it impacts the workplace.
If one person manages the other, or they’re involved in employment decisions that affect each other, you’ll want to step in, as that type of reporting relationship is usually not permitted due to the perception of favoritism.
A simple policy, such as a nepotism or romantic relationships policy, about disclosing relationships and avoiding conflicts of interest, can help to set expectations and protect the business.
The key is making sure things stay professional and the rest of the team feels that everything is fair.
