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Establishing a successful recruitment process and clear written employment contracts for new employees can have a major impact on your business.

Every business needs to be aware of its obligations under minimum wage and equal pay laws, as well as recent pensions auto-enrolment changes.

You must comply with legal restrictions on employees' working hours and time off, or risk claims, enforcement action and even prosecution.

The right employment policies are an essential part of effective staff management. Make sure any policy is clear and well communicated to employees.

While sick employees need to be treated fairly, you need to ensure that 'sickness' is not being used as cover for unauthorised absence.

Most pregnant employees are entitled to maternity leave and maternity pay, while new fathers are entitled to paternity leave and paternity pay.

As well as undermining morale, illegal discrimination can lead to workplace grievances. Employee discrimination is covered by the Equality Act 2010.

Home, remote and lone workers are becoming increasingly commonplace. Key issues include communication and how to manage and motivate people remotely.

The right approach to consulting with and providing information to your employees can improve employee motivation and performance.

Disciplinary and grievance issues can be a major burden to employers. Putting in place and following the right procedures is essential.

Following the right dismissal and redundancy procedures helps protect your business and minimise the risk of a legal dispute at tribunal.

Employment tribunal claims are a worrying prospect for any employer. A tribunal case is a no-win situation – even if the claim is unjustified.

Side hustles take off as Brits look to earn extra cash

18 July 2023

As inflation drives up the cost of living, Brits are increasingly looking for extra sources of income to help make ends meet.

A new survey of 2,000 British workers by Money.co.uk has found that almost a third (31%) already have a side hustle and 42% are considering starting a side hustle. Just 28% say they are not considering a side hustle.

The top reasons for starting a side hustle are:

  • To make more money (70%);
  • To fulfill a passion (24%);
  • As a route towards running a business full-time (18%).

Serial side hustlers are on the rise

A new survey of online entrepreneurs from GoDaddy suggests that the boom in British side hustle culture shows no sign of slowing down, as many people now run more than one side hustle. It has found that 17% of so-called "side hustlers" run more than one business alongside their day job. Of those that have a single side hustle, the data from GoDaddy indicates that a further 42% are considering starting a second.

GoDaddy's research has found a number of key factors driving the push for second side hustles. Just over half (54%) said they were following a passion and wanted to make more money from something they love, while 32% had spotted a gap in the market and an opportunity to make extra money. One in seven (14%) said the extra cash was necessary to cover household expenses.

Three in five (58%) side hustlers said their new venture cost them as little as £500 to start; the average UK side hustle generates £22,900 annually.

Britain's entrepreneurial community could also be getting younger, with four in five (81%) side hustlers aged 18-34. The average age of side hustlers surveyed in the UK is 32, while one in nine (12%) said they had started their first side hustle when aged under 18.

Case Study: Lucy Stone

One serial side hustler who has set up multiple ecommerce businesses is Lucy Stone, owner of Meditation Rocks and Find Your WOW: "I started my first side hustle, Meditation Rocks, during the pandemic, after my meditation live streams began attracting thousands of viewers every day ... I've now launched a second venture, Find Your WOW, which is based on what I've learnt from teaching meditation. To anyone thinking of setting up a second business, it's important keep your eyes open for new opportunities and trust your gut. You never know what will happen in the future so having multiple sources of income can help ensure your longevity."

Written by Rachel Miller.

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