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Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.

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

What particular regulations do specific types of business (such as a hotel, or a printer, or a taxi firm) need to follow? We explain some of the key legal issues to consider for 200 types of business.

While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.

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.

Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.

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

Marketing matters. Marketing drives sales for businesses of all sizes by ensuring that customers think of their brand when they want to buy.

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

Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.

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

Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.

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

With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.

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

As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.

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.

Intellectual property (IP) isn't solely relevant to larger businesses or those involved in developing innovative new products: all products have IP.

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

Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.

From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.

Employees demand change on diversity, equality and inclusion

6 December 2022

An international survey of workers has found that organisations and businesses need to do more to create inclusive workplaces.

Kantar has surveyed 13,000 employees in order to benchmark the progress being made on diversity, equality and inclusion in the workplace. Its findings reveal that 46% of employees are demanding that their employers do more to drive systemic change in diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI).

The research study focused on 24 sectors in 13 countries - Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, UK, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, USA. The Kantar Inclusion Index ranks the most inclusive countries and industries, by measuring employees' lived experiences, evaluating a sense of belonging and the presence of discrimination and negative behaviour.

It finds that the Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, Spain and Canada have the most inclusive workplaces. However, inclusivity has worsened in eight countries, including the UK, USA and Italy. Personal services, such as hairdressing and beauty salons, is the most inclusive sector. The entertainment industry, together with agriculture and fishing, are the least inclusive industries.

The findings reveal that a quarter of respondents globally are likely, or highly likely, to leave their company based on lack of inclusion and/or discrimination experienced - this rises to 34% for those under 35 and 39% for those identifying as LGBTQ+.

On a positive note, 71% of respondents say their company is actively taking steps to be more diverse and inclusive and 46% of respondents say that they have personally benefitted from DEI initiatives in their organisation.

Commenting on this year's Index, Nadach Musungu, inclusion lead at Kantar, said: "The data shows that we're not seeing the anticipated growth on inclusion, but that is not to say DEI has lost its importance in the workplace. Rather, employees' expectations on DEI are shifting, what was good in 2019 no longer is enough in 2022."

"In the midst of the great resignation, and fight for the best talent, companies cannot fail to act, as this may result in employees voting with their feet."

Other key findings show that:

  • One in two respondents who identify as disabled feel that opportunities to progress have been restricted by senior colleagues;
  • One in four respondents from an ethnic minority report having been made to feel uncomfortable in the workplace;
  • 33% of those who identify as LGBTQ+ say they have been bullied and undermined at work;
  • Almost half of women (49%) have experienced colleagues taking sole credit for shared efforts.

Written by Rachel Miller.

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