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SME

There is no universally accepted definition of a “small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).

However, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BIS) and the European Union (EU) define a small enterprise as one with fewer than 50 employees and a medium-sized enterprise as one with at least 50 but fewer than 250 employees.

Large enterprises have 250 or more employees.


    • Construction
    • Hospitality
    • Latest News

    Number of SMEs hiring staff in decline

    by Rob Moss 10 Apr 2025
    by Rob Moss 10 Apr 2025

    SME hiring falls from 24% of companies in Q4 2024 to 20% in Q1 2025, while 17% have cut back on staff, according to the BCC.

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Labour market

    Employment Rights Bill will ‘wreak havoc’, say small firms

    by Rob Moss 20 Feb 2025
    by Rob Moss 20 Feb 2025

    Day-one unfair dismissal and sick pay rights among small firms' greatest concerns about Employment Rights Bill, FSB survey shows.

    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • SME
    • Personnel Today Awards

    IRIS Software Group packages the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (smaller employers) 2024 Award

    by Jo Faragher 20 Nov 2024
    by Jo Faragher 20 Nov 2024

    Partnerships with the likes of the Prince's Trust demonstrated IRIS's commitment and vision, found the judges. We look at their winning entry and those of our other highly commended finalists.

    • Coaching and mentoring
    • Latest News
    • HR practice

    CIPD launches HR support pilot scheme for SMEs

    by Adam McCulloch 7 Oct 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 7 Oct 2024

    The UK-wide pilot is part of a new randomised control trial designed to evaluate the value of providing HR consultancy support to small and medium-sized enterprises.

    • Learning management systems
    • Employee engagement
    • Career development

    Addressing the widening skills gaps in mid-sized organisations (webinar)

    by Rob Moss 3 Oct 2024
    by Rob Moss 3 Oct 2024

    ON-DEMAND | Watch our webinar on how L&D teams can manage rich learning resources to boost productivity and foster employee engagement.

    • Apprenticeships
    • Latest News
    • SME

    Government to pay full apprenticeship cost for SMEs

    by Jo Faragher 18 Mar 2024
    by Jo Faragher 18 Mar 2024

    The government will announce a suite of apprenticeship reforms aimed at making it easier for small businesses to recruit and fund apprentices.

    • Apprenticeships
    • CIPD
    • Latest News

    Small business apprenticeships plummet

    by Jo Faragher 31 Oct 2023
    by Jo Faragher 31 Oct 2023

    Small business apprenticeship starts have dropped by almost half since the apprenticeship levy was introduced.

    • Financial wellbeing
    • Employee engagement
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion

    Employee Benefits Awards 2022 deadline fast approaching

    by Zoe Wickens 6 Jan 2022
    by Zoe Wickens 6 Jan 2022

    Time is running out to enter the Employee Benefits Awards 2022, in association with Aon, as the extended entry deadline...

    • IR35
    • Latest News
    • SME

    More than half of small employers still to tackle IR35

    by Jo Faragher 8 Sep 2021
    by Jo Faragher 8 Sep 2021

    More than half of small businesses are yet to adhere to IR35 “off-payroll” regulations, according to a survey by accounting...

    • Legal sector
    • SME
    • HR Podcasts

    Deliveroo-inspired legal services: Merlie Calvert talks to Oven-Ready HR

    by Chris Taylor 23 Jul 2021
    by Chris Taylor 23 Jul 2021

    This week, Oven-Ready HR returns to the SME and start-up market. Professional services such as legal advice are notoriously expensive...

    • Latest News
    • HR strategy
    • Recruitment & retention

    Oven-Ready HR Reheated: Steve Browne, Marc Effron and more

    by Chris Taylor 7 May 2021
    by Chris Taylor 7 May 2021

    The second compilation of podcast interviews includes Steve Browne, Marc Effron, Emma Jones and Aoife Martin.

    • Corporate governance
    • Latest News
    • HR strategy

    Investors influence HR practice in small businesses

    by Jo Faragher 21 Apr 2021
    by Jo Faragher 21 Apr 2021

    Small businesses that have received investment tend to adopt the HR and management practices of their external backers, according to research.

    • Latest News
    • HR practice
    • HR strategy

    Enterprise Nation: Emma Jones talks to Oven-Ready HR

    by Chris Taylor 1 Mar 2021
    by Chris Taylor 1 Mar 2021

    As the captain of Enterprise Nation – a vibrant community of small businesses and business advisers – Emma Jones CBE...

    • Benefits
    • Coronavirus
    • Latest News

    Coronavirus only proves that SMEs need employee benefits

    by Steve Herbert 24 Sep 2020
    by Steve Herbert 24 Sep 2020

    Employee benefits have already proven their worth during the Covid-19 pandemic, but Steve Herbert believes they’ll become more important to...

    • Absence
    • Coronavirus
    • Employee relations

    Coronavirus: What employers need to know (webinar)

    by Personnel Today 19 Mar 2020
    by Personnel Today 19 Mar 2020

    ON-DEMAND | As the true impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic becomes apparent, employers are facing...

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