The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has launched a tool to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to manage their employees during times of growth.
Businesses can use the resource to help manage the workforce, build on HR activities that are already proving successful and identify what they can do to support change in the company as the business develops.
The free tool, which is based on recent research from the CIPD, includes an “organisation stock take”, practical exercises, action planning facilities and case study examples.
Dr Jill Miller, research adviser at the CIPD and author of the tool, said: “CIPD research has found that excellent people management helps to cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit that is crucial to SME success.
“However, as an organisation grows, certain challenges arise, particularly when it comes to balancing the need for formal systems and processes with the desire to preserve an innovative culture.”
Miller will also be chairing a session at the CIPD’s annual conference in November on the topic of employee engagement in growing SMEs, which will feature case studies from two HR professionals highlighted in the tool.
Hazel Stimpson, HR manager at Harrod UK, will talk about how the company has transitioned through various stages of growth in recent years, while Lesley Cotton, HR director at P&O Ferries, will share her experiences of establishing people management practices in SMEs.
Small and medium-sized businesses can view the latest relevant HR news and guidance in our SME section.
