Small businesses in the UK can apply for a pilot scheme run by the CIPD, Behavioural Insights Team. The scheme offers them up to two free days of high-quality HR consulting support, to improve their recruitment and retention strategies.
The pilot is part a new randomised controlled trial that aims to assess the value of HR consultancy support for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) with between five and 250 workers.
The trial will give valuable insight into how small businesses can improve their management of people and ensure they comply with the new laws.
The UK government has funded the CIPD to develop the trial program. The programme also includes three local HR pilots for SMEs, which are being run by Angus Council, Bournemouth Council, Christchurch and Poole Council, and Tees Valley Combined Authority.
The bespoke HR Support is provided by CIPD qualified HR consultants in the UK. They will work with participating businesses on a flexible basis, as and when required.
Pilots are designed to test whether access to HR support of high quality can help SMEs to improve their recruitment, retention and efforts to improve participation in the labour market. In addition, the evaluation of these pilots will explore whether this type of HR support can improve productivity and business results for participating firms.
Ben Willmott is the head of public policies at the CIPD. The professional body for people development and HR, said that the scheme would meet an urgent need. “Small businesses typically lack access to professional support in HR, which can lead them to miss out on hiring the best candidates or not make the most of their people’s abilities or lose staff without reason.
These pilots will help SMEs establish the foundations for good HR practices in areas like recruitment, job design and flexible working, as well as absence and performance management. These pilots will help to inform government policy about how to provide effective business support in order to improve the people management capabilities of SMEs.
Eva Myers is the director of the Behavioural Intelligence Team. She said, “With the help we hope to recruit in the project, we’ll gain invaluable insight into what works for improving workplace recruitment and retention of staff in an SME environment.”
Among the SMEs that register, 500 randomly selected will receive HR consultancy support. Another 500 will be placed into a control group which will not receive support. All participants receive Amazon vouchers, and have the opportunity to enter a prize draw for a chance to win PS10,000.
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