4 Legal Issues Your Business Should Look Out For

No matter how successful a business is, nothing is going to exempt it from the laws put in place to protect employees and customers while they work under you. There are a lot of legal issues a business can run into if careless, and not even a team of lawyers could protect you from such huge mistakes. Of course, the kinds of legal trouble you’re at risk of will depend on what kind of business you run. Your business might have hygiene issues if you’re working in the food industry, or danger from faulty machinery if you work within the construction industry.

Wrongful termination

One of the bigger problems that affect all businesses with one or more employees working under them is wrongful termination. When you hire an employee, you’re signing a legal contract that binds them to your business, this is something that can be terminated at any time if you’re able to meet the requirements of what you and said employee agreed before you took them on. In most cases, this will either be terminating them without the correct amount of compensation or notice. If you are going to let someone go, you need to make sure you honour the contract that was formed when you hired them.

Discrimination

Discrimination in the workplace is, unfortunately, something that is still seen today and something that your business can face serious consequences for. There are many times where an employee or customer can find your business discriminatory – and you’ll want to make sure you’re watertight. Whether it’s a customer experiencing it while investing in your business, an employee experiencing it from other colleagues, or even applicants experiencing it in an interview. If your business shows any hint or prejudice to someone based on a disability, race, or sexuality – you could face a discrimination lawsuit.

False advertisement

Marketing is a very competitive environment, with every company trying to one-up their competitors – but even so, you’re not allowed to advertise falsely. If you market your product and lie about what it does, it’s not only going to damage your reputation, but you could find yourself in court. It can be quite complicated to go into detail, but so long as your business does not go out of its way to deceive or make false claims about what your products can or cannot do will have legal consequences.

Workplace safety

Your customers and employees need to feel safe when they’re present in your workplace, and that means making sure you don’t have any safety hazards that are easily accessible. Wet floors need to be appropriately marked with signs, faulty machinery needs to be checked, repaired, or replaced as soon as possible. Firedoors need to be clearly marked and never blocked. Workplace safety is one area of your business that you cannot afford to overlook, as it can cause injuries and stress to your employees. Make sure your workplace has been inspected by a professional, and have routine checks on things like electricals and safety requirements.

The Benefits of Taking Your Employees Outside of the…

Your employees are more than simply cogs that keep your company going, which means that managing employees involves more than just getting as much productivity out of them as possible. You also need to make sure that they’re confident so that they’re comfortable coming to you whenever they have an issue or a suggestion and feel as though they can progress in your company. One of the ways to raise your employees’ confidence is to challenge them in and outside of the office. But there are other reasons to engage with your employees in a different environment.

Employee Engagement

Despite what the common belief is, employee engagement isn’t synonymous with job satisfaction, although both are vital for employee retention. Job satisfaction measures how content employees are in their roles. Employee engagement is more complex.

It’s defined as a measure of how motivated employees are by the work they do, as well as how passionate they are. Employee engagement can also refer to how committed employees are to the company they work for and how well connected they are to their teammates.

There are several ways to improve employee engagement, and you should always aim to do so. However, one of the most effective ways is to arrange for a volunteering effort or some other event for charity. This helps employees to see that they work for a company that cares about more than just the bottom line, but that also aims to improve their local community. 

One important thing about volunteering is that it shouldn’t be compulsory. Otherwise, a potentially well-meaning event can feel sour for your employees. Even a one-off Volunteer Day can boost morale significantly. For the more adventurous in your office, consider looking into charity challenges that your employees can get involved in. 

Build a Great Team

Your employees need to work together to achieve the best results for your company and the customers and clients. A tight-knit team isn’t just more productive, but your employees will prefer working in such an environment and will be more likely to stick around, especially if there are other incentives as well.

There are two ways to go about team-building. You can either arrange an event specifically designed for it, or you could go for a more casual route, merely arranging a meal or a game night. Both of these methods can be very successful and can forge some close-knit teams. Many successful companies, both small and large, use both of these kinds of activities. However, getting out of the office and into a different environment is usually recommended. 

Improve Mental and Physical Health

While some of your employees might not be able or willing to get involved in more physically taxing activities, fostering an environment where they can take care of themselves will benefit both the company and the employee. 

You can encourage employees to improve their health in several ways, but arranging company walks and other outside activities is a great first step. Even being outside is known to help people’s mental and physical well-being, after all. 

3 Ways To Create A Stand Out Nursery

Choosing childcare can be a difficult task for parents. Many parents are terrified about leaving their infant or toddler in the hands of others. By relieving these worries, you can make your daycare centre stand out.

Follow these three suggestions to deliver high-quality care and alleviate any parent’s concerns.

Maintain A Safe And Clean Atmosphere

Naturally, most parents’ primary concern is their children’s safety. When it comes to health, safety and hygiene go hand in hand. Consider the following to keep your environment safe and clean:

• Ensure that all doors are locked. Have a code that only parents and staff have access to. It should be changed on a regular basis.
• Make sure the windows are properly secured.
• Stairwells should be gated at all times.
• Throughout the day, both staff and children should wash their hands. This is especially true before meals and after using the restroom or diapering.
• Disinfect toys on a regular basis. Make a timetable to ensure that this task is not overlooked.
• In the event of an emergency, have a clear routine in place.
• Securely store cleaning supplies and/or drugs.
• Create a separate place for infants (so they don’t get smothered by too affectionate toddlers).
• Each child should have his or her own crib or cot, as well as bedding.
• Have clear allergy procedures in place.
• All employees should be trained in first aid and CPR.
• Meet the minimal child-to-staff ratio requirements. If at all feasible, go above and above this need.
• Walk around your indoor and outdoor location on a regular basis to check for and address any hazards.

Create Policies That Are Consistent

Outline your policies in detail to protect your company and address parent concerns. A frequently updated parent handbook may set your daycare centre apart from the competition. Have parents read and agree to the policies in your handbook before enrolling.

Your government licencing agency will prescribe some of these policies. Even so, conveying them to parents in a clear and concise manner is beneficial. You can also add your own policies to the mix. Consider addressing the following policies:

• Operating hours/daily schedule
• Discipline
• Feeding
• Nutrition and food
• Sleeping
• Curriculum vitae 
• Safety/cleanliness
• Sick-child
• Pick-up (Whose responsibility is it to pick up the child? How do you know if someone is who they say they are?)
• Emergencies
• Parental communication is important.
• Payments and fees

Create A Lesson Plan

Parents want to know that their children aren’t sitting around all day watching TV. Active play, stimulation, and learning are essential for young children. Consider your programmes and daily schedule.

Create activities that stress discovery and play and invest in things such as school playground equipment. These activities should be documented so that parents are aware of what their children are doing on a daily basis. Allow children to play with age-appropriate toys and materials. Allow your youngsters to spend time outside every day.

Young children, of course, should not be over-programmed. However, you should consider how you’ll involve them to appropriate activities each day.

Final Thoughts On Making Your Childcare Center Stand Out

The greatest method to persuade parents to enrol their children in your daycare is to put their minds at ease.

You may make your childcare centre stand out by following these suggestions. Parents will feel at ease and confident in entrusting their children to you!