HR Dept Exeter

15/07/2026

Today is World Youth Skills Day.

We’re celebrating the value of developing young talent. From work experience to apprenticeships, giving young people the chance to build skills helps businesses, individuals and communities thrive.

At The HR Dept, we support SMEs in creating these opportunities, to help to build and develop stronger teams for the future.

15/07/2026

The news cycle moves so quickly this may already be in the back of your mind. But in mid-June the Department of Work and Pensions published a shocking report. At its heart was the fact that one million young people (16-24) were NEET; that’s Not in Employment, Education or Training.

While that is not your problem directly (it is all of society’s), you could be part of the solution. Let’s be honest though, the Government are not making it easy for you! They have continued driving the minimum wage upwards as well as making employers’ national insurance more burdensome; to name but two challenges.

In our latest blog, we explain how to manage this:https://www.hrdept.co.uk/knowledge-hub/blog/a-neet-move-hiring-younger-workers

14/07/2026

Employer's often have many questions to ask when it comes to managing long-term employee absence.

We've answered some of these in this infographic.

10/07/2026

As a business owner, the school summer holidays can put your management skills, communication and business planning to the test.

In our latest blog, we explain how to navigate this period successfully.

08/07/2026

There are many stages of parenthood, each presenting different challenges to the working mum or dad. From sleepless nights early on to the financial pressures of a growing family.

One challenge that is near impossible to avoid (for many, many years) is how to care for school-aged children during the endless school summer holidays. For the majority of the year, the routine is set – drop the children off before 9am, facilitate a 3pm-ish pick up (or use an afterschool club to cover the time until a 9-5 finishes).

But for at least six weeks over summer, that goes out of the window, and far more extensive daytime childcare is called for. These have just commenced in Scotland. England and Wales will not be far behind.

That said, your employees have accepted the job and what it entails (as well as accepting family life), and ultimately it is up to them to make it work. You are there to run a business not play social worker – but you’ll still care.

In our latest blog, we explain how to manage this:

There are many stages of parenthood, each presenting different challenges to the working mum or dad. From sleepless nights early on to the financial…

07/07/2026

Managing long-term absence can be difficult, so we've put together an employer's checklist to help navigate these scenarios effectively.

03/07/2026

While the focus is often on how candidates should prepare for interviews, it’s just as important for employers to get it right too in order to secure the best talent for their business.

This infographic explains how you can do this.

01/07/2026

Wimbledon is being served up to us over the next fortnight. The preparation that the competitors subject themselves to as elite athletes is an example to all.

“Fail to prepare. Prepare to fail.” as the saying goes. In the business world, job interviews are a case in point – for you the employer, as well as candidates.

While it may be unsuccessful candidates with a feeling of failure after an interview, the jeopardy can be just as real for you: missing out on your first choices because you didn’t make a good enough impression; choosing poorly because you did not probe sufficiently.

We discuss this further in this week's blog:

Wimbledon is being served up to us over the next fortnight. The preparation that the competitors subject themselves to as elite athletes is an example to…

27/06/2026

Today, we’re celebrating the incredible contribution of micro, small, and medium-sized businesses across the globe.

At The HR Dept, supporting small businesses is at the heart of what we do. We’re proud to work alongside them every day, helping them grow, thrive, and succeed.

26/06/2026

For hard-pressed SMEs, getting inclusion right can sometimes feel like walking a tightrope.

In this infographic, we explore why inclusion is so important and the key considerations businesses should be making.