Buzzing About HR
🎙️ Buzzing About HR
Straight-talking HR for real businesses (the kind where you are doing payroll, sales, and playing therapist before lunch).
From Kate Underwood HR & Training, this podcast makes the people stuff make sense, without the corporate jargon and “synergy” nonsense.
Hosted by award-winning HR expert Kate Underwood, each episode is designed for real life. You know, the moments nobody prepares you for:
- The employee who is brilliant at the job but chaos in the team
- The manager who avoids tough conversations until it turns into a bin fire
- The “it’s only a small issue” grievance that suddenly becomes a formal complaint
- The sickness pattern that is suspiciously linked to Mondays and payday
- The resignation that makes you think, “Wait… what did we miss?”
This is practical HR for small businesses and busy leaders. We talk performance, absence, hiring, retention, culture, motivation, and how to stay on the right side of UK employment law without turning your business into a paperwork museum. Expect straight answers, real examples, and steps you can actually use the same day, not theory that only works in perfect-world HR departments with unlimited budgets.
It’s also a permission slip to lead like a human. Clear standards, fair boundaries, decent communication, and less drama. The goal is a calmer workplace, fewer sleepless nights, and a team that actually wants to stick around.
And yes, Hazel the office dog pops up too, because nothing says “people management” like a judgemental stare from a Wellbeing Officer who has never written a policy in her life.
☕ Start here: Take the FREE HR Health Check and see where your risks (and quick wins) are hiding.
Buzzing About HR
Sack Races, Sangria, and Solicitors: A Summer Party Manual
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Does the phrase “summer party” make you smile… or sweat?
For many small business owners, that one question brings back memories. Some brilliant. Some legally expensive.
In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we talk about summer socials properly. Not as fluffy extras, but as strategic tools when they are done well.
A good team event can strengthen retention more effectively than a small pay rise. It builds genuine employer brand moments that no job advert can fake. It creates social media buzz that lands in trusted networks. For cash-conscious businesses, that makes it less of a cost and more of a smart investment in culture and recruitment.
But let’s be honest. The risks are real.
The Bellman v Northampton Recruitment case is still a stark reminder of how quickly things can escalate. After-party misconduct led to a serious injury and six-figure consequences. That is not a scare tactic. It is a reason to plan properly.
We cover practical safeguards that keep the fun without the fallout. Drink token systems. Clear but friendly expectations. Inclusive planning that considers faith, accessibility and different comfort levels around alcohol. Small tweaks that dramatically reduce risk.
You will also hear real-world cautionary tales. The pool party plunge. Rosé gate. The sunstroke saga. All reminders that good intentions are not a substitute for structure.
And if you are bored of the default boozy barbecue, we explore alternatives that work for every budget. Park picnics. Volunteer mornings. Office bake-offs. Escape rooms. Activities that bring people together without excluding anyone.
Because losing one good employee costs far more than a well-planned event ever will.
If you want to turn your summer social from stress point into strategic advantage, this episode is for you.
Listen, plan smart, and let’s get buzzing about better team events.
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Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!
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Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.
Until next time, keep buzzing and take care of your people!
Hello brilliant business owners. Kate here, iced, flat white firmly in hand, factor 50 firmly on nose and a summer calendar filling faster than my inbox on payroll day. If you're steering a small ship, you already juggle cash flow, customers compliance and the occasional printer tantrum. Now your team is piping up. So are we having a summer party? In the past, that single question has triggered everything from legendary memories to legendary legal bills.
Why Bother With Team Events
Speaker 1Today I'm handing you a summer social playbook designed for real world UK micro firms. You know the kind where the MD answers the phone, fixes the Wi-Fi and still finds herself buying more milk on the way in. Here's what we'll unpack together. Why seasonal fun is worth the faff yes, even with the cost of living monster nipping at your heels. The legal and practical tripwires lurking in sunshine and sangria. Real life horror stories true, anonymised and surprisingly educational. How to run an event when you double as HR, dj and chief dishwasher Inclusive alcohol, optional alternatives that your whole team can genuinely enjoy. A teaser for next week's episode, because when the party photos look that good, you'd better be sure who owns them. Ready Sunny's on deck chairs out, let's buzz One.
Speaker 1Why bother when every penny counts? I know the instinct. You could funnel that budget into a new laptop, an extra Google Ads push or those tyres your van has been begging for since February. But a well-pitched summer social does three things. Money alone can't. 1.1. Retention that outperforms pay rises. Gallup's latest UK engagement snapshot still shows the best friend at work. Effect doubles loyalty. When Claire from Accounts and Jamie from Logistics bond over a disastrous sack race finale, it's measurable magic. Retaining one valued team member for even six extra months dwarfs the outlay of a picnic permit and a stack of sausage rolls.
Essential Legal Safeguards
Speaker 11.2. A genuine employer brand halo. Recruiters can spin phrases like collaborative culture all day, but a single candid Instagram carousel of your team laughing over a wheelbarrow race does the job for you and job seekers look. Linkedin's own survey found 82% of candidates check social feeds before applying. 1.3 free marketing, pure and simple. Brits scroll about 90 minutes of socials daily, ofcom's online nation 2024. Every tweet, story or reel from your barbecue is an ad for your stories, your values, your vibe. Unlike paid campaigns, it lands straight in networks. You could never buy the friends and siblings of employees who already trust your brand by proxy. Combine those three and suddenly that line item labelled summer social looks less like a cost centre and more like the cheapest retention, recruitment and advertising strategy. You'll run all year Two before you plonk down a deposit. The three A words, embold neon. Small businesses rarely get a second chance when things go wrong, so let's future-proof.
Speaker 12.1. Alcohol, pal, pest or polite? No thanks. The risk, vicarious liability. Four years on, bellman v Northampton recruitment is still the case. Every employment lawyer name drops an MD, a brandy-fuelled pep talk, a punch brain injury and a six-figure company payout.
Speaker 1The after party counted as in the course of employment because the boss steered the boat. The fix budget friendly Token system two pretty drink coins per head. When tokens are gone, it's cash. Nobody feels policed. Everyone has a natural break. Feed first, not last. A burger at 6pm keeps Prosecco mischief at Bay. Bonus points for veggie and halal. Instagram-worthy soft options, think seeded cordials, inkilna dispensers, virgin piña colada slushies. They cost pennies but stop sober guests feeling like the boring ones.
Speaker 12.2 Inclusivity More than a buzzword. Your workforce probably spans faiths, dietary rules, neurotypes and melanin ranges. Ahmed doesn't drink for religious reasons. Priya's fasting until sunset during Ramadan. Tom ginger and glorious gets heat stroke in April If your only plan is rooftop 2pm rosé on tap. You've excluded them. Before the RSVPs go out, make space. Provide shade large enough for more than two chairs. Schedule main food for after sunset if you know a chunk of the team is fasting. Offer quiet corners inside for those who find blaring playlists overwhelming.
Real-Life Horror Stories
Speaker 12.3 Accessibility the act you forget. Until the lift breaks Under the Equality Act. Physical or sensory barriers become legal barriers rapidly. That gorgeous rooftop bar loses all charm if your wheelchair-using developer must be hefted up two flights of metal stairs. Ask for photos, floor plans, accessible loos and confirm the lift can't be switched to goods only on event night. One email saves humiliation and potentially an indirect discrimination. Claim Three story time, three true tales, one red face at a time.
Speaker 1Stories stick where policy bullet points slide off. So here we go. Drey Eins pool party plunge, fintech startup bags, a posh hotel. The invitation reads pool side cocktails, but omits pool closed for swimmers. A junior trader, linen suit, bravado the size of London, tries a running bomb. He drags two colleagues in Consequences three drenched iPhones, one cracked wrist. Data loss report £4,800 insurance claim. Hr rewriting the invitation for next year with the line no swimming seriously.
Speaker 13.2, rosé Gate Boutique marketing agency thinks vineyard tour equals classy content. Ceo forgoes the spittoon after tasting three Syrahs and decides to serenade the minibus driver with full Neil Diamond dramatics. A graduate intern films the lot and posts company culture vibes to TikTok thinking. Privacy settings are on Spoiler. They weren't 120k views by Monday. One mortified PR manager and a major client emailing Is this you? 3.3 Sunstroke Saga Eco Charity arranges a beach clean July heatwave.
Speaker 1They pack litter pickers but forget shade water and sun cream. Two volunteers wind up on IV fluids while LinkedIn still brags sustainability. Win. The board meeting next week is tense. Got a whopper of your own, send it my way anonymously, if need be.
Setting Clear Expectations
Speaker 1The best, worst tale earns a bee's knees mug and eternal podcast immortality Four how to set expectations without becoming the fun police. An eight-line email can save eight grand in claims. Keep it light, keep it clear. Subject sunshine, snacks and sensible shoes the 2024 summer social note. We're meeting to relax, laugh and collect Monday morning memories we'll actually want in Slack Respect and dignity rules. Don't clock off at 6pm. Two drink tokens each, mocktails, softs and fancy coffees unlimited.
Managing Events Wearing All Hats
Speaker 1If you see something that feels wrong, creepy, flirting, dodgy chicken nudge your team lead or me. Kate Phones welcome, but ask before you post someone's face Sunscreen, do Bomb dives? Don't See you there. Sun, that covers harassment, alcohol safeguarding and social media consent. All without a single hereinafter referred to as. Send it with the calendar, invite and ask for a quick thumbs up. Read it Voila Friendly vibe, documented compliance.
Speaker 15. Wearing every hat at once HR, dj and Chief Hygiene Monitor. 5.1. Before anybody arrives, do a 10-minute reconnaissance Wobble. Check every railing. Confirm a vegan burger actually exists. Check epipens are nearby. If someone has nut allergies. Locate the first aid kit and ensure plasters are present, not pilfered.
Speaker 1For last week's paper cut Brief. Your party sheriffs Could be supervisors. Could be that level-headed senior who never loses their cool. Their three rights slow someone's drinking book a taxi. Escalate to you early if creeper vibes appear.
Speaker 15.2. During the bash Float, don't patrol. I carry tonic and lime. It looks like gin keeps me clear-headed. I rotate, chat, laugh, scan for red flags like rising voices or a jug rapidly emptying into one person's glass. Deploy water and wonder if you suspect trouble. Let's grab some water and check out the view from over there. Diffuses, distracts, preserves dignity.
Speaker 15.3. If it still derails Separate participants. If it still derails Separate participants, get them to a quiet spot. Jot a quick timeline in your phone notes who, what, when For harassment. Promise quick follow-up and deliver Monday, ideally after an initial fact-find call over the weekend. If it's serious Medical issue, call 999. If needed, then note paramedic names. 10 minutes of documentation. Monday will rescue you if insurers or solicitors knock in six months. And yes, you're allowed to enjoy yourself. Just stop at pleasantly merry, never viral meme starring the boss.
Alcohol-Free Summer Event Ideas
Speaker 1Six Summer fun that isn't a boozy barbecue, because not everyone loves alcohol or sunburn and, frankly, variety keeps things fresh. Picnic and rounders hire a local park pitch. Bring your own blankets, supermarket picnic platters, rounders, bat from amazon. Low cost, high, high nostalgia. Accidental exercise volunteer morning plus ice cream. Van team litter pick or garden revamp wrap with a Mr Whippy parked out front.
Speaker 1Staff get feel-good endorphins. Your socials get wholesome content. Office bake-off Everyone gets 90 minutes, a basic recipe base and one mystery ingredient. Local hospice sends two volunteers to judge. Leftover cake goes right back with them. Sugar plus charity equals halo.
Final Thoughts and Next Week
Speaker 1Family Fun Day, bouncy Castle, giant Jenga Face Paint Station. Kids meet colleagues, families and employees with caring responsibilities don't have to book another babysitter. Escape room showdown indoors, air conditioned. Teams of five race for bragging rights. Watching your usually shy administrator dominate the puzzle circuit is priceless. Rotate events through the year so every personality gets at least one occasion. They absolutely love. Final pep talk A carefully thought out summer social is cheaper than losing one good employee, louder marketing than any sponsored post and infinitely more memorable than yet another quarterly numbers call Give your people genuine choice.
Speaker 1Mocktails matter. A two-page ground rule note and at least one sober head on duty. You'll wrap with golden memories. Brand boosting photos and zero legal letters Next week on Buzzing About HR. Those photos and tiktoks you just captured, their content and content equals intellectual property. Who actually owns that gorgeous drone shot of your marquee? Or the slow-mo burger flip your apprentice posted? Next episode we'll dive into IP for small businesses the contracts, the consents and the pound signs you can unlock or accidentally lose if you don't lock it down right. Until then, plan smart, party safe and keep buzzing Beep.
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