Buzzing About HR
🎙️ Buzzing About HR
Straight-talking HR for the people doing payroll, sales and playing workplace therapist before lunch.
If you run a UK small business, or you're the HR-of-one trying to keep the wheels on, this podcast is for you.
No corporate jargon.
No "synergy."
Just real answers to the people's problems no one warned you about.
Hosted by award-winning HR expert Kate Underwood, each episode tackles the moments small business owners actually face:
- The employee who's brilliant at the job and causes chaos in the team
- The manager who avoids hard conversations until they turn into a bonfire
- The "small issue" grievance that suddenly becomes a formal complaint
- The sickness pattern is suspiciously linked to Mondays and payday
- The resignation that makes you think, " What did we miss?"
You'll get plain-English UK employment law, practical advice on performance, absence, hiring and retention, and grown-up culture conversations, all usable the same day. No theory. No paperwork museums. No advice that only works in big HR departments with unlimited budgets.
This is also a permission slip to lead like a human. Clear standards. Fair boundaries. Decent communication. 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" quite like a judgmental stare from a Wellbeing Officer who's never written a policy in her life.
☕ Start here: take the FREE HR Health Check and see where your risks and your quick wins are hiding.
New episodes every Tuesday.
Buzzing About HR
From Cake Crumbs To Fair Perks: How To Spend HR Budget Where It Works
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In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we are talking about employee perks and whether they are genuinely helping your team or just papering over bigger problems.
Because let’s be honest. A birthday cake, a shiny wellbeing app, or a ping-pong table is not going to fix poor pay, bad workload planning, or a manager who never says thank you.
So this episode is about getting perks right.
We start with the obvious but often ignored truth. Pay has to be right before perks can really do their job. If the basics are off, the extras will not land the way you hope they will.
From there, I walk through a simple, practical framework for choosing workplace benefits that actually help people work and live better, without draining your budget. We talk about the small health perks that often matter more than flashy platforms, like flu jabs, eye tests, and access to a real human when someone needs support.
We also talk about time as a benefit. Flexible working where it is possible. The odd paid life admin hour. Small changes that can make life feel more manageable without creating chaos.
Then there is the money side. Not huge expensive packages, but practical support like late-shift meals, safe travel home, and discounts people will actually use.
I also cover the compliance bits people often miss. Tax treatment. National Minimum Wage issues. And the risks of changing contractual perks without properly checking what you are allowed to do.
Most importantly, I share a simple playbook. Ask people what they would actually use. Pick one or two things. Trial them. Track whether they are used and whether they are useful. Keep it fair. Keep it clear. And skip the gimmicks that sound fun but do absolutely nothing for retention or morale.
If you are trying to build a better benefits offer without buying random shiny stuff in a panic, this episode is for you.
Subscribe, share it with a manager who loves a gimmick, and leave a review telling us the best and worst perk you have ever seen.
If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.
And if you do it before 30th October 2026 you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead.
That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.
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If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.
Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.
Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, or follow along on social.
Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.
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