Previously, we looked at what steps businesses should take to prepare for Brexit. This month, we explore what business owners ought to think about if they need to have a difficult conversation with an employee.

There will be a time for all employers when they will need to have difficult conversations with one or more of their employees. For example, an employee may have been underperforming, taking a lot of time off sick or concerns may have arisen over their conduct. In all cases, it is important to be tactful and plan ahead.

A lack of available finance options is holding back business growth during a key period of transition for the economy, a new report has revealed.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which published the analysis, said “restricted access” to alternative finance options is “restricting UK economic growth” just weeks before the country is set to leave the EU.

The Government has proposed new measures to tackle the issue of late payments to small businesses by larger companies who abuse their position in the market.

The proposals include measures to empower trade bodies to highlight best and worst practices in payment behaviour in order to deliver practical improvements and forms part of the modern Industrial Strategy which looks to help small businesses to grow and expand.

New licensing rules due have now taken effect, which will require some 177,000 UK landlords to apply for House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licences.

The changes come as part of plans to ‘broaden’ the definition of a HMO in the eyes of the law, which has effectively introduced a number of new minimum requirements for landlords who let out multiple-occupancy properties.