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How you and your company can avoid litigation
Running your own business is fun, liberating and (hopefully) profitable. No two days are the same and it’s a great feeling knowing that all your hard work is paying off. However, one way to really knock your business’s success and growth is the possibility of a lawsuit. Any kind of legal action can have serious repercussions to individuals in your business – including yourself as well as the damage to your companies reputation. Something which no business owner wants to compromise.
As a business owner it’s imperative that you take steps to protect yourself, your employees and your business from the distressing results of legal action as well as the financial implications, which can often be enough to sink a small business. Read on for some simple and straightforward ways you can protect your company and avoid litigation.
Due diligence
In business, health and safety is king. And as a business owner and employer you are legally obliged to create a safe environment for both your employees and your customers. You need to identify potential risks and then take appropriate steps to reduce those risks. From high visibility jackets to signage – even down to the less important ones like arrow traffic signs – all of this is your responsibility. It’s also imperative that your staff have the right training! Ensure everything is well documented and you’re up to date with the latest in healthy and safety law.
Insist on company policies and procedures
Workplace policies and procedures, when drafted well, can be a real asset in avoiding any legal action. Ensure that your workforce understand the importance of these procedures and policies and make sure any new staff members are well aware of their importance too. Job manuals and even employee handbooks are a simple yet effective method in ensuring all your procedures are implemented and your staff can do their jobs well.
Keep everyone in the loop
Avoiding conflict in the workplace and with your clients and customers is something all business owners want to avoid. The solution? Keep everyone in the loop. Whether that’s informing them of rising costs, budgets, even HR issues – dissatisfaction from your employees often stems from a lack of communication from those at the top. Ensure any queries are dealt with, reply to emails, return phone calls promptly. Respecting your workforce and clients by keeping them in the know is a positive step towards avoiding legal action.
Think about who you want to do business with
As its your business, it’s your choice whom you do business with, or employ. You’re within your rights to ask a referral source or even do a simple internet search to check out potential employees, customers and clients. If the person in question is tied up in lots of disputes or has a reputation for “issues”, then it might be best to avoid them. Ask yourself, are they the type of client you want to work with? Or are they the type of person you want to have representing your business?
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