Forrest Insights

In my Tunbridge Wells Business magazine column this month, I discuss staff appraisals. As we approach the end of the year, many businesses will begin turning their attention to them. But they needn’t feel daunting — with the right approach, they can become one of the most valuable tools for growth and communication in your business. Appraisals in the workplace are important because they provide structured feedback, recognise achievements, and identify areas for development.

Changing Roles: Getting It Right As people grow within a business, their roles often grow with them. Sometimes, responsibilities shift for other reasons — such as new industry regulations, internal restructuring, or covering for someone on maternity leave. Whatever the reason, it’s important that any changes to an employee’s role are handled correctly. Employers should ensure adjustments are clearly discussed, agreed upon, and properly documented to protect both the business

In my Tunbridge Wells Business magazine column this month, I thought it would be interesting to reflect on a recent employment tribunal case, whereby an employee was compensated, following verbally insulting her bosses. The tribunal ruled that calling a boss a “d**khead” is not necessarily a sackable offence, finding office manager, Kerrie Herbert was unfairly dismissed. The incident occurred during a heated meeting in May 2022. Herbert, who earned £40k a year at Main Group

Why AI Can't Replace Expertise? AI can be helpful – but be cautious of its limitations.   A recent survey indicates that an increasing number of people are turning to AI for employment-related matters. It may feel tempting to let it draft your disciplinary, grievance or performance procedures. But AI isn’t a substitute for expertise. The reality is that AI can’t fully understand your business, your culture, or the unique circumstances of each situation. It can miss context an

Our Introduction to Management Online Course is designed to give managers practical, easy-to-apply strategies. Across two half-day sessions, they’ll learn how to lead with confidence, set SMART objectives, coach their teams, and deliver results.

Following on from the July newsletter - we discuss ergonomics in action with our partners at Humanscale, explain how we can help with grievance or disciplinary procedures and much more.