It’s just not tennis

It’s July which means Wimbledon is upon us required to sign and hopefully two weeks of glorious tennis their acceptance

In the sunshine! I’m sure that we’ll be treated to more than one on-court drama or tantrum – it’s just not Wimbledon without someone exploding. I don’t think we have anyone with the temper of McEnroe these days, and it’s a long time since I have witnessed racquets being thrown across court in anger – but Wimbledon like many sports, does contain it’s fair share of controversial decision making and vocal, heated exchanges. So who takes control and how?

Well, as in almost all sports, there is an umpire, or a judge/referee. These people are selected for their skills; they are well versed in the rules of tennis and enforce them. All the players should respect tennis etiquette and understand that their game is bound by the rules; similarly, this concept has its parallels in business.

When a company takes on a new member of staff, the latter must be given a set of the “rules”, otherwise known as their terms and conditions of employment. The business owner and managers already know the rules and the employee is required to sign their acceptance of them. This ensures everyone knows what is expected of them, how managers can manage and reward; and how employees will be managed and rewarded.

As well as being good practice, there is also a legal requirement to provide all employees (even your Auntie Lucy or your 3 month temp) with a contract of employment. Whether you have one employee or 25,000, the employment legislation is the same and all companies must ensure that their terms and conditions are not only legal, but appropriate to the size, nature and culture of the business.

Failure to provide the ‘rules of the game’ to employees makes it hard to manage when things go wrong, this can lead to employment tribunals and fines which is why it is so important to get it right!