Sir Tom Hunter and Lord Willie Haughey have underlined how human resources support and employment law advice can help businesses succeed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Phoning into the virtual boardroom of the Go Radio Business Show With Hunter & Haughey, Billy Muir, director of LBJ consultants, had asked the entrepreneurs for their thoughts on the subject, as his company offers outsourced services to small and medium-sized companies throughout Scotland.

Sir Tom said: “I think it’s really important when you’re growing as a business. HR and employment law advice is something that sometimes just gets swept under the carpet because the busy entrepreneur doesn’t quite have time or doesn’t quite know the ins and the outs.

“I think this service as an outsource to a small and growing business really is

a huge benefit. I would say this is a vital service. These days, if you get this stuff wrong, it can cost an entrepreneur thousands of pounds.”

Lord Haughey agreed, adding: “Small businesses probably can’t afford to

have their own HR and employment lawyer so this service, as an outsourced offering, is vital.

“I would encourage every small business, medium, or start-up, straight away, the minute that you employ anyone, to make sure you have that expertise fully covered.

“I think to buy it in when you need it, when you’re still a small business, is definitely the way to do it before you build up and grow larger... and you have to take new people on.

“I remember back in the day when I took on my very first HR person – now I think there’s a whole floor for them. It’s absolutely vital that SMEs have that expertise at hand.”