In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we are talking about that moment every small business owner dreads. The kettle is on, payroll is tight, and an email lands with a counteroffer attached. July has a habit of doing this. Budgets are already set, cover is thin, and suddenly, competitors are dangling a bit more money or a promise of Fridays off.Instead of panic-matching and accidentally setting fire to your pay structure, I walk you through a calm, repeatable way to make fair pay decisions that keep good people without breaking trust across the rest of the team.We start with equal pay in plain English. Same work, similar work or work of equal value means the same pay. And when someone says “the market rate”, I explain what evidence actually looks like and why gut feel does not count.From there, I take you through a simple decision flow you can use every single time. Pause and set a review date. Check the legal baseline. Be clear about the reason for any change. Look at who sits around that role already. Sense check gender pay risk. No drama, just structure.We then talk about choosing the right tool for the situation. Sometimes it is a short-term retention payment. Sometimes it is moving the rate for the role and bringing everyone who meets the bar with it. Sometimes it is a step up with clear expectations, or a temporary allowance with a start and end date. The key is matching the solution to the problem, not just throwing money at the loudest moment.I also call out the traps that cause chaos if you are not careful. Pay compression that quietly demotivates team leads. Secret pay rises that turn into a queue. And the dangerous pattern where threatening to leave becomes the only way people feel valued.You will hear practical manager scripts you can use straight away, a quick cost check to compare matching versus replacing, and real-world examples that show how to keep one person without triggering a chain reaction. The aim is deliberately boring. Boring, fair and repeatable is what keeps businesses safe.If you run a small business or you are the HR team of one, this episode gives you a toolkit you can use today to bring daylight to pay decisions, reduce risk and stop rumours before they start. Thank you for tuning in to Buzzing About HR with Kate Underwood!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—your feedback helps us grow and reach more people like you. Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on [email protected] or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates. Until next time, keep buzzing and take care of your people!

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