Tools and templates | Be The Business | A more productive economy driven by inspired business leadership

Activities to re-engage your workforce

Introducing fun and rewarding activities is a good way to boost employee engagement.

Are your employees proud of your business?

You may be proud of your business, but do your employees feel the same?

Best practices for your internal communications strategy

Communicating with your business isn't just about the odd email.

Bringing about successful change in your business

Strategy helps leaders turn plans into action, but success rests on the implementation.

Building a development roadmap

Development roadmaps plan out the steps you need to take to develop a new product or service. Use this helpful template to get started.

Building a network from scratch

Building a network allows you to access advice and guidance from other business leaders and experts. Use our checklist to get started.

Building your mindset to trust your team

If you can develop a trusting mindset with your team you’ll be able to work more effectively and empower the people around you.

Calculate how much time you’re spending on tasks

Download our template to calculate how much time you’re spending on tasks and whether you are adding value in the right areas.

Check employees have everything they need when delegating

Successful delegation is all in the preparation. Work through our checklist when delegating tasks to make sure employees have everything they need to complete the work to a high standard.

Completing a cost analysis for new technology

Before purchasing new technology, understand the costs involved and what other support or resources are needed using our cost analysis template.

Conducting a business health check

A business health check is a simple way to evaluate the strength of critical elements like cash flow, systems and staff performance.

Conducting a skills gap analysis

Use our free skills gap analysis checklist to determine the key skills missing from your organisation.

Conducting an online competitor analysis

An online competitor analysis is a quick and useful way to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the online presence of your competitors.

Conducting one-to-ones with employees

Using a template for employee one-to-ones, like this one from Bristol University, will help to make sure each meeting is as effective as possible.

Creating a customer feedback survey

Use this customer feedback survey to gauge how customers feel about your product or service and find ways to improve.

Creating a data strategy for your business

A data strategy outlines how data will be organised and used effectively in your business. Our checklist walks you through each step of the process.

Creating a monthly routine to set goals and assess progress against long-term objectives

Developing a monthly goal-setting routine allows you to check your progress against long-term objectives and reflect on any changes you need to make.

Creating a more inclusive work environment

Consistently reviewing your work environment, communication and processes is a good way to overcome barriers and create a more inclusive workplace.

Creating a new customer persona

Customer personas give you a better understanding of the needs and challenges of people who might buy from you. Use this template from HubSpot to create a persona for a new target customer.

Creating a short-term cash flow forecast

During unpredictable times, it can be useful to create a short-term cash flow forecast. Use this template to develop a daily forecast.

Creating a SWOT analysis for your own business

Use our free SWOT analysis template to define your company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Creating a technology strategy for your business

Creating a technology strategy using our template – rather than implementing tech ad-hoc – makes it more sustainable and creates opportunities for growth.

Creating and maintaining a financial forecast

Our free template will help you prepare and maintain a financial forecast, including profit and loss and cash flow.

Defining your company's core values

This guide to establishing your company's core values is packed with expert tips.

Delegation is all part of being a good leader

Delegating tasks to staff may be tricky, but it has benefits for both you and your employees.

Developing an employee feedback survey

Employee feedback surveys can be used to measure engagement or assess processes like onboarding or career development.

Developing your unique selling point from scratch

Defining your unique selling point (USP) provides clarity about where your business sits in the market and the problem it can solve for customers.

Discussing difficult behaviour with an employee

It's important to tackle challenging employees as soon as possible.

Employee appraisal feedback survey template

Whether done anonymously or not, use a survey template from industry experts the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) to find out what your employees think about the way they are appraised – from timing and frequency to career development

Employee appraisals handbook template

Use expert advice from Personio, including what it believes are the eight phases of a performance review, to create your own standardised appraisal system that supports the personal development of your team.

Employee onboarding handbook template

Use a helpful template compiled by Personio to create a new onboarding handbook for your business – from the moment a job offer is accepted to looking back on the first few months.

Employee onboarding – tips on what to do and not do

A great onboarding experience gives new starters the tools they need to succeed, but there are plenty of common mistakes to avoid.

Establish a rewards programme

Establishing a rewards programme gives leaders an effective way to recognise great performance and keep staff motivated. Follow these tips from recruitment agency Venturi to create your own programme.

Finding skills gaps in your leadership team

Completing a skills gap exercise, like the one in our template, will rate your leadership team’s ability to perform against key competencies.

Creating a successful employee incentive programme

Create an incentive programme that will strike the right chord with your employees and benefit your business.

Getting employee feedback on management

Gathering feedback from employees helps managers to develop their skills and grow. This simple survey template used by Google is a great place to start.

Getting to the root cause of a problem

If you’ve identified a problem in your business, it’s important to get to the root cause before you take action.

Hiring and onboarding employee survey template

Find out what your existing employees liked and disliked about the way they were hired and onboarded by using a survey template from experts Bamboo HR.

Holding yourself accountable to goals as a leader

Your goals are crucial to moving the business forward, but it can be hard to stay focused. Our checklist will help you build a structure.

How to build a positive company culture

Discover the steps you need to take to create a positive company culture.

How to create a marketing plan

Use our marketing plan template to outline what you want to achieve with your marketing and how you will measure its success.

How to deal with difficult employees

Difficult employees drain time and emotional energy. We’ve outlined eight ways you can manage the situation.

How to design key performance indicators

Use this free template to set robust key performance indicators (KPIs) for staff and determine whether your business is moving forward.

How to do a competitive analysis

A competitive analysis helps businesses to understand who competitors are and what makes them different.

How to get employees involved in decision making

Involving employees in decision making can give leaders valuable insights and lead to new ideas. Our checklist will help you get started.

How to identify skill gaps in your business

Determining the skill gaps in your business can help you formulate a plan for the future.

How to improve employee engagement

Make employee engagement a priority by setting goals and creating a written plan of the steps you will take. This template from software firm Workvivo provides a structure to get you started.

How to keep remote teams engaged virtually

Keeping a team engaged is vital to reap the benefits of greater collaboration – but it’s easier said than done when your staff are remote.

How to make your town hall meetings engaging

Town hall meetings are a great way to bring everyone together, but are they working for you?

How to nurture the next generation of leaders

There may be nature leaders among your employees, but what's the best way to develop their skills?

How to run a workshop on business aspirations

Use our template to plan a workshop on businesses aspirations and get value input from your team that can then be actioned.

How to run an employee feedback workshop

Workshops are an effective way of solving problems and getting feedback from employees. Use our step-by-step checklist to run your own successful workshop.

How to set strategic planning goals

Strategic planning goals guide the direction of your business, from deciding which tasks to prioritise to how resources are allocated.

How to write a social media policy

Even if your business doesn't use social media, your employees certainly do.

Identifying tasks that can be delegated easily

Deciding what to delegate and who to delegate to isn't easy. Our template breaks down the delegation process, allowing you to prioritise what you’re going to delegate to your team.

Identifying the skills gaps you have as a leader

Being self-aware empowers business leaders to grow and improve. Our easy-to-follow checklist can be used to identify your skills gaps.

Implementing a new system in the workplace

Embedding a new system in your business takes careful planning. This checklist will help to make sure you complete the process in an effective way.

Improving health and wellbeing in the workplace

Smart leaders know that employee wellbeing impacts everything from productivity to performance. Use these tips to enact change in your business.

Incorporating feedback into your business planning

Feedback from customers, employees or peers can lead to positive changes and new ideas in your business. We’ve outlined suggestions of how you can incorporate feedback into your business plans.

Is your internal communication as good as it could be?

Internal communication is vital for keeping employees informed and onboard.

Is your tech effective for working from home?

Remote working is now commonplace, but is your business' tech a help or hinderance?

Making an informed decision when choosing new technology

Researching new technology can be a minefield – here’s how to make an informed decision on what’s right for your business.

Managing risk in your business

Working through a risk management matrix is a useful way to assess and mitigate potential risks.

Mapping employee needs for new technology

When you’re figuring out what tools your business needs, use our checklist and spend time talking to the people who know your business inside out – your employees.

Onboarding an employee remotely

Onboarding an employee remotely is a completely different beast compared to doing it on-site, so it’s crucial to shape your process to fit.

Organisational chart explainer

An organisational chart, also known as an org chart, is a useful tool that businesses can use to display the structure of the company and show staff what progression looks like.

Organisational chart template

Creating your own organisational chart will help to map out the structure of your company and give greater visibility over roles to new starters.

Overcoming employee barriers to tech adoption

Employee buy-in plays a decisive factor in making new technology a success. Work through our template to anticipate any potential barriers to adoption.

Plan for scaling up a product or service

When you’ve identified a product or service you think is ready to scale, it’s important to develop a plan to work out how you’re going to build demand.

Preparing your business to scale

Looking to scale up your business and take it to the next level? Follow these tips to assess if you’re ready.

Proven tips for effective appraisal processes

Too often, employee appraisals are out-of-date, ineffective or merely a box-checking exercise. America's Vanderbilt University has compiled eight really useful tips on how to get more from your appraisal process.

Putting together an internal communications survey

If you're putting together an internal communications strategy, it pays to find out what your employees think.

Running a values workshop

Values workshops are an effective way to gather input from your team. Use these guidelines to structure your workshop then test what you’ve created.

See what is missing from the way you hire and onboard new staff

Whether your business is about to hire its first employee or has been doing it for decades, see how your processes stack up by using our checklist to start formulating a plan for improvement.

Setting a research question for data collection

This checklist will help define a research question for data collection to ensure the process stays on track data collected is relevant.

Setting up a health and wellbeing survey

This survey template will help you understand your employees' health and wellbeing situation in depth.

Sharing financial information with employees

Sharing your company's financials allows employees to see how their work makes an impact. Our template will get you started.

Should you introduce a chief wellbeing officer?

An increasing number of firms are adding a chief wellbeing officer to the team. We break down the role and what they bring to the table.

Speaking to staff about their remote working set-up

Making sure your employees are able to work from home effectively is key in this new era.

Storing data safely with GDPR

Use this checklist from the Data & Marketing Association to find out which areas within GDPR you need to focus on.

Streamlining your sales process

Streamlining your sales process isn’t rocket science – follow our checklist to better target prospects, track progress and collaborate more easily.

Supporting staff on leadership programmes

Now that you've identified your next leader, you need to guide them through the processes.

Talking effectively about strengths and weaknesses

The questions you need to ask when talking to employees about their strengths and weaknesses.

Talking to your employees about an incentive scheme

Talk to your workforce before designing an incentive scheme, so you can come up with a programme that really resonates.

Talking to your employees about health and wellbeing

Regularly checking in with employees about their health and wellbeing can help you build a better company.

Testing where to spend on your online marketing

Running tests will help you decide which marketing channels your business should focus on. Our checklist outlines the basics.

The tools you need for successful remote working

Equip remote employees with the right tools and you’ll create a productive, collaborative environment.

Using customer research to determine which digital sales channel to use

Even the best sales strategy won’t be effective if you haven’t spent time on customer research. Use this checklist to get started.

Using scenario planning to inform your decisions

Scenario planning is a great way to visualise and assess the potential impact of decisions. Use our useful template to get started.

Analysing the skills you'll need in the future

Looking at the skills you might need in the future helps leaders to plan and stay ahead of the curve.

Using the SMART methodology to set goals

Use our SMART goal-setting template to make each goal specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.

Using your employees to spread the word

Your employees are your greatest, most effective advocates.

What to consider when choosing marketing technology

There are a lot of options to sift through when it comes to marketing technology, so use this checklist from marketing agency Element Three to guide your research.

What to consider when introducing incentives

Creating an incentive scheme isn't as easy as picking a perk

Why is delegation so important?

Delegating isn't just a sign of a good manage - it's key to building a successful business.

Writing a statement that defines your vision for success

Defining your vision for success gives you a clear destination to work towards when you’re making decisions and setting goals.

Your guide to upskilling your employees

Upskilling is vital to develop employees and ensure your business remains relevant.

Your guide to writing a business case

Writing a business case is a useful way to think a potential project or investment through in a step-by-step manner.