Need a little motivation to get going at the start of the week? We’ve brought you the top stories along with key dates for your diary, so you’re always up to date and ready for the week ahead.

Top news stories

This week, the top news is about new bills, flexible working and the importance of lunch breaks.

New bills announced in the Queen’s speech

The Small business, enterprise and employment bill aims to make changes for businesses from reducing red tape to better enforcement of minimum wage. Watch the speech here or read the Guardian’s analysis for small businesses.

New flexible working legislation likely to see rise in employees wanting flexible hours

Stand by for an increase in requests for flexible working. According to a YouGov survey, 26% of employees are likely to ask for more flexibility when the new legislation comes in on 30 June.

Are your staff taking lunch breaks?

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is concerned that people skipping lunch or eating it at their desk leads to inactivity, which could mean more time off sick.

Bank of England holds interest rates at 0.5%

As expected by many, the Bank of England has kept interest rates at the same level, to help encourage growth. Latest figures show that the UK economy grew by 0.8% in the first three months of 2014.

Key date for your diary

June 12: World Cup begins

Your business and the World Cup

Whether you’re a football fan or not, you’d have to be pretty isolated to not know that the World Cup is coming.

Unlike the 2010 World Cup, the matches are mostly taking place outside working hours, so your business should feel less of an impact.

However, with games kicking off at 5pm and some as late as 2am, you can still expect that it may affect your employees and your business.

Here’s some ways that you can minimise the impact.

Consider whether you’re happy for people to watch online

For those 5pm matches or where your staff will be working evenings, have a clear view on whether your staff can live stream games.

Think about flexible working

If your business can support this, it’s a good thing to consider. For example, some staff might want to start later in the day after a 2am match or start earlier so they can be home in time for a 5pm kick off.

Research shows that absence rises during key sporting events so flexible working can be a good way to combat it.

Plan for the impact on sales

Depending on your business your sales may be affected. With the tournament running for a month, it’s good to be clear on the possible impact. According to the Guardian, the winners and losers in 2010 were:

If you were trading in 2010, take a look at the impact that the last tournament had on your sales and plan accordingly. You can also pop onto our discussion boards and ask others what impact they are expecting.