HR & Employment Law Insights
Helping family businesses, start-ups and early stage growth, third sector, professional services, trades and construction, manufacturing and engineering, and other growing or established businesses throughout the UK make sense of HR and employment law challenges.We hope you enjoy the wide range of blog articles featured. We cover a wide range of topics including HR best practices, employment law updates, recruitment strategies, employee engagement, tips for effective people management, and addressing people challenges to help businesses navigate their HR needs with confidence.
Prepare for Skilled Worker Sponsorship Changes
At the start of the month, the Government announced significant updates to the Skilled Worker sponsorship route, putting into motion several key proposals from its earlier Immigration White Paper. These changes are due to take effect on 22 July 2025, leaving...
Reasonable Adjustments for Mental Health in the Workplace
Supporting employees with mental health conditions is not only the right thing to do – it's also a legal responsibility for UK employers under the Equality Act 2010. One of the most effective ways to provide this support is by making reasonable adjustments for mental...
HR Strategy: Moving Away from Reactive HR Before It’s Too Late
When it comes to building a resilient, high-performing workplace, having a well-defined HR strategy is essential. Yet, many businesses across the UK still rely on reactive HR – only addressing issues once they’ve escalated. This approach can lead to high staff...
Short Service Dismissal Explained: Your Rights as an Employer
Dismissing an employee with short service can seem straightforward, but it still requires careful handling to avoid potential pitfalls. While those with less than two years' service typically have fewer protections, that doesn’t mean employers can act without...
Managing Poor Performance Is Key to Protecting Team Morale
Managing poor performance is a critical issue in today’s workplaces, and new findings from a YouGov survey commissioned by Acas reveal just how much it matters. Nearly half (49%) of UK employees say they are most angered by colleagues who are perceived as not doing...
Office Banter or Bullying in the Workplace?
It's important for employees to build relationships with each other and have good rapport. However, when office banter crosses the line to bullying in the workplace, this is a serious problem. Everyone has a different sense of humour and something that one person...
How Employers Can Support Working Parents
Working parents face a unique set of challenges in the workplace. Juggling childcare responsibilities alongside work commitments is becoming increasingly difficult, especially as the cost of childcare continues to rise each year. Government support often falls short,...
Employment Rights Bill Roadmap Revealed
The Government revealed the Employment Rights Bill Roadmap this week, providing businesses with timelines of when measures will come in to effect. Designed to give businesses across the UK time to adapt, the roadmap includes a phased rollout of reforms from 2025...
Pre Employment Checks in the UK: What Employers Need to Know
Hiring the right candidate is crucial to the success of any business, and in today’s competitive job market, pre employment checks have become more important than ever. For UK employers, conducting thorough checks not only helps verify a candidate’s suitability for...
How to Design a Staff Training Programme that Drives Results
Designing a staff training programme isn’t just a box-ticking exercise. It’s a vital strategy for improving performance, boosting employee engagement, and staying competitive in today’s fast-changing business landscape. For UK employers, ensuring your training efforts...
Employee Training Repayment Agreement: Can You Recover Training Costs if an Employee Leaves?
One of the most common concerns we hear from employers is: Can I recover the cost of training if an employee leaves my company shortly after receiving it?. The answer depends on whether a clear and fair employee training repayment agreement was put in place before the...
HR Policies for Small Business UK
HR policies for small business UK are a vital part of creating a fair, compliant, and productive workplace. For small business owners, having clear and consistent HR policies in place not only helps meet legal obligations but also supports employee engagement and...
Sabbatical Leave: The Right Choice for Your Business?
Sabbatical leave might once have been seen as a luxury reserved for academics or high-level executives, but that view is rapidly changing. More businesses – large and small – are starting to see the value of offering extended time off as a strategic investment in...
AI Policy Made Simple – A Practical Guide for UK Organisations
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve at a rapid pace, organisations across the UK must take proactive steps to ensure they're using AI responsibly. An effective AI policy is now essential, not only to comply with emerging regulations but also to build...
Expert HR Support for Care Homes
Running a care home comes with a unique set of challenges. From staffing and training to compliance and inspections, every detail counts – especially when it comes to your Care Inspectorate score. That’s why having the right HR support for care homes is not just a...
Calling a Colleague a ‘Weirdo’: A Lesson on Discrimination at Work
A recent employment tribunal has shed new light on what might constitute discrimination at work, even when it involves seemingly casual comments. In a case involving an employee with autism, a colleague’s use of the word weirdo was found to amount to...
Contacting Employees on Sick Leave – What UK Employers Need to Know
When an employee is off work due to illness, it can be a sensitive situation for any employer to navigate. Many UK employers ask the question: Can you contact an employee who is off sick? The short answer is yes – but how and when you do it matters. In this post,...
Best Diversity and Inclusion Hiring Practices
The best diversity and inclusion hiring practices help organisations build fairer, more effective recruitment processes. Yet, according to a recent CIPD survey, only 28% of UK employers train all interviewers on legal and objective hiring, and even fewer check for...
Corporate Social Responsibility: The HR Perspective
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is no longer a tick-box exercise or a nice-to-have. In today’s business landscape, it’s a critical component of long-term success and brand reputation. From environmental sustainability and ethical labour practices to community...
Term Time Working: What It Is and Why It Matters
Term time working has gained traction in recent years as more organisations look for ways to support employees with families and other commitments. One of the first major companies to adopt this approach was Amazon, which helped bring the concept into the spotlight....
Mental Health First Aider | Ask The Expert
Many of our HR experts have completed their FAA Mental Health First Aider training. The SCQF level 6 qualification course looks at mental health conditions and gives insight in to the wide range of therapy and support available. When sharing this news to our client,...
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