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.
AI in Recruitment: can employers use AI to shortlist candidates
AI in recruitment is becoming a key tool for businesses looking to improve efficiency and make smarter hiring decisions. From screening CVs to identifying top talent, this system is increasingly being used to streamline time-consuming recruitment tasks, allowing...
New Holiday Recording Rules From 6 April 2026
From 6 April, new holiday recording rules requires employers to retain detailed records of holiday pay and leave for a minimum of six years from the date they are created. This applies to all workers, including part-time and those on irregular hours. It also covers...
Managing Underperformance in Manufacturing
Underperformance in manufacturing is often overlooked. Not because it doesn’t matter, but because employers may feel there simply isn’t time to deal with it. When output targets need met and orders need fulfilled, it can feel easier to work around an underperforming...
New Whistleblower Protection for Sexual harassment
With employment law changes taking effect from April 2026, one key area for employers to be aware of is whistleblower protection for sexual harassment. Under the new legislation, any disclosure relating to sexual harassment will automatically be treated as a protected...
Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave: Prepare Before April 2026
Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave is new legislation that went live on 6 April 2026. It marks an important step in strengthening support for employees during exceptionally difficult circumstances. This new right applies where an employee loses the child’s mother or...
What is lay off, and when can it be used?
What is lay off, and when can it be used? Costs continue to rise for businesses across the UK, with increases to statutory payments and upcoming changes to Statutory Sick Pay adding further pressure from April. As a result, many employers are being forced to make...
Fair Work Agency: Everything Employers Need to Know
April is just under a week away and we hope you are all fully prepared in advance of the employment law updates coming in to force. As part of the Employment Rights Bill changes, there will be a new enforcement body, the Fair Work Agency. The Government are...
Short Time Working, Lay-Offs, and Temporary Redundancy
Many businesses are continuing to feel the impact of rising costs, ongoing legislative change and wider economic uncertainty. As a result, employers are increasingly looking at alternatives to redundancy that allow them to protect both their people and their business....
Breathe HR System Spring Cleaning Your HR Systems
Spring is the perfect time for a fresh start and for many employers, that means taking a step back to review how their people processes are working. From outdated spreadsheets to time-consuming manual admin, HR systems can quickly become cluttered and inefficient...
HR Admin Support That Saves Time and Money
Keeping on top of HR admin can quickly become time-consuming for any business. From issuing contracts and maintaining accurate employee records to managing absence, onboarding and compliance paperwork, these essential tasks often take valuable time away from running...
HR Manufacturing: Importance of Formal Processes
Manufacturing businesses face constant people challenges, from health and safety and shift patterns to skills shortages, absence and training. Yet many still operate without clear HR Manufacturing processes, relying on ad hoc decisions when issues arise. This can lead...
HR Retainer Services: Cost-Effective Support for Employers
HR retainer services can provide real value to businesses. Rather than carrying the significant cost of an in-house HR professional, many organisations are choosing to outsource their HR support through a monthly retainer. This approach gives businesses access to...
Occupational Health Surveillance: What Employers Need to Know
Protecting the health of employees is a key responsibility for every employer. In many industries, particularly those involving exposure to noise, chemicals, vibration, dust or other workplace hazards, monitoring employee health is not just good practice, it can also...
Skills Shortages Manufacturing UK: Employer Solutions
Skills shortages in manufacturing UK continue to be one of the biggest challenges facing the sector, creating growing pressure for employers trying to recruit, develop and retain the talent they need. A recent survey hosted by. Barclays Corporate and The Manufacturer...
Key Employment Law updates: Employer Costs and Law Checklist
Even more employment law updates will come in to force in April. As you will be aware there are key updates that have emerged that will impact businesses and it's important to ensure you are fully compliant and on the right side of employment law. Key changes include...
Manufacturing’s Ageing Workforce: Challenges & Solutions
Manufacturing’s ageing workforce is becoming an increasingly important issue for businesses across the UK. Many experienced engineers, technicians and skilled production workers are approaching retirement, while younger talent entering the sector is not always...
Employees stranded abroad: employer guidance on pay & absence
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has led to widespread airspace closures, mass flight cancellations and major travel chaos across the region and beyond. With international travel plans thrown into disarray, many UK employers are now facing a new workplace...
Culture of Care: Why It Matters and How HR Can Help
A strong culture of care is the foundation of every successful care home. It shapes how staff support residents, how teams work together, and how confident families feel placing their trust in your service. When employees feel valued, supported, and part of a positive...
AI and Automation in Business: What Employers Need to Consider
AI and automation are now widely used across UK businesses, helping organisations streamline processes, improve efficiency, and support decision-making. From automated systems to AI-powered tools, technology is becoming a routine part of how businesses operate....
Trade Union Law Changes From 18th February 2026
Industrial action and trade union law changes came in to force on 18th February 2026. This means dismissing an employee for taking part in industrial action is considered 'automatically unfair'. This removes the previous 12-week qualifying period, meaning employees...
Long Term Sickness: Managing Absences in Manufacturing
The most recent report by the ONS showed that sickness levels in the manufacturing industry was at 2.6%. This was the second highest out of all other sectors. Long-term sickness can have a significant impact in manufacturing environments, where roles are often...
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