HR Best Practice

Advice and Guidance for UK Employers

News and Articles on HR Best Practice

As an employer in the UK, here’s information you need to know on HR Best Practice

  • Dealing with Employee Problems in the Workplace

    Dealing with Employee Problems in the Workplace

    It’s impossible for managers to please everyone, and employees won’t always get on with each other. As such conflicts are bound to arise in a workplace and resolving them is key to a harmonious workplace. Therefore, this blog post gives some suggestions concerning how to handle such conflicts.

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  • Employee Benefits: What Are the Options?

    Employee Benefits: What Are the Options?

    Employee motivation is important in any successful business. As such, employee rewards are key in maintaining a high quality of work. Therefore, this post gives some ideas for both traditional and more creative employee rewards schemes.

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  • Performance Appraisals: What’s In It For Your Business?

    Performance Appraisals: What’s In It For Your Business?

    For many businesses, when the annual round of performance appraisals is performed, questions can start to arise around “Do we have to do these?” and “What’s the point of this?” Does this sound familiar? In this post, we’ll look at the value of performance appraisals to your business.

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  • Performance Appraisals: How to Maximise Their Value

    Performance Appraisals: How to Maximise Their Value

    Performance appraisals tend to be something businesses either embrace, ignore or conduct in a fairly half-hearted manner. In this post we share some of the common issues with performance appraisals so you can get the most out of the process.

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  • A Need to Review Contract Restrictions

    A Need to Review Contract Restrictions

    In this post we will look at an employment tribunal case that highlights the need to review the restrictive covenants in the employee’s contract, particularly when they are promoted.

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  • What are Settlement Agreements and When Should You Use Them?

    What are Settlement Agreements and When Should You Use Them?

    A settlement agreement is a legally binding document that allows the employer to end employment by making a payment to an employee above that to which they are contractually entitled. In return for that payment, the employee agrees not to take any further action in relation to their employment. In this post we’ll look at…

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  • What Should Employers Do If an Employment Tribunal Claim Arrives?

    What Should Employers Do If an Employment Tribunal Claim Arrives?

    At some point it’s possible that an Employment Tribunal claim will land on your desk.  It could be something that you’ve been expecting; alternatively, it could catch you completely off guard.  Either way, it’s useful to know what you as an employer need to do if you find yourself in this situation.

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  • Bring your Own Device: Protecting Business Data Held on Employee-owned Devices

    Bring your Own Device: Protecting Business Data Held on Employee-owned Devices

    Two thirds of employees use their phone for work purposes. In this post, we look at the business implications of using employee-owned devices and how a business can protect itself.

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  • Preparation Tips for Performance Appraisals

    Preparation Tips for Performance Appraisals

    In this blog post we give practical guidance on what to think about when preparing for and delivering an appraisal. This should help you ensure both you and your employees benefit from the time you are investing.

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  • FAQ on How to Conduct a Disciplinary Investigation

    FAQ on How to Conduct a Disciplinary Investigation

    Conducting a disciplinary investigation is a critical process for any organisation when faced with potential employee misconduct. In this blog post, we’ll explore frequently asked questions on investigations during the disciplinary process.

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  • 6 Possible Disciplinary Hearing Outcomes

    6 Possible Disciplinary Hearing Outcomes

    Navigating the outcomes of disciplinary hearings can be challenging and it is important for managers to decide on the outcomes which are fair and reasonable. In this blog, we walk you through the various possible outcomes of disciplinary hearings.

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  • How to Conduct a Disciplinary Hearing

    How to Conduct a Disciplinary Hearing

    This post provides the steps on how to conduct a disciplinary hearing and what needs to be considered. The guidance assumes that any necessary investigations have been undertaken and that there is a disciplinary case to answer.

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  • Gender Pay Gap Reporting

    Gender Pay Gap Reporting

    In the UK, there is a requirement for certain businesses to submit data on employee pay to the government as part of gender pay gap reporting. In this post we’ll explore what is meant by the term “gender pay gap”, which companies need to complete gender pay gap reporting, and how you go about doing…

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  • Performance Appraisals: Are They a Thing of the Past?

    Performance Appraisals:
    Are They a Thing of the Past?

    Good news! You don’t need to do Performance Appraisals anymore as they are antiquated and no one else is doing them. Right? Not quite. Performance Appraisals as they used to be may be a thing of the past but that doesn’t mean you can stop appraising performance.

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  • How to Conduct a Grievance Investigation

    How to Conduct a Grievance Investigation

    A key step in a grievance process will be the need to conduct an investigation and, in this post, we’ll explore frequently asked questions on conducting a grievance investigation.

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  • Company Liability at Corporate Events

    Company Liability at Corporate Events

    Company liability at corporate events has come up for our clients on a number of occasions, and there has been an interesting case ruling that we think people should be aware of. In this post, we’ll review the case ruling and what employers can do to minimise risks.

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  • 5 Common Mistakes When Managing Employee Absence

    5 Common Mistakes When Managing Employee Absence

    Managing employee absence can be a minefield, with many employers avoiding it where they can. In this blog post, we’re going to look at the common mistakes that are made when managing employee absence and give some tips on how to avoid them.

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  • 5 Common Mistakes When Managing Grievances

    5 Common Mistakes When Managing Grievances

    Dealing with employee grievances can be one of the most challenging issues in the workplace. Employees can be disgruntled and the issues are typically complex. In this blog post, we’re going to look at the common mistakes that are made when dealing with grievances and give some tips on how to avoid them.

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  • When Should You Suspend an Employee?

    When Should You Suspend an Employee?

    Suspending an employee used to be the first action when an employee may have committed an act of gross misconduct. It was also very normal for employees to be suspended during redundancy processes. This post looks at the current law on suspension and when you should and should not suspend an employee.

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  • Does My Employee Have the Right to Be Accompanied at a Probation Review?

    Does My Employee Have the Right to Be Accompanied at a Probation Review?

    When the probation period is failed, there is the question as to whether an employee has a right to be accompanied at the meeting in which they are told that they are being dismissed. The purpose of this post is to help employers understand where they stand and whether the right to be accompanied should…

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  • Should You Hire or Outsource HR?

    Should You Hire or Outsource HR?

    When a business reaches the point where it requires more formal HR support, one of the questions asked is “Should we outsource or hire HR?” There are pros and cons of each option so the purpose of this post is to set out some of the things you should consider when deciding on what approach…

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  • Employer Guidance for Visa Sponsorship

    Employer Guidance for Visa Sponsorship

    Over the last few years, we have seen a sharp increase from businesses who are looking to offer a visa sponsorship to workers who do not have the right to work in the UK. In this post, we’ll outline some of the key areas that you should be aware of if this is something that…

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  • Pay Increases for 2023 – What Are Businesses Doing?

    Pay Increases for 2023 – What Are Businesses Doing?

    With the backdrop of the cost of living crisis and high inflation, we’ve had lots of questions from our clients regarding what is happening in the market in relation to salary increases for 2023 and in this post, we’re going to explore some of the trends we are seeing.

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  • Giving Feedback: Is it Really Worth the Effort?

    Giving Feedback: Is it Really Worth the Effort?

    As a manager, you’ll have heard repeatedly that giving constructive feedback is the answer to many of your management challenges. It’s a challenging area but developing skills in giving feedback is definitely a worthwhile investment. Our post provides managers some insights and tips on giving feedback.

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  • What Are the Factors That Lead to HR Outsourcing?

    What Are the Factors That Lead to HR Outsourcing?

    There are various factors that can lead to a company making the decision to outsource HR. We talk with many companies who are considering outsourcing their HR and there are some common themes as to why they are considering this. In this post, we review the themes that lead to companies outsourcing HR.

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  • Who Should Be Involved in Redundancies When There’s No HR?

    Who Should Be Involved in Redundancies When There’s No HR?

    Managing a redundancy process requires a great deal of knowledge regarding employment law and insight into potential risks and pitfalls. If an organisation has HR support, they will have access to the knowledge they need. But what happens when an organisation does not have access to HR support? Who should be involved in redundancy situations…

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  • ‘Tis the Season to Be Jolly – But Not Too Jolly!

    ‘Tis the Season to Be Jolly – But Not Too Jolly!

    Whilst Christmas can be the perfect time for social bonding amongst your team, there are also lots of opportunities for poor conduct and unintentional discrimination, so we thought a quick guide on company-arranged Christmas events might come in useful to help you try to avoid employee disciplinary matters.

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  • What Should You Consider Before Outsourcing HR Activities?

    What Should You Consider Before Outsourcing HR Activities?

    Outsourcing is one option for businesses to manage their HR. The success of outsourcing is, of course, mostly down to the quality of the outsource provider. There are, however, some steps you can take to ensure the partnership is a success. In this blog post, we look at what a company should look at before…

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  • Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace – Some Simple Steps for Employers

    Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace – Some Simple Steps for Employers

    Gone are the days when you could point to your Equality Policy and say “There you go. We say we’re an equal opportunities employer and therefore we are one.” Expectations of your employees and potentially your clients are changing when it comes to diversity and inclusion, and so we explore what employers can and should…

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  • Quiet Quitting at Work – How Can You Identify It and What Can You Do About It?

    Quiet Quitting at Work – How Can You Identify It and What Can You Do About It?

    You will have most likely seen the repeated use of the term “quiet quitting” in the press in recent months. In this blog post we’ll look more at the concept of quiet quitting at work and explore how you can identify if it’s happening, what you can do if it is and what you can…

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  • Changes to the ‘Right to Work’ Check Process

    Changes to the ‘Right to Work’ Check Process

    On 1st October 2022, the way in which companies check right to work documents changed. This article summarises the new rules, and provides reminders for conducting right to work checks and the penalties you can face for employing individuals who do not have the right to work in the UK.

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  • Employee Engagement Surveys: What Are Your Employees Thinking and Do You Really Care?

    Employee Engagement Surveys:
    What Are Your Employees Thinking and Do You Really Care?

    As an employer, you will no doubt want your employees to enjoy working in your organisation and not just turn up every day because they are paid to, but how do you know what they genuinely think about working for you if you don’t ask them?

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  • The Right to Appeal – What Does It Mean and When Does It Apply?

    The Right to Appeal – What Does It Mean and When Does It Apply?

    Employees have a right to appeal decisions relating to certain HR processes and in this blog post we look at this right in more detail so that you can understand when it applies and how you should deal with appeals.

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  • Management Discretion: Consistency in Applying HR Policies

    Management Discretion: Consistency in Applying HR Policies

    Many of our clients have policies in place which set out clearly what their position is and yet they all tend to contain the phrase “Any variation from this policy is entirely at management discretion”. Clients have found themselves being accused of discrimination because they have treated individuals differently, so is it really possible to…

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  • Can and Should You Always Dismiss an Employee for Gross Misconduct?

    Can and Should You Always Dismiss an Employee for Gross Misconduct?

    Many employers have a list of behaviours in their employee disciplinary policy that constitute gross misconduct. If an employee commits one of these ‘crimes’ then the outcome is clear, right? Well, not necessarily. This post sets out the process and considerations that you need to make before dismissing an employee on the grounds of gross…

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  • Getting Employees Back to their Normal Place of Work

    Getting Employees Back to their Normal Place of Work

    As the country starts to open again, there are key challenges that employers are facing when it comes to getting people back to their normal places of work. This post provides guidance on the areas you need to think about and insights into the actions you can take.

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  • Good Work Plan: Important Legislation Changes for April 2020

    Good Work Plan: Important Legislation Changes for April 2020

    The Good Work Plan includes recommendations from the Taylor report (Jul-17) which are being incorporated into UK employment law, including three significant employment contract and policy changes that are set to come into force.

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  • How Can Employers Avoid Age Discrimination?

    How Can Employers Avoid Age Discrimination?

    Age discrimination legislation has been around since 2006. Despite this, some workplaces still seem to be catching up with the idea that inappropriate references to age in the workplace can land them in the same kind of legal nightmare as inappropriate references to gender or race.

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  • Have You Checked Your HR Recently?

    Have You Checked Your HR Recently?

    We would probably all agree that having regular ‘check ups’ is essential for ensuring smooth running of any machine, organism or an organisation. Your business changes frequently, as do employment laws, so how do you make sure that your HR practices stay up-to-date?

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  • Guidance on Creating a Business Continuity Plan

    Guidance on Creating a Business Continuity Plan

    Putting together a Business Continuity Plan is something that many businesses put off. It feels like a low priority and spending time planning for things which you hope will never happen can seem like a luxury. Here are some tips and questions on areas to think about.

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  • Attracting Talent: How To Compete for the Best People when you’re an SME

    Attracting Talent: How To Compete for the Best People when you’re an SME

    How do you go about attracting talent when simply competing on salary and benefits isn’t something that’s an option for many small and medium businesses?

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  • Holiday Headaches: Managing Planned and Unplanned Absence

    Holiday Headaches: Managing Planned and Unplanned Absence

    During the holiday season, office parties, over-indulgence and last-minute holiday requests are commonplace. This post provides guidance for employers on the headache of managing both planned and unplanned employee absence at this time of year.

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  • Use Your Employment Contract to Protect Your Business

    Use Your Employment Contract to Protect Your Business

    This week we thought it would be worth sharing a cautionary tale with you regarding the impact a lack of an employment contract can have.

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  • Remote Working: Is It the Beginning of the End of Working From Home?

    Remote Working: Is It the Beginning of the End of Working From Home?

    For years we’ve heard about the benefits of flexible working and home working, and many predicted that this would be the way of the future. Yahoo bucked the trend by issuing staff with a memo stating that they were banning all staff from remote working. You can imagine the reaction this received but are they…

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  • Honesty in the Recruitment Process

    Honesty in the Recruitment Process

    There was extensive press coverage of the case of Stella English, a winner of the TV show ‘The Apprentice’. Ms English won a £100,000 position at the end of the series but claims that the role did not turn out to be what she was expecting. This case got us thinking about how transparent a…

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  • What’s More Important: The Contract or The Reality?

    What’s More Important:
    The Contract or The Reality?

    There have been two cases in recent months which have reinforced the need to ensure that your employment contract reflects the reality of the working relationship you have with your employees. We provide insight into these cases then guidance on employment contracts.

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