If you have employees, it is vital you stay on top of – and adhere to – employment regulations. But what does that really mean?
Simply put, employment law provides minimum standards and places regulations on employers for all aspects of the employer/employee relationship. It covers a lot of ground and includes things like dismissal, discrimination, pay and holidays.
It’s designed to protect both parties; looking after employee rights and safeguarding employers’ interests, keeping and maintaining a fair relationship between the two.
And while with 4 million limited companies in the UK employing over 21 million employees it won’t support the growth of the business, it can destabilise a business if it’s missing. So it’s important for employers and employees to put the basics in place.
You may be surprised to learn that many businesses don’t currently have all they need in place; from up-to-date contractual terms to the right policy set. And there are more still who have policies that haven’t been updated since they were written.
Many business owners we speak to are also surprised to hear that employment law protections kick in from the moment a candidate applies for a job. It keeps employees safe from discrimination based on a set of 9 protected characteristics (as outlined in the Equality Act 2010) right from the point of the job advert. It also works to protect employees by making sure they benefit from fair hiring procedures, pay, and clear expectations etc.
UK employment particulars, such as those covered in a contract of employment (we’re talking, notice periods, holiday entitlement, disciplinary and grievance policies etc.) protect employers too by making sure everyone has a clear record of how the employment relationship will work. And employers have a responsibility to put these in place from every employee’s first day.
We have a toolkit that can help you identify for yourself, in under 10 minutes, where you may need to focus on your basics. Get in touch today for a free copy of our checklist and if you could use a conversation give us a call.
