Email our experts
0330 1244 084
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Email our experts
0330 1244 084
Let's talk!
  • Customers
  • Team
  • Why esphr?
  • Let’s talk!

Download our NEW whitepaper, Empowering Middle Managers for HR Transformation

Download here

Guides

Stay up to date with the latest ER advice, insight and advancements from across the industry, plus access free resources.

Guides

Recent events in the Middle East have triggered widespread disruption across global energy markets and transport networks. Many British nationals are still caught up in travel chaos in and around the Middle East, petrol prices at home are expected to rise sharply, and sustained news coverage is contributing to uncertainty and stress.
For most employers, breach of contract isn’t usually the result of a deliberate decision. More often, it arises from operational pressure - a quick call made during a resignation, a change implemented at pace, or an assumption that a reasonable step will be legally sound. For HR professionals, the challenge is less about understanding the concept and more about managing the grey areas - where contractual terms, business needs, and evolving working practices don’t always align neatly. This article looks at where breach of contract risks typically arise in practice, and how to manage them effectively.
This factsheet covers employers’ most frequently asked questions, providing practical guidance and worked examples to help you get it right, every time.
Exclusion in the workplace can be subtle but damaging. From missing out on informal chats to being left off team activities, even small, everyday exclusions can create a hostile work environment and carry serious legal risks. Employment Tribunals treat persistent, targeted exclusion seriously, and employers who fail to act may face significant payouts – as a recent case has shown.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 (“the Act”) represents the biggest change in employment law for a generation. Many changes relate to Trade Unions and industrial action, with a view to promoting more collective bargaining within workplaces. This guide examines the main changes regarding industrial action, when they are likely to come into force, and what practical steps employers should be taking to prepare.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 (“the Act”) represents the biggest change in employment law for a generation. Many changes relate to Trade Unions and industrial action, with a view to promoting more collective bargaining within workplaces. This guide examines the main changes regarding Trade Unions, when they are likely to come into force, and what practical steps employers should be taking to prepare.
Early conciliation (EC) is a pre-claim process designed to help employers and employees resolve workplace disputes before they reach an Employment Tribunal. It’s generally initiated by the employee, who must notify Acas if they are considering bringing a claim. Once started, an Acas conciliator contacts both parties to explore whether the dispute can be resolved informally. If no agreement is reached, Acas issues a certificate allowing the employee to proceed with a claim. This mandatory process has been in place since 2014.
UK immigration rules changed significantly in 2025 — and the direction of travel is clear. Sponsoring migrant workers is becoming more expensive, more complex and more heavily enforced. Skill and salary thresholds have increased, sponsorship routes have narrowed, and the Home Office is placing greater weight on historic compliance.
Ramadan is expected to begin on or around 18 February 2026 and will last for approximately 30 days, ending with the celebration of Eid Ul-Fitr. During Ramadan, many Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and increase acts of worship such as prayer, reflection and charitable giving. Fasting can have an impact on energy levels, working patterns and annual leave request. As an employer, you should consider how best to support employees observing Ramadan, while ensuring fairness and compliance with equality law.
In this FAQ, Our Employment Law and HR experts address some of the most common questions employers have about handling these situations to help you strike the right balance between respecting people’s privacy and protecting your business.
From 2026, a wave of changes will roll out, creating both compliance challenges andopportunities for employers. This guide summarises the key reforms, when they take effect, andwhat organisations can do now to reduce risk and maintain compliance.
This short guide will help take the complexity out of disciplinaries and investigations. We’ll cover the basics of when disciplinary action might be needed, how to carry outa fair process, and how to deal with common challenges like delays, un-cooperative employees, and retaliatory grievances.
The Employment Rights Bill introduces key reforms to redundancy and collective consultation rules. Here’s what’s changing, why it matters, and how to prepare.
With several changes for employers and HR professionals to digest, here’s a simple overview of the upcoming changes to unfair dismissal rules, when they're coming, and the steps you can take to navigate new laws smoothly and confidently.
Hiring skilled talent from overseas can be complex, but obtaining a UK sponsor licence is the first step to recruiting migrant workers legally and confidently. This guide explains how businesses can become licensed sponsors, including eligibility requirements, licence types, application steps, and ongoing responsibilities.
Hiring skilled talent from overseas can be complex, but obtaining a UK sponsor licence is the first step to recruiting migrant workers legally and confidently. This guide explains how businesses can become licensed sponsors, including eligibility requirements, licence types, application steps, and ongoing responsibilities.
One of the key requirements for obtaining a Skilled Worker visa is proving knowledge of the English language. This ensures that applicants can effectively communicate in a UK work environment. Currently, applicants must demonstrate that they can read, write, speak, and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
The Employment Rights Bill continues to progress through Parliament – and we’re edging ever closer to a major shake-up in employment law. Our progress tracker outlines, where are we now, and what happens next?
In this guide, we will help you to understand how best to approach common conflict scenarios. We’ll explore a range of strategies, including early interventions and how to streamline formal grievance processes.
Family-friendly rights and leave entitlements can be a challenging area of employment law for employers to navigate. This guide simplifies the subject by setting out the key types of family leave and explaining how to apply the law in a practical way.
This guide serves as an introduction to some of the key legal considerations that relate to mental health in the workplace, as well as including some examples of reasonable adjustments.
What should you do if an employee lodges a sexual harassment complaint, or it’s brought to your attention that harassment is occurring in your workplace? Here’s our recommended eight-step approach for employers to follow.
10 Things Employers Need to Know About New Neonatal Leave. This leave is designed to support families when a baby requires extended neonatal care following birth, offering financial security and job protection during a particularly challenging time.
In this guide, we’ll explore the legislation, reinforcement and employer action plan with actionable steps to take for the gender pay gap reporting.
Discover comprehensive guidance on maternity leave and pay, addressing HR and legal inquiries while providing expert tips for best practices.
This guide aims to provide you with a clear understanding of what’s been introduced, what’s to come, and how the government’s proposals, if and when implemented, will affect your people, processes and practices.
In this guide, we’ll explore the latest legislative changes that have occurred to date and the new developments coming into force over the next few months, all of which are likely to have an impact on your organisation.
We surveyed over 130 HR professionals to discover the top challenges that will be at the forefront for HR in the coming year. Download our experts’ tips on how to tackle these challenges.
This guide aims to provide you with a clear understanding of what’s to come, and how the government’s proposals, if implemented, will affect your people, processes and practices.
Download this flyer to find out more about esphr, and how we are an extension of your in-house HR and ER team, and provide integrated support services built around people, processes, and technology – all for a fixed annual subscription.
Our Christmas Party Memo has been crafted with the expertise of our solicitors and addresses key considerations to make your event a seamless and enjoyable one.
With cost of living concerns intensifying, join WorkNest’s HR Business Partner, Hannah Copeland, and Solicitor and Employment Law Adviser, Toyah Marshall, as they uncover the top five ways employers can support the financial wellbeing of their workforce.
  • 20/10/22
  • 11:00
With cost of living concerns intensifying, join WorkNest’s HR Business Partner, Hannah Copeland, and Solicitor and Employment Law Adviser, Toyah Marshall, as they uncover the top five ways employers can support the financial wellbeing of their workforce.
  • 20/10/22
  • 11:00

Download the report

Submit your details and download your copy instantly.

Download the report

Submit your details and download your copy instantly.

Search...

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Before you go…

We can help with that HR problem or ER query. If you’re an employer, leave your details below and our team will call you back.