It might be a new year, but it’s also potentially a whole new landscape for employers navigating significant changes, with the introduction of the Employment Rights Bill, particularly the impact of day one rights, and what that means in practice.
January is so often a good time to take stock, to look at the plans for the business and develop a strategy for moving forward. Whatever time of year you do it, though, input from an experienced and reliable human resources professional can make all the difference.
CE People, founded last year by Claire Butcher and Emma Thompson, provides an outsourced service for businesses, including start-ups, those looking to onboard new members of the team, those dealing with restructuring, and those with grievances that need resolving as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Claire said:
“As we go into 2025 a lot of employers will be looking at some kind of reset, thinking about their recruitment and people processes and what they offer in the modern work environment. Essentially, they need a plan for the coming year and how they are going to adapt to the changes ahead and implement good working practices.
“Employees’ expectations have changed and will continue to do so as the new younger generations enter the workplace. The labour market is expecting much more now; candidates want to know what support is available in terms of wellbeing and mental health, career development, flexibility, company culture, pay and rewards.
“There’s a lot of economic uncertainty, and finding the right people is never easy, but with the new Employment Rights Bill, it’s more important than ever that employers do everything they can to make absolutely sure that the people they recruit are a perfect fit for the job and the business.”
One of the key changes embodied in the Employment Rights Bill is the implementation of day one rights. This ensures that new employees have the same employment rights as any other member of the team from the moment they join. This, according to the CE People team, leaves employers needing a strong people plan and strategy to ensure they are prepared from the outset to support their existing workforce and integrate new hires effectively, fostering a positive and productive working relationship from day one.
In addition, the Bill talks about enhanced protections for workers in areas such as flexible working, zero-hours contracts, family leave and protection against unfair dismissal. It also aims to strengthen enforcement measures and increase trade union rights.
Emma Thompson said:
“With better employee protection, such as day one rights, and expectations around things like the right to disconnect and flexible working, the employer needs to have a robust people strategy.
“If that means taking recruitment processes more seriously, writing clear job descriptions and preparing carefully for interviews and follow-ups, and then onboarding and supporting and managing any early issues, then that can only be a positive thing on both sides.
“As business owners know, recruitment can be costly, and replacing employees who choose to leave, or who turn out not to be the right fit, is a cost you can well do without. So, surely, it’s better all round if we use these changes as an opportunity to improve processes so that you get the right person for the right job first time.”
CE People provides clear and knowledgeable HR and employment law advice on an outsourced basis. That could be anything from the drawing up of contracts and company handbooks to ad hoc services, recruitment and employee retention, business restructuring, performance management, company closures, acquisitions and redundancy programmes.
Recruitment and employees’ rights is a major part of HR services, but when companies are analysing their current situation – that new year reset, perhaps – those services extend into how an established company might find alternative pathways to putting together the team they need.
Emma added:
“There is a temptation, when someone leaves, to replace like-for-like. But that job role might have changed during that person’s time with the company; there might be a better way to handle that workload, maybe rearranging department roles rather than simply bringing in someone new.
“Implementing such changes may bring about training needs. One of the most common reasons cited for someone leaving a job is because they can’t get on with their line manager, and if someone is promoted to a management position without the correct skills and understanding of the role, it can lead to a poor management style and may breed discontent within the team.
“Working with clients to help them see how things can change for the best, and how to implement those changes, sometimes by developing the resources they already have through training and reskilling, thereby saving them the time and cost of recruiting someone new, is just one of the services we offer.”
Good strong HR processes protect both employees and employers and improve employee engagement. Careful handling of a grievance procedure if issues do arise is more likely to lead to resolution rather than creating a vacancy.
Claire said:
“Looking for a job today is very different to how it was a few years ago. Candidates are checking out the company just as much as the business is checking out the potential employee. A business needs to demonstrate that they follow good practice, and have the welfare of their employees at heart, and that they have created a workplace where people want to work.
“Our job is to handle all those HR complexities, so you can focus on running your business efficiently, supporting your employees, and achieving success.”
Find out more about CE People on 01604 805634, email enquiries@ce-people.co.uk.
