Running a small business comes with a set of unique challenges, one of which is staying up to date with your obligations under employment law. At GAP HR, we offer specialist human resource consulting services to small, owner-managed businesses throughout the UK. Our expert HR consultants will work closely with you to ensure you comply with your legal duties and avoid expensive tribunal proceedings.
Call us now on 01491 598 600 or Click Here to Make An Enquiry and we will be delighted to help you.
What Human Resources Services Do We Offer?
Central to our human resources services is keeping our clients legally compliant. Just some of the tasks we routinely undertake include the following:
• Reviewing Contracts Of Employment
All employers in the UK must provide their employees with what is known as a ‘written statement of employment particulars’.
The written statement should contain key specific information, including the following:
- The employer’s name
- The employee’s name
- The job title or a description of the work
- The start date
- How much the employee will be paid
- How often the employee will be paid
- Working hours, including if and how those hours may vary
- Holiday entitlement
- Where an employer will be situated
- Details of any probation period, including how long it will last and its conditions
- Details of any other benefits
- Details of any obligatory training the employee is expected to undertake, including whether the employer will fund that training.
The written statement is not an employment contract, but it may form part of it. Since contracts of employment govern your relationship with your workforce, it is vital that they are clear and unequivocal and protect your business’s interests.
As part of our human resource consulting services, we will review your current contracts of employment to check that they adhere to the applicable laws. If we identify any issues, we will flag them and advise you on how you should amend the documentation to bring it in line with the law.
• Advising On And Overseeing Disciplinary And Grievance Procedures
Employers must follow the Acas Code of Practice when undertaking disciplinary or grievance procedures. Acas is the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, a government-funded public body established to improve workplace relationships. Acas states that employers must follow a fair procedure when dealing with disciplinary and grievance issues.
A disciplinary procedure refers to how employers should deal with issues surrounding an employee’s misconduct or capability. Acas outlines a number of steps employers should follow when initiating a disciplinary procedure. They include informing the employee in writing straight away, carrying out a thorough investigation into the matter, holding a disciplinary meeting, and providing the employee with the opportunity to appeal.
If your business has its own disciplinary procedures in place, our HR consultants will review your policies as part of our human resources consulting services. We will confirm that they accord with the Acas Code of Practice and, where necessary, suggest any changes you need to make.
A grievance procedure refers to when an employee raises a formal complaint with their employer. Acas states that employers should follow a formal procedure when dealing with grievances. Your organisation should have its own policy in place, but if it does not, you must follow the Acas Code of Practice.
The Acas Code of Practice on grievances details a number of steps an employer should take to ensure they handle grievances fairly. They include holding a meeting with the employee, carrying out any investigations that may be required, and allowing the employee to take the matter further if their grievance cannot be resolved.
If your organisation has its own grievance procedures in place, we will review your policies as part of our human resources consulting services. We will confirm that they accord with the Acas Code of Practice and, where necessary, suggest any changes you need to make.
Many of our clients prefer our consultants to oversee disciplinary and grievance procedures for them. We offer an impartial and unbiased view and understand what the organisation must do to ensure its decisions are fair.
• Advising On And Overseeing Terminations Of Employment And Redundancies
Complying with the applicable laws on dismissals and redundancies is essential in avoiding employment tribunal proceedings.
A dismissal refers to a situation in which an employer ends an employee’s employment. Employers must use a fair and reasonable procedure when making dismissals. You must first ensure that you have a valid reason for making the dismissal, such as misconduct or capability issues. You must then follow a fair procedure in line with the Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures.
You can only make an employee redundant dant when their role is no longer needed. Employers must follow a fair procedure when making redundancies, which varies depending on how many employees are affected by the proposals.
As part of our human resource consulting services, we will review your disciplinary and redundancy procedures to check that they are legally compliant. We will also oversee any disciplinaries or grievances to ensure your decisions are fair and reasonable.
At GAP HR, we have a proven track record of keeping our clients tribunal free. Our human resources services are tailored specifically to small businesses like yours and offer a convenient, flexible way to access the expert support you need in a cost-efficient and budget-friendly way.
Call us now on 01491 598 600 or Click Here to Make An Enquiry and we will be delighted to help you.
