How Labour’s ‘Plan to Make Work Pay’ could affect you
Changes are coming to UK employment law. Are you ready?
Labour’s 'Plan to Make Work Pay' will see: the right to claim unfair dismissal from day one of employment meaning employees can take claims to a tribunal from day one, rather than the current requirement for two years’ continuous service; a ban on zero hours contracts; earlier access to certain parental rights; the removal of qualification periods for statutory sick pay and the right to disconnect, among others.
Many of these proposals are expected to be seen in a draft Employment Rights Bill before the end of October 2024.
At Attuned Leadership, I welcome many of these intended reforms. They:
build consistency for employees where probation periods vary and rights are extended or contracted depending on the terms of different employers.
increase protection for employees from poor employer dismissal practices and unfair decisions and procedures.
extend support for parents at the point of need.
help teams to switch off when not in work.
Graham Millar is an employment law partner at Gilson Gray. Writing in PM Magazine, he agrees, “Regardless of probationary periods, employers will need to work harder to ensure new starts are the right fit for the business before contracts are exchanged. It may also improve the experience for job candidates, with in-depth interviews and assessments helping them to get a better idea of what their new job could be like and support their decision making.”
Organisations and businesses need to get prepared, for example by:
updating policies and processes (identifying a lead in this area can create consistency, accuracy and accountability).
upskilling and training people managers and HR colleagues.
adding the golden thread of performance throughout the recruitment pipeline: from job advert and job description to interview, induction training and probation review.
clarifying probation procedure and timescales for review.
For SMEs, the need to get to grips with these changes will be arguably more urgent, as many of them are without in-house HR firms or advisors. They can prepare by:
not routinely calling, texting or emailing staff outside of their normal working hours.
making sure employee handbooks and contracts are updated and contain all relevant information.
locking in a precise recruitment and probation procedure.
ensuring managers and seniors have training and are aware of fair and effective performance management processes.
I’ve recently helped an SME client build their systems and practice that will futureproof them against these anticipated changes.
The impact? They’re feeling more confident and prepared, ready for growth through improved people practices and effective processes.
I work with SMEs to advise and support across strategy, people practice, process, policies, procedures, training, mentoring and coaching.
Contact me to discuss your needs and explore tailored solutions, today.
Sources