From First Hire and Beyond

The HR Foundations That Protect Your Business from ET Claims
A practical workshop for founders who want to hire confidently and avoid costl
About this Event

This workshop gives employers the essential HR foundations needed to run a safe, compliant and well‑managed team — whether you’re hiring your first employee or already leading an established workforce. You’ll learn the five core pillars that protect SMEs from Employment Tribunal claims: compliant recruitment, strong contracts, effective probation management, consistent performance conversations and proportionate handling of disputes.

With the changes brought about by the Employment Rights Act 2025, now is the time for employers to ensure their HR practices are up to date and aligned with new expectations.

Across the session, we break down exactly what SMEs must have in place, what good practice looks like, and how to apply simple, repeatable steps that reduce risk and strengthen your people management. You’ll leave with practical actions you can implement immediately, giving you confidence in how you hire, manage and resolve issues across your business — and reassurance that your practices are compliant, defensible and up to date with employment law.

Perfect for founders, small business owners and managers who want clarity, compliance and peace of mind — without needing an HR department.

🎯 Learning Outcomes for SMEs

• Recruit the right person, first time — Learn how to run a fair, structured recruitment process, avoid discriminatory pitfalls, and make confident hiring decisions — increasingly important with ERA 2025 reducing the unfair dismissal qualifying period to six months.
• Issue strong, compliant contracts — Understand what must legally be included in a contract of employment, what protects your business, and how to use contracts and job descriptions to set clear expectations from day one.
• Manage probation with clarity and confidence — Know how to set probation goals, give meaningful feedback, document concerns, extend probation fairly, and make confident decisions — ensuring your probation process is robust enough for the shorter ERA 2025 protection window.
• Run ongoing performance management consistently — Use simple, repeatable steps to address underperformance early, record conversations properly, and maintain fairness across your team.
• Handle disciplinary and grievance issues proportionately — Learn how to respond to disputes in a structured, defensible way that protects your business, aligns with updated expectations under ERA 2025, and reduces the risk of Employment Tribunal claims.