Articles and guides
Practical guidance on employment law, HR policies, pay and people management for UK employers, written by the Bespoke HR team and kept up to date.
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All articles Policies and procedures 44 Recruitment 41 Employment law 36 Pay and benefits 25 Performance and appraisals 23 Wellbeing 21 Company culture 21 Learning and development 13 Remote working 12 Outsourced HR 10 Sickness and absence 8 Retention 8
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Free templates 19 Case studies 12 Training events 3
Latest AI Generated Grievances: What Employers Need to Do Employees are using AI to draft grievances, disciplinary responses and appeals. The documents are longer, more legalistic and often inaccurate. Here is how to read one properly and respond without losing control of your process. Read the article 
National Minimum Wage Rates: A Guide for Employers The minimum wage rates changed on 1 April 2026. Here is what every band is worth, who qualifies for each one, and the four routine payroll mistakes that leave careful employers underpaying. 
Employment Law Changes in October 2026: What Employers Need to Do Tribunal claims can now be brought up to six months after the event, and from 30 October employers face tougher harassment duties, including for harassment by customers. What each change means for your business, and which changes have moved. 
Staff Time Off Over the School Holidays: What You Must Allow Time off for dependants is for emergencies, not planned childcare. What it covers over the school holidays, and how annual leave, parental leave and carer's leave handle the rest. 
Data Protection Complaints: What Employers Must Do Since 19 June 2026, every UK employer must have a process for handling data protection complaints. What counts as a complaint, the 30-day rule and what to do now. 
The New HMRC Mileage Rate: What 55p Means for Your Business The new HMRC mileage rate brings the first increase in 15 years. From 6 April 2026, the approved rate for cars and vans rose to 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles. For a figure frozen at 45p since 2011, this is a meaningful shift. 
Probation Periods Haven’t Changed. The Law Around Them Has. Almost every UK employment contract includes a probationary period. The rules around probation itself have not changed. There is no new law about how long it must last or what it must contain. What has changed is the legal framework around dismissal, and that changes everything about why probation matters. 
The Fair Work Agency: What Every SME Needs to Know A new government enforcement body launched in April 2026. Yet most employers have heard very little about it. The Fair Work Agency has the power to inspect your workplace, demand your records, and issue financial penalties, all without a worker raising a complaint first. 
Reskilling Employees: A Practical Guide to Closing the Skills Gap in Small Teams This guide is for small business owners, directors, and people managers who want to take a practical, measured approach to reskilling employees and closing the skills gap, without it becoming a costly or disruptive undertaking. 
SSP Changes from April 2026: What UK Employers Need to Do Now From 6 April 2026, SSP changes in ways that will affect most SMEs, especially those with part-time, variable-hours, rota, seasonal, and zero-hours working patterns. The calculation method is still manageable, but it relies on having clear records, a consistent approach to qualifying days, and managers who follow the same process every time. 
Unfair Dismissal Risks for SMEs: Getting Disciplinary Decisions Right Unfair dismissal remains one of the most common employment risks facing small and medium sized businesses. Many claims arise not from extreme misconduct, but from decisions made quickly, under pressure, and without sufficient regard to process or proportionality. 
Whistle Blowing: A Practical Guide for SME Leaders Whistle blowing is meant to help people raise serious concerns in the public interest, such as safety risks, legal breaches, or wrongdoing that could affect others. For SME leaders, it is also a common flashpoint during workplace disputes. 
Data Subject Access Request FREE Workshop – 10th June 2026 Major reforms are on the way through the Employment Rights Bill and related legislation. This 90-minute session will highlight what’s changing, when it’s happening, and how it will affect your business. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of the 2025 employment law landscape and practical steps to prepare your policies, contracts, and processes.Free templates
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Holiday Entitlement Calculator: Free Excel Download A free Excel calculator that works out holiday entitlement in hours for full-time and part-time staff, new starters, leavers and zero hours workers, with the rules explained. 
Outsourcing HR: what you need to know Our guide to outsourcing your company HR using an HR consultancy. 
How to Set Up a Staff Training Scheme for SMEs How to set up a staff training scheme - why your business should have a staff training scheme and how to create one.