J Mann Associates - HR & Culture Experts

30/04/2026

Statutory Sick Pay Change. Are You Ready?

Statutory Sick Pay is now from first day of absence.

Until now, employees had three unpaid waiting days before SSP started. From this month, those waiting days will no longer apply, and sick pay will be payable from the first day of absence. At the same time, the lower earnings limit is being removed, meaning many lower-paid and part-time workers who were previously ineligible will now qualify for SSP. This is a significant change, and it will affect most employers more than they expect.

The important thing now is acting.

You should be asking:
• Do your contracts or sickness policies still refer to waiting days
• Is your payroll system ready for the new SSP rules
• Do your managers know how sickness must be reported from day one
• Have you considered the cost impact of short-term absences now being paid
SSP is about to move from something that sits quietly in the background to something that will appear much more regularly in day-to-day business.

This is not something you can afford to overlook. Getting it wrong is not an option. Take the time today to read our webpage on employment contracts
https://www.jmassociates.org/hr-services/employment-contracts

28/04/2026

Do You Have a Timing Problem?

Problems with Employee Performance are related to timing; by the time we get the call, the issue has been going on for months. There's no paper trail. Morale has taken a hit. And the options that were available six months ago? Gone.

Jacqui sees it constantly. A small concern gets ignored. Then another week passes. Then another. Until the situation is so far down the road that a difficult conversation has turned into a formal process, and a formal process that wasn't set up correctly has turned into a tribunal risk.

• Most performance issues start with unclear expectations, not bad employees
• Capability and conduct are not the same thing, and handling them the same way is one of the most common (and costly) mistakes we see

If you manage people, reading Jacqui’s blog is worth 5 minutes of your time. She sets out how to manage employee performance without it turning into conflict, covering everything from setting clear expectations to knowing when informal has run its course to getting the formal process right when it matters.

What's the performance conversation you've been putting off?
https://www.jmassociates.org/blog/how-to-manage-employee-performance-without-it-turning-into-conflict

23/04/2026

Managers Need Training, not a Job Title. Recruit, Inspire and Retain

The businesses that promote their best employee into a management role assume they will automatically know how to manage people.
Managing people is a skill, and most people are never formally taught how to do it.

New managers often struggle with difficult conversations, performance management, delegation and handling conflict. Without training, they either become too soft or too strict, and both approaches cause problems.

Investing in management training often solves many people's problems before they start.

If you feel like your management team needs Jacqui, reach out today

If you want more information on recruiting the right people, you can read our free first chapter, written by Jacqui Mann, on attracting and retaining the right people and getting everyone aligned with your purpose.
https://www.jmassociates.org/freebookchapter

21/04/2026

Redundancy is Even More Expensive to Get Wrong in 2026.

From 6 April 2026, the maximum protective award in collective redundancy cases is set to double. That means employers who get consultation wrong are no longer just dealing with a process failure. They are facing significant financial exposure.

This is exactly why redundancy should never be rushed. Not because businesses should avoid difficult decisions, but because they need to make them properly.

If your rationale is unclear, your consultation is weak, or your selection criteria cannot withstand scrutiny, the cost can escalate quickly.
Redundancy is not just about reducing headcount. It is about protecting the business while doing so lawfully, fairly, and with evidence. That takes structure.

Getting advice before the process starts is not a luxury; it's how you protect the business.

And while you're thinking about it, do you actually know where your employment law risk sits right now?

Try our free Tribunal Risk Calculator specifically for business owners.
18 questions. 2 minutes. You'll get a personalised report showing exactly where you're exposed and what to do about it.
Completely free. Results sent instantly.
https://tribunalriskcalculator.scoreapp.com/

16/04/2026

The Real Value of HR is Confidence

Employment law is not getting simpler. Expectations on employers are increasing, and employees are far more aware of their rights than they were even a few years ago. That means the margin for error is getting smaller.

The strongest employers we work with are not the ones who never have people problems. They are the ones who deal with situations calmly and confidently when they arise.

That confidence does not come from luck. It comes from knowing their contracts are correct, their policies are up to date, their processes are fair, and their documentation is in order. It comes from taking advice early rather than trying to fix things when they have already gone wrong.

The real question - Is your business as protected as you think??

HR support is not just about solving problems. It is about giving business owners the confidence that, when they need to make a difficult decision, they can do so properly, fairly, and safely.

Book a free 15-minute consultation call here:
https://www.jmassociates.org/hr-consultancy-call

14/04/2026

Policies Don’t Protect If No One Understands Them

Plenty of businesses boast a policy, but when a dispute hits, managers often admit they’ve never been trained to apply those policies. A policy gathering digital dust isn’t protection; it’s a liability.

A real safeguard means policies are:
- Understood by every manager.
- Easy to access and act on.
- Implemented the same way, every time.

The strongest employers have both A policy handbook they can rely on and leaders who use it calmly, confidently, and correctly.

That’s where expert HR support protects your business.

Call us so we can provide ongoing advice on your Employee Handbook and help you build the confidence to apply it.

https://www.jmassociates.org/hr-services/employee-handbooks

09/04/2026

Long-Term Sickness Is Where Risk Quietly Builds

Managing long-term absence requires balancing compassion with strict legal compliance. You need medical evidence, reasonable adjustments, consultation, and to consider alternative roles, all while keeping your business running.

If you avoid decisions out of caution, risk increases. If you act abruptly without medical input or due process, risk increases. The safest path is measured, evidence-led, and thoroughly documented.

HR’s job isn’t to force an outcome. It’s to make sure every decision is defensible if challenged.

07/04/2026

Employers' Risk Starts the Moment You Hire

There’s no such thing as a risk-free employer. The moment you hire, you assume legal responsibilities. Most of the time, things go well. But when things go wrong, the costs aren’t just financial; they include lost time, stress, and reputational damage.

Strategic HR is about protecting your business. Good HR means making tough calls confidently knowing you’re lawful, structured, and protected.

That confidence? It’s your edge as an employer.

Find out more about how we can give you that here:

About - JM Associates - HR services and HR support that kept businesses legal and compliant, without businesses having to compromise. HR Wiltshire

02/04/2026

Documentation Isn’t Bureaucracy, It’s Your Legal Shield

Many business owners push back on paperwork because it feels like bureaucracy. But in employment law, documentation is your first and best line of defence.

Meeting notes. Performance reviews. Investigation reports. Outcome letters.

Without a paper trail, disputes become a battle of opinions, and your credibility is on the line.

With it, your decisions are structured, defensible, and evidence-based. Winning or losing a case often comes down to the quality of your records.

Meticulous records aren’t red tape; they’re protection for your business.

https://www.jmassociates.org/hr-services/disciplinary-performance

31/03/2026

"No nonsense and down-to-earth approach.

The team at J Mann Associates are so approachable, and, in particular, the 'no nonsense' and 'down-to-earth' approach, which is what is needed when dealing with HR, a subject which often strikes fear in the hearts of those of us who only touch the edges of the subject."

What are your clients saying about you?