Cornwall HR Solutions

01/09/2026

Zero-hours contracts are changing... is your business ready?

The biggest shake-up to zero-hours contracts in a generation is on the way under the Employment Rights Act reforms, and the Government estimates it will cost UK businesses around £2.9 billion a year.
If you use zero-hours workers in hospitality, health & social care or education, this is likely to affect you directly.

Here’s what’s coming and what I’d advise doing now.

What’s changing:
- employers will need to offer guaranteed hours to eligible workers, based on hours worked over a reference period (the Government’s current preference is 12 weeks).
- advance notice before shifts are confirmed, cancelled or changed, with compensation payable when this isn’t done.
- the eligibility threshold is still being consulted on (somewhere between 8 and 20 hours per week).
- reforms are expected to come into force in the second half of 2027, but from 1 January 2027, some zero-hours workers who are genuinely employees, could claim unfair dismissal after six months.
- non-compliance penalties could reach up to £20,000 per worker, enforced by the Fair Work Agency.

My top tips for business owners right now:
- scrutinise where, why and how you use zero-hours contracts. Is there a genuine need or just habit, or maybe fixed-term or temporary contracts may be a better fit for some roles.
- get your data in order, check how many zero-hours workers do you have and what hours are they actually working? Model 12, 26 and 52-week reference periods.
- don’t cut hours prematurely, reducing hours now without checking contracts could land you in breach.

Need help reviewing your contracts and ensure you’re ready for the changes?
As an HR consultant working with SMEs, care homes and charities across the South West, I can help you audit your current arrangements and put a plan in place before the rules are finalised. Drop me a message or comment below.

EmploymentRightsAct HRCompliance SocialCare Hospitality SouthWestBusiness HRSupport

21/08/2026

Important HR update: disciplinary and grievance procedures may be changing!!!!

ACAS is consulting on a major update to its Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, the first significant revision since 2009.
The proposed changes place greater emphasis on resolving issues early and informally, before they escalate into formal action.

Potential changes include:
- Keeping a clear record of any early attempts to resolve the issue, including the reasons for moving straight to a formal procedure where appropriate.
- Treating suspension as a carefully considered step rather than an automatic response, while ensuring the employee understands what it means and why it has been used.
- Giving employees greater flexibility over who supports them at workplace meetings, including considering companions who do not fall within the usual statutory categories.

Why does this matter for you as a business owner/ manager?
Employment tribunals must take the ACAS Code into account. Where there has been an unreasonable failure to follow it, tribunal awards can potentially be increased by up to 25%.

Although the revised Code is not yet final, now is a good time to review:
- Your disciplinary and grievance policies
- How managers handle concerns at an early stage
- Your suspension and investigation procedures
- Your documentation and record-keeping.

Getting ahead of potential changes now can help your organisation respond consistently, fairly and lawfully when the final Code is published. If you think you should look into your processes, get in touch :)

14/08/2026

Happy Friday! 🥳

13/08/2026

Quick question for a Thursday … as a business owner, have you reviewed your Right to Work processes yet?

From 1 October 2026, Right to Work checks are expanding to cover areas such as worker contracts, individual subcontractors and businesses operating online platforms that match service providers with customers.

If your business uses agency workers, subcontractors, labour suppliers or other flexible working arrangements, these changes could affect you.

Sadly, the penalties can go up to £45,000 per illegal worker, so getting your processes right is important!

This week, I’ve been helping clients review their HR processes, get ahead of these changes and put practical systems in place to reduce risk.

If you’re not sure whether your current HR processes are ready, let’s have a chat.

HRServices

13/08/2026

Quick question for a Thursday… as a business owner, have you reviewed your Right to Work processes yet?

From 1 October 2026, Right to Work checks are expanding to cover areas such as worker contracts, individual subcontractors and businesses operating online platforms that match service providers with customers.

If your business uses agency workers, subcontractors, labour suppliers or other flexible working arrangements, these changes could affect you.

Sadly, the penalties can go up to £45,000 per illegal worker, so getting your processes right is important!

This week, I’ve been helping clients review their HR processes, get ahead of these changes and put practical systems in place to reduce risk.

If you’re not sure whether your current HR processes are ready, let’s have a chat.

16/07/2026

Heads up to my Devon& Cornwall business owners!

If HR has been sitting on your ‘I’ll deal with it later’ list… you are definitely not alone.

I speak to so many local business owners who are:
- Unsure if their contracts and policies are up to date
- Spending too much time on HR issues
- Worried about getting things wrong when it comes to employment law.

So, I thought I would do something to help this summer.

I am offering a limited number of FREE HR Audits for local businesses. It’s a simple, no-pressure review where I will:
- Highlight any risks or gaps
- Give you clear, practical advice
- Help you feel more confident about your HR setup
- No hard sell, just honest support.

If it has been on your mind for a while, now is a great time to get it sorted. Drop me an email [email protected].

13/06/2026

It’s always appreciated when trusted professionals recognise the work you do and share it with their network.

A big thank you to Tom JP Blackmoor for featuring and recommending me in their latest blog post. I really enjoyed supporting your business.

You can read the article below:

Need help finding the right HR partner? Discover tips and strategies to connect with the perfect HR professional for your needs.

08/06/2026

Important update for business owners effective 1 July

From 1 July, significant changes to unfair dismissal rights will come into effect! New hires will now be subject to a reduced qualifying period of 6 months to bring an unfair dismissal claim.
This marks a notable shift from the previous 2-year qualifying period and means business owners will need to exercise greater care much earlier in the employment relationship.

What this means for your business:
- Probation periods and review processes will need to be robust and well-documented
- Performance concerns should be addressed promptly and fairly
- Dismissal decisions within the first 6 months must still follow a fair and reasonable process.

Now is a good time to review your onboarding, probation and dismissal procedures to ensure they remain compliant.

If you’d like support reviewing your processes or updating your documentation, feel free to get in touch: [email protected].

27/05/2026

A fresh perspective can make all the difference…

After a walk along the coast this morning, it reminded me how important it is to step back and review what is really happening in your business, especially when it comes to managing absence.

Did you know that SSP is now payable from day one and more employees qualify? While this is positive, many business owners may start to see an increase in short-term absence.
For SMEs in particular, the challenge is often less about the cost and more about the disruption: unplanned absences, inconsistent management and gaps in processes that only become obvious when pressure builds.

This is where a clear and consistent approach matters and you need to ask yourself:
-Are you spotting absence patterns early?
-Are your managers confident in handling absence consistently?
-Are your policies actually being followed in practice?

A small shift in how absence is managed can make a significant difference to both productivity and employee wellbeing.

If you haven’t reviewed your approach recently, now is a good time to do so! Get in touch so we can look at how I can support your business in putting practical systems in place that work for your business.

15/05/2026

Are you ready for the Fair Work Agency?

One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is relying on memory instead of records.

When issues arise with performance, conduct, absence, grievances or dismissals, the outcome often comes down to one thing: EVIDENCE.

- HR records
- Emails
- Meeting notes
- Witness statements
- Return-to-work conversations
- Leaver documentation

Without proper documentation, even a reasonable business decision can become difficult to defend.

Good HR processes are not about creating paperwork for the sake of it, they protect businesses and employees by creating clarity and consistency.

This week I helped some of my clients:
- Put proper HR records in place
- Improve note-taking and investigation processes
- Manage difficult employee situations
- Reduce risk around disciplinaries and dismissals
- Ensure leavers are handled correctly and professionally

If your HR records and processes could use a review, feel free to message me.