Employment law is continuing to evolve across the UK, and HR teams have an important role to play in ensuring organisations are prepared for changes being introduced through the Government's Plan to Make Work Pay and Employment Rights Act 2025.
The Government updated its implementation timeline in July 2026, with measures being introduced in stages rather than all at once.
For employers, this means preparation should not be viewed as a one-off compliance exercise. Policies, contracts, manager training, HR systems and workforce practices may all require ongoing review as different measures take effect.
Why Preparation Matters
Changes to employment legislation affect far more than the HR department.
Line managers are often responsible for applying policies in practice, from managing absence and performance to handling flexible working requests and employee concerns.
If managers do not understand changes to employment rights, organisations can face inconsistent decision-making, employee relations issues and unnecessary legal risk.
HR teams should therefore consider both technical compliance and how new requirements will operate in everyday working environments.
Reviewing Existing Policies
One of the most practical steps organisations can take is to regularly review their current employment policies.
Areas to consider include:
- Recruitment and onboarding
- Contracts and employment documentation
- Family-friendly policies
- Flexible working
- Sickness absence
- Dismissal and redundancy procedures
- Employee relations
- Harassment and workplace conduct
- Trade union and collective consultation processes
Policies should not simply reflect legal requirements. They should also be understandable for employees and realistic for managers to follow.
The Importance of Manager Training
Policies are only effective when managers understand how to use them.
Employment law changes therefore create a learning and development challenge as well as a compliance challenge.
Managers may need support to understand:
- When they should involve HR
- How to document employment decisions
- How to respond to employee requests
- How to manage difficult conversations
- How to apply policies consistently
- How to avoid discrimination or unfair treatment
Short, practical training sessions can often be more effective than expecting managers to interpret lengthy policy documents independently.
Communicating Changes to Employees
Clear communication will also be important.
Employees are increasingly aware of workplace rights, particularly when employment law changes receive widespread media attention.
Organisations should consider how updates will be communicated and where employees can find reliable information.
This could include:
- Updated employee handbooks
- Internal HR portals
- Manager briefings
- Employee FAQs
- Email communications
- Training sessions
Transparent communication can help prevent misunderstandings and demonstrate that the organisation takes employee rights seriously.
Turning Compliance into Better People Practices
Although legislative change can create additional work for HR teams, it can also provide an opportunity to review whether existing workplace practices remain effective.
Rather than approaching new employment rights solely as a legal requirement, organisations can ask whether their policies support the type of workplace they want to create.
For example, reviewing employment practices can highlight opportunities to improve employee experience, strengthen management capability or make processes more consistent across different departments.
Looking Ahead
The Government's implementation programme extends beyond 2026, meaning HR teams will need to continue monitoring developments as further measures and regulations are introduced.
Preparation should therefore involve building employment law updates into regular HR planning rather than waiting until individual deadlines approach.
Organisations that review policies early, train managers and communicate clearly with employees will be better positioned to respond to the evolving employment landscape.
For HR professionals, staying informed will remain essential throughout 2026 and beyond.
References
• Department for Business and Trade (2026) Implementing the Plan to Make Work Pay and Employment Rights Act. Updated 16 July 2026.
• UK Government (2026) Plan to Make Work Pay and Employment Rights Act: timeline update.
• CIPD (2026) Employment law resources and guidance.