If you run a small business or charity, keeping your HR paperwork up to date can easily slip down the priority list. But with significant employment law changes coming into force from April 2026 and beyond, now is the time to check that your policies, procedures and documents are still compliant—and fit for purpose.
Added to the Employment Rights Act 2025 (hence the April changes). there are a myriad of other legal changes, some small and some more complex, which affect you, your staff and the way you run your business. And April always brings uplifts to statutory payments (national minimum wage; redundancy; maternity, etc).
So it is very likely that your employment paperwork, policies, processes and procedures are getting a little out of date and need some attention.
Delaying a review is dangerous
It is tempting to think “I will get around to this when something happens” or “I will deal with this when I have got time”, but it is important that you regularly update everything to keep it compliant with the law. If you are not on top of it, you can bet that your staff will be (or some of them, in any event) and, before you know it, you will be facing a grievance or complaint – or worse – because your paperwork is out of date.
As with our homes, spring is a good time to do some cleaning and decluttering to ensure that everything is up to date. We can review any changes in legislation; best practice; which have happened in the last year and incorporate those changes into our employment documentation (policies; terms and conditions of employment; job offer letters; payroll; etc).
It is also important to advise employees of any changes to these things as and when they occur and the annual check is a good time to make sure the communications have happened properly. If the employee’s terms and conditions have changed, they must have been consulted about and agreed to the changes and had a letter to confirm them. If policies have changed, the changes must be communicated en masse, either by general email; notices and/or other means of communicating with the whole workforce. If your processes and procedures have changed, you need to make sure your managers, team leaders and relevant staff know what has changed and why.
Why do an annual review, especially in 2026?
There are many reasons for making sure your documents and processes are up to date:
- It helps you to avoid costly and damaging Employment Tribunal claims;
- You can avoid underpaying your staff, which would have to be made up at a later date;
- It gives a message to your employees that you care about them and getting things right;
- As a result, it will help you to keep your employees for longer and they will be happier;
- It makes sure you are meeting best practice, which sets you apart from your competitors;
- It can improve your reputation as a fair employer and that will help you to recruit and retain good people;
- As well as your employees, it gives a message to your customers and clients that you are on the ball and care about getting things right.
This is particularly critical this year. The Employment Rights Act 2025 has brought/ is yet to bring many changes and quite a few are coming into force in April ( that means NOW).
Why use an HR professional to do it for you?
You can do this review yourself, or you can ask an HR professional to do it for you. The benefits of using HR are:
- You don’t have to research what has changed;
- We know which documents and processes are likely to be affected by the changes, so don’t need to go through them all;
- We can put complex legislation into user-friendly language;
- We can advise on how to apply changes in your particular business environment;
- We can help you to answer awkward questions from employees and other stakeholders
Spring cleaning your HR documents and practices
Spring is the perfect time to give your HR a refresh. Reviewing your employment policies, contracts, and processes now ensures your small business or charity stays fully compliant with the 2026 legal changes (and those in the pipeline) and statutory payment updates. A little effort today can prevent costly mistakes, disputes, or grievances tomorrow – and it shows your staff that you value them. Whether you choose to do the review yourself or get expert guidance from an HR professional, don’t wait until an issue arises. Schedule your annual HR review today and make sure your organisation is protected, compliant and ready for the year ahead.
