HR and Advisory Support

We advise businesses on the full range of day-to-day HR matters. This includes performance management, grievance handling, misconduct advice, and guidance on staff handbooks and employment policies. We also advise on how to document employment issues correctly, which is important if matters later develop into formal proceedings.

Our advice is practical and focused on helping you manage your staff effectively while reducing the risk of costly claims.

A performance issue arises when an employee is not meeting the standards expected of them in their role, without having done anything wrong. A misconduct issue arises when an employee has behaved inappropriately. The two situations require different processes.

A performance improvement process is designed to give the employee the opportunity to meet expectations over a set period. A disciplinary process addresses conduct, and may lead to sanctions including dismissal if the behaviour is serious enough. Using the wrong process can expose your business to claims, so it is important to identify which applies before you act.

As early as possible. Many employment claims succeed not because the employer had no reason to act, but because the process followed was incorrect. Involving our employment team early, before you take any formal steps, means you can be confident you are following the right procedure.

We advise on one-off HR queries and can also provide ongoing employment support through Fosters HR, our fixed-fee service.

Yes. A staff handbook sets out how your business approaches key employment matters: misconduct, absence, performance, grievances and other day-to-day issues. It forms part of the legal framework for managing your staff and, if well drafted, gives you clear grounds to manage situations consistently and fairly.

We draft and review staff handbooks and can update existing ones to reflect changes in the law or your business.

Our HR advisory support covers one-off and ad-hoc employment queries on an individual matter basis. Fosters HR is our fixed-fee employment service, which gives businesses access to our employment team for ongoing day-to-day queries at a predictable monthly cost.

If your business regularly deals with employment questions, Fosters HR may be the more cost-effective option. We can discuss both with you and recommend the right approach.