Combining a unique mix of specialist legal services, HR expertise and tailored guidance, HRExpress helps employers to achieve the best for your organisation and your people. In this article series, the team share insights into the different ways they support employers with common employment challenges.
HRExpress is a fixed fee advice service for employers run by a dedicated HR and legal team. The team see their role as making employers’ lives easier, not by giving them the easy answer but by supporting them through issues that might arise and working with them to achieve their desired outcome. The aim is to provide employers with commercial, pragmatic and hands-on advice which is tailored to their business.
The service is primarily designed to provide support through telephone and e-mail. When an issue arises, clients can simply pick up the telephone and talk through what they need to do next or email the team for advice. As well as providing verbal and written advice, the HRExpress team provide clients with the documentation they need to ensure that the processes are properly recorded and, moreover, that they are saying the right things to their employees, at the right time.
In the series of articles, we will explore five of the challenges we regularly see employers facing, the steps they can take and how we can help.
Approaching reasonable adjustments for staff with disabilities
Proactively supporting employees with disabilities not only fulfils legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 but also fosters a culture of inclusion and respect, creating a genuine win-win for both employees and employers.
In this article we explore frequent questions we receive from our employer clients including; what are “reasonable” adjustments, how can these adjustments be introduced, as well as what to do if certain adjustments are not practicable and cannot be introduced.
Managing sickness absence
Sickness absence poses a significant and rising challenge for UK employers, costing the economy over £100 billion a year and accounting for 44.3 million lost work days in 2022 alone. The impact on a business of both short term and long-term absences is indisputable, and sickness absence is likely one of the most common (and challenging) issues employers are faced with. In this article we explore how to manage both short term intermittent absences as well as long term sickness absence.
Disciplinary processes – getting the suspension and investigation right
Even in the happiest and most settled workforce, things sometimes go wrong, and misconduct issues arise. Addressing these issues promptly and fairly not only ensures you are handling them lawfully but also preserves trust, dignity and wellbeing in the workplace.
This article focuses on what are typically the first two stages of a disciplinary process, suspension and investigation. As the first stages they lay down a vital bedrock for the remainder of the process, helping everyone navigate these difficult situations and ensuring fairness to protect a business against claims.
Grievances
The word grievance can send shudders down the spine of any employer, let alone a small/medium business owner. How both the employee and employer approach a grievance will significantly influence how the process unfolds. Taking swift and appropriate actions can help to reassure the aggrieved employee, demonstrating your commitment to fairness and resolution.
This article will explore the key steps involved in handing an employee’s grievance, highlighting the importance of following a fair process to ensure concerns are addressed effectively. By unpacking the types of situations that give rise to grievances, the processes, key considerations, and how to move forward after a grievance, we demonstrate how we help navigate these stages with our HRExpress clients.
Performance management and employee capability
Effective performance management is crucial for maintaining a productive and harmonious workplace. When an employee struggles with their workload or fails to meet expectations, it is essential for employers to address these issues with fairness, transparency, and support. This article explores the steps and considerations involved in managing performance issues, emphasising the importance of open communication, adequate training, and understanding the potential impact of health and personal factors on an employee’s performance.
How can we help?
Our team is knowledgeable and approachable with an enviable track record. And as an SME ourselves, our team at Stephens Scown is well-versed in the challenges faced by businesses across the region.
We were the first B Corp™ law firm in the South West and with only a handful of UK law firms to have been certified, where managing people in an ethical manner is part of our commitment. We are also again ranked in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025.Our CIPD qualified HR consultants can help you with:
• HR consultancy and on-site or remote support, including leading meetings and investigations, increasing your HR capacity, and helping you to deal with the pain of an unexpected employment issue. Benefit from the support of expert employment lawyers on a flexible basis – with your confidence protected by legal professional privilege.
• Bespoke HR training packages tailored to meet your specific circumstances and business challenges, including upskilling managers to avoid future issues.
We offer our clients the flexibility of expert HR support without the expense of employing a full-time HR manager. You’ll also get the extra reassurance of knowing that our guidance is backed up by highly regarded solicitors. In addition, many of our team have both legal and HR qualifications.
Creating a happy and engaged workforce is critical to business success, helping to sustain growth and boost competitiveness.
Please get in touch with the HRExpress team at Stephens Scown to discover how we can help your business optimise its workforce.
You can also find out more in our HRExpress brochure below:
