"How to" guides: The complete list
Our "how to" guides provide practical step-by-step guidance on a range of responsibilities within the HR role.
Absence and attendance
- How to set absence triggers and targets
- How to manage employees on long-term sickness absence
- How to manage cover for long-term sickness absence
- How to implement a phased return to work after long-term sickness absence
- How to manage and conduct return-to-work interviews
- How to manage an employee with a poor sickness absence record
- How to obtain and use medical reports on employees
- How to use fit notes effectively
- How to manage an employee who is absent due to sickness during pregnancy
- How to manage an employee who goes off sick during a performance improvement procedure
- How to handle the situation where an employee goes off sick during a disciplinary process
- How to deal effectively with sickness that occurs during or just before a period of holiday
- How to deal with an employee who goes ahead with a holiday when annual leave has not been authorised
- How to deal with an employee who returns late from holiday
- How to deal with unauthorised absence
- How to deal with issues arising from major sporting events
Contracts of employment
- How to draft an employment contract
- How to write and amend an employee handbook
- How to change the terms of existing employment contracts
- How to change the pay method for employees
- How to employ an individual on a casual or zero hours contract
- How to employ an individual on a fixed-term contract
- How to employ someone on a part-time basis
- How to manage annualised hours contracts
Capability, disciplinary and grievance
- How to handle an underperforming employee
- How to resolve potential disciplinary issues informally
- How to conduct a disciplinary investigation
- How to deal with suspension pending the result of a disciplinary investigation
- How to chair a disciplinary hearing
- How to deal with workers' statutory right to be accompanied at disciplinary and grievance hearings
- How to deal with the situation when an employee fails to attend a meeting under a disciplinary process
- How to decide on an appropriate disciplinary penalty
- How to handle appeals against disciplinary decisions
- How to handle a situation where new allegations come to light during a disciplinary investigation
- How to deal with an employee who has committed or been charged with committing an offence
- How to take disciplinary action against an employee during pregnancy or maternity leave
- How to handle grievances raised during disciplinary procedures
- How to deal with employees who submit trivial or repetitive grievances
- How to prepare for and conduct a grievance hearing
- How to handle appeals against grievance decisions
- How to deal with an employee who makes, or requests to make, a recording of a meeting
- How to deal with an employee who has posted negative comments about the organisation on a social networking site
Data protection
- How to respond to subject access requests from employees under the UK GDPR
- How to determine the legal grounds for processing employee data under the UK GDPR
- How to manage the retention of employee data under the UK GDPR
- How to review your organisation's compliance with the UK GDPR
- How to conduct an audit of HR personal data for the UK GDPR
Employee wellbeing
- How to support employees experiencing the menopause
- How to support an employee who is undergoing IVF treatment
- How to introduce and manage mental health first-aid provision in the workplace
Employment tribunals and dispute resolution
- How to approach pre-termination negotiations about a settlement agreement
- How to get the most out of early conciliation
- How to use a settlement agreement to resolve an employment issue
- How to decide whether to settle or fight an employment tribunal claim
- How to respond to an employment tribunal claim
- How to deal with disclosure in employment tribunal proceedings
- How to give witness evidence in employment tribunal proceedings
Equality
- How to measure and report a gender pay gap
- How to use positive action when taking steps to close the gender pay gap
- How to carry out an equal pay audit
- How to support transgender employees who are transitioning
- How to comply with the duty to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process
- How to support an employee who becomes disabled
- How to work without a compulsory retirement age
Family-friendly rights and policies
Pregnancy and maternity leave
- How to respond to an employee's notification that they are pregnant
- How to deal with requests for time off for antenatal care
- How to arrange cover for an employee's maternity leave
- How to deal with the holiday entitlement of an employee taking maternity leave
- How to deal with keeping-in-touch days during maternity leave
- How to stay in touch with employees on maternity leave
- How to deal with a request to return from maternity leave on a part-time basis
- How to ensure employees' smooth reintroduction to the workplace on their return from maternity leave
- How to deal with a pay rise that coincides with an employee's pregnancy or maternity leave
- How to deal with maternity pay, salary sacrifice and childcare vouchers
- How to deal with employees on fixed-term contracts who are pregnant or on maternity leave
- How to manage an agency worker who is pregnant or a new mother
- How to deal with the situation where an employee becomes pregnant again while on maternity leave
- How to support an employee who has a miscarriage or stillbirth or whose baby dies after birth
Paternity leave
Adoption leave
- How to arrange cover for an employee's adoption leave
- How to deal with the holiday entitlement of an employee taking adoption leave
- How to deal with keeping-in-touch days during adoption leave
- How to stay in touch with employees on adoption leave
- How to ensure employees' smooth reintroduction to the workplace on their return from adoption leave
Health and safety
- How to identify and manage health and safety risks
- How to deal with the health and safety rights of new and expectant mothers
- How to produce an accident report
- How to deal with requests for eye tests
- How to carry out drug and alcohol testing of employees
- How to respond where an employee is reluctant to return to the workplace
Information and consultation
- How to hold an election for employee representatives
- How to arrange the election of employee representatives for collective redundancy consultation purposes
- How to arrange the election of employee representatives for informing and consulting on a TUPE transfer
International workforce
- How to deal with an employee who no longer has the right to work in the UK
- How to apply for a sponsor licence
- How to retain a sponsor licence
- How to employ international students
- How to manage international assignments
Pay and benefits
- How to review your organisation's pay rates against the national minimum wage
- How to comply with the IR35 rules on off-payroll working
- How to select, devise and use a job evaluation scheme
- How to introduce and review a pay and grading structure
- How to decide the pay and benefits for a new position
- How to benchmark your pay and benefits against those of other employers
- How to use inflation statistics in pay setting
- How to choose a salary survey
- How to use a salary survey
- How to use the pay resources on XpertHR
- How to conduct a pay review
- How to implement a pay freeze
- How to develop a reward strategy
- How to communicate with employees on pay and benefits
- How to design, introduce and run a performance-related pay scheme
- How to implement and manage a discretionary bonus scheme
- How to introduce and manage a flexible benefits scheme
- How to introduce and manage a voluntary benefits scheme
- How to follow a total reward approach
- How to put together a total reward statement
- How to introduce and manage a payroll-giving scheme
- How to set up and manage a cycle-to-work scheme
- How to introduce and manage an occupational sick pay scheme
- How to introduce and manage a relocation assistance scheme
- How to introduce and manage a salary-sacrifice scheme
- How to deal with overpayments made to employees
- How to recoup training costs from an employee who leaves
Recruitment and retention
- How to manage job offers
- How to carry out a right to work in the UK check
- How to manage probationary periods
- How to calculate the 12-week qualifying period under the Agency Workers Regulations 2010
- How to employ agency temps as permanent members of staff
- How to employ volunteers
- How to design and analyse separation questionnaires
- How to collect labour turnover data
- How to monitor labour turnover
- How to create psychological safety at work
- How to increase employee motivation
- How to set up an employee suggestion scheme
Sensitive employment situations
- How to support employees experiencing domestic violence and abuse
- How to respond to the death of an employee
- How to support a bereaved employee
- How to manage personal relationships at work
- How to ensure acceptable conduct at office parties and other work-related social events
- How to deal with the situation where an important client refuses to have an employee back on its site
- How to handle a situation where employees refuse to work with a colleague
- How to manage an employee who has a personal hygiene issue
Termination of employment
- How to manage voluntary redundancies
- How to decide which employees to include in a redundancy pool
- How to choose and apply redundancy selection criteria
- How to consider offers of suitable alternative work for redundant employees
- How to consult on an individual basis during a redundancy exercise
- How to consult collectively with a remote workforce during the coronavirus pandemic
- How to deal with pregnant employees and those on maternity leave in a redundancy situation
- How to deal with employees on adoption leave, or who are adopting a child, in a redundancy situation
- How to manage garden leave
- How to make a payment in lieu of notice
- How to deal with reference requests
- How to deal with a fixed-term contract that comes to an end
- How to deal with an employee whose continued employment in their role would contravene the law
- How to handle gross misconduct dismissals
- How to deal with a heat-of-the-moment resignation
- How to protect against claims of constructive dismissal
Trade unions and industrial action
- How to negotiate terms and conditions with a trade union
- How to avoid a dispute escalating into industrial action
Training and development
- How to employ an apprentice
- How to deal with a secondment
- How to manage internships
- How to develop a competency framework
- How to manage requests under the right to make a request in relation to study or training
TUPE
- How to avoid falling foul of the law on harmonising contractual terms and conditions following a TUPE transfer
- How to deal with the provision of employee benefits following a TUPE transfer
- How to deal with pension provision for transferring employees in a TUPE situation
- How to carry out a due diligence exercise
- How to comply with the law on dismissal of employees in relation to TUPE transfers
- How to deal with the situation where the transferee disputes that TUPE applies
Work organisation and working patterns
- How to manage homeworkers
- How to implement a hybrid working model
- How to set up, manage and review a shift system
- How to set up and manage an overtime system
- How to deal with employment issues caused by severe weather or disruptions to public transport
- How to handle relocation of business premises
- How to consider alternatives to redundancy in an economic downturn
- How to implement a lay-off or short-time working
Working time and time off work
- How to manage bank holidays
- How to manage career breaks
- How to respond when members of the reserve forces are called out for military service
- How to deal with time off for trade union representatives
- How to devise and implement a policy on compassionate leave
- How to deal with an employee who has been summoned for jury service
- How to obtain a worker's agreement to opt out of the 48-hour maximum working week
- How to deal with workaholic employees
