The Employment Rights Act marks one of the biggest changes to employment rights in a generation, reshaping expectations around fairness, security and compliance. 

In this session, hear the most up-to-date changes and latest developments to the Employment Rights Act as it continues to evolve.

This session will explore what has already changed, what provisions are now live, and what is still on the horizon and will highlight the most pressing challenges for employers and HR teams, from policy updates to workforce strategy, and why preparing for these changes now will be crucial to managing risk, supporting people and ensuring organisational readiness in 2026 and beyond.

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The Employment Rights Act reduces the unfair dismissal qualifying period from two years to six months, fundamentally changing how employers manage early employment risk and the role of probation. 

This change emphasises the growing importance of well-designed probation policies, manager capabilities, and early performance management. 

This session focuses on what organisations need to do differently, including:

• updating contracts, policies, and processes 
• guidance on handling poor performance
• identifying what ‘fairness’ looks like during probation
• preparing HR teams and managers ahead of implementation

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From 2027, zero-hours and 'low-hours' workers will be given a statutory right to a guaranteed hours contract which reflects the hours they regularly work. This will be based on a set reference period which is likely to be 12 weeks.

These reforms aim to curb the misuse of insecure work and improve predictability for workers, but they also raise important questions for employers and individuals who value flexibility.

This session will split into discussion groups by company type to discuss:

• what the new right will mean in practice
• the scope of proposed exceptions
• where genuinely casual arrangements may remain appropriate
• how to redesign contingent workforce models, manage legal risk and balance flexibility with compliance

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The Employment Rights Act will require more than policy change, it demands new capabilities across HR and line management. This challenge is particularly acute for smaller organisations, where responsibility often sits with a single person in the company.

This session focuses on developing manager capability in decision-making, documentation and effective employee communication, alongside HR’s role in managing legal risk, delivering training and driving cultural change. 

Identify key capability gaps and gain practical insight into how to equip HR teams and managers to deliver compliant, consistent and fair outcomes, moving from policy compliance to a fundamentally new approach to people management.

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The Employment Rights Act marks a significant change to how trade unions and employers interact in the UK. With expanded access rights, evolving recognition processes and further reforms on the horizon, many employers will need to rethink their approach to union relationships and workplace engagement.

This session will give practical advice on the upcoming changes, with discussions delving into:

• how to build constructive working relationships with trade unions?
• what do employees need to know about trade unions and what should you communicate? 
• what do ‘access rights’ mean in practice?
• how a proactive, well-managed approach to union engagement can support better employee relations and business outcomes

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The duty on employers to take reasonable steps to avoid sexual harassment came into force in 2024. From October 2026, the bar rises even higher, requiring employers to take all reasonable steps - but what does that standard mean in practice? At the same time, changes to whistleblowing protections are strengthening expectations around safe reporting, protection from retaliation and how concerns are handled.

Most employers will need to review and enhance their approach in advance of this new duty. This session discusses what practical things you can do in your workplace - from policies and training to culture, reporting mechanisms and risk assessments - to demonstrate you are genuinely doing all that is reasonably possible to prevent sexual harassment.

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This session is an opportunity for you to put your questions directly to a panel of experts and gain clarity on what these changes mean in practice for you and your organisation.

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Drawing together themes from across the conference, this session will examine emerging policy directions, anticipated legislative reforms and evolving case law that are likely to shape the future world of work. The session will highlight key risks and opportunities for employers, helping HR and people professionals understand where to focus attention next. 

Attendees will leave with a forward-looking perspective and practical insights to support long-term workforce planning, organisational resilience and continued compliance in an evolving legal landscape.

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