5 HR THINGS TO GET ON TOP OF BEFORE 2027
And yes, we know it’s November, but trust us, you won't want to be dealing with these jobs in the last week of December when you're trying to switch off for Christmas. You can thank us later.
A bit of preparation now could save you a lot of headaches in January, particularly with the employment law changes coming in 2027.
Here are five things to get on top of before the year is out.
1. Paperwork
It’s been a huge year of change. If you haven’t been keeping on top of your paperwork and policies, now is the time to get things in order. Review your contracts and policies, paying particular attention to the areas that have changed in 2026:
Harassment and workplace behaviour: employers now have a duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, and can also be liable for third-party harassment, including by customers, clients and suppliers, where they haven't taken all reasonable steps to prevent it. Both took effect on 30 October 2026. Make sure your policies, risk assessments and training reflect these changes.
Sickness absence: since April, Statutory Sick Pay is payable from the first qualifying day of sickness, and the lower earnings limit has gone. Check your policies and payroll processes reflect this.
Family leave: statutory paternity leave and unpaid parental leave became day-one rights in April. Remember that eligibility for statutory paternity pay is separate.
You should also look at your disciplinary, probation and dismissal processes now, because the rules on unfair dismissal change on 1 January 2027 (more on that under point 5).
2. Outstanding people issues
If you have existing people issues to resolve, you don't want them dragging on unnecessarily into January.
This doesn’t mean rushing decisions but rather having a clear plan to deal with what’s in front of you.
Whether it's a grievance that's been dragging on, an absence issue that hasn't been properly addressed or a performance concern that keeps getting pushed down the list, now is the time to work out what needs doing, who's responsible and what happens next.
One thing to bear in mind is that the time limit for most employment tribunal claims increased from three months to six months from 1 October 2026 for relevant events occurring on or after that date. That means potential claims can remain live for longer, so it's another reason to deal with issues properly and keep clear records.
3. Have January conversations now
Don't wait until January to start talking about January.
Talk to your teams now about expectations for 2027, set out objectives and have the conversations about performance, development and priorities.
Make sure managers and leaders are prepared for a new year and that employees understand what's expected of them.
If you have any performance concerns about newer employees, don't leave them until the next probation review. Address the concerns, provide feedback and keep a clear record of the conversations.
Which brings us to point 5.
4. Holidays and absence
Are you covered for Christmas? It’s always worth double-checking that one!
And while you’re there, checking January is a good idea too, particularly if your annual leave entitlement refreshes on 1 January.
Check whether anyone has outstanding holiday entitlement, whether carry-over arrangements are clear and whether you've got enough cover in place.
Check that managers understand your absence processes for both holiday and sickness, and that they know about the changes to sick pay introduced in 2026.
The last thing you want is to come back in January to a load of avoidable problems.
5. Get ahead
Think beyond the end of the year. The big one is 1 January 2027, when the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal claims drops from two years to six months, and the cap on compensatory awards for unfair dismissal is removed.
Employees with at least six months’ qualifying service will generally have ordinary unfair dismissal protection where their dismissal takes effect on or after 1 January 2027.
That's a significant change, particularly for businesses that have traditionally relied on the two-year qualifying period when making decisions about newer employees.
In practical terms, that means:
Check who’s already passed (or is about to pass) six months’ service.
Make sure your probation, performance and dismissal processes are fair, consistent and well documented.
If someone's not meeting expectations, address it early, give them appropriate feedback and consider what support or opportunity to improve is reasonable.
And remember, employees already have protection against discrimination and certain automatically unfair reasons for dismissal from day one. Probation has never been a free pass to dismiss someone without considering the risks.
There’s more to come in 2027 too, so keep an eye on what's changing and when the new rules come into effect. And if in doubt, get some advice before making a decision.
You don't need to fix every HR issue overnight. Start by working out what needs attention, where the risks are and what you can realistically get sorted before Christmas.
A few conversations, some updated paperwork and a bit of forward planning now could make January a lot easier.