Employment Rights Act: How Prepared Are Oxfordshire Employers for the Changes Ahead?

With further reforms approaching in October 2026 and January 2027, the session explored what the changes mean in practice and the steps organisations should be taking now.

During the session, we also asked our HR Hub community six questions to understand how employers are responding. With 131 attendees taking part in the poll, the results provided an interesting snapshot of how prepared organisations currently feel.

Have you noticed any change in sickness absence since the SSP changes in April?

Yes – 15%

No – 75%

Don’t know – 10%

For most respondents, the changes to Statutory Sick Pay have not yet translated into a noticeable change in sickness absence, with three quarters reporting no difference.

However, 15% have already noticed a change, suggesting this is an area employers may want to continue monitoring as more time passes following the April changes.

Are you worried about a Trade Union seeking access or recognition?

Yes – 27%

No – 73%

Almost three quarters of respondents said they were not concerned about a Trade Union seeking access or recognition, while just over a quarter said they were.

However, when we asked whether organisations had actually taken steps to prepare, the picture was slightly different.

Have you done anything to prepare for Trade Unions seeking access or recognition?

Yes – 5%

No – 49%

Not yet, but we are planning to/talking about it – 29%

Don’t know – 17%

Only 5% of respondents said their organisation had already taken action.

Almost half had not done anything to prepare, while 29% said conversations or planning were underway.

The results suggest that while concern about Trade Union access and recognition may currently be relatively low, practical preparation is also at an early stage for many organisations.

Have you done any of the following to prepare for the changes regarding third-party harassment?

Respondents could select more than one answer:

• Updated policies - 79%
• Staff training - 51%
• Amended third-party agreements - 20%
• Introduced signage - 17%

This was one of the areas where employers appeared to be taking the most practical action.

Updating policies was by far the most common response, with almost four in five respondents having already done so. Just over half had introduced staff training.

Fewer organisations had amended third-party agreements or introduced signage, highlighting the different ways employers are approaching preparations for the forthcoming changes.

Have you changed your probation period in light of the unfair dismissal changes?

Yes - 50%

No - 50%

Our HR Hub community was divided exactly down the middle on this question.

Half of respondents had already changed their probation period, while the other half had not.

With further changes to unfair dismissal due in January 2027, the results highlight how differently organisations are approaching their preparations and the importance of reviewing what the reforms could mean for existing recruitment, onboarding and probation processes.

Have you reviewed your right to work process in light of the October changes?

Yes - 23%

No - 23%

Not yet - 38%

Don’t know - 16%

Preparation in this area appears to be at an earlier stage.

Only 23% of respondents said they had reviewed their right to work process, while 38% said they had not done so yet. A further 16% were unsure.

With the October changes approaching, the results suggest this could be an important area for employers to revisit and ensure the appropriate processes are in place.

What Do the Poll Results Tell Us?

Taken together, the results show a mixed picture of employer readiness.

There are some areas where organisations have already taken significant action, particularly around third-party harassment, with 79% updating policies and 51% providing staff training.

Elsewhere, preparations appear to be at an earlier stage. Only 5% have already taken action around Trade Union access or recognition, while fewer than a quarter have reviewed their right to work processes in light of the October changes.

The 50/50 split on probation periods also demonstrates that organisations are taking different approaches as they prepare for the unfair dismissal reforms.

With important changes approaching, the coming months provide an opportunity for employers and HR teams to review where they are already well prepared and identify areas that may require further attention.

Your Questions Answered

There were a number of excellent questions submitted during the session that Kate, Sophie and Adrian were unable to get to within the hour.

We have therefore asked the Employment & Immigration team at RWK Goodman to respond to these separately so that we can share their guidance with our HR Hub community.

You can download the Q&A answers here.

Final Thoughts

Thank you to Kate, Sophie and Adrian from RWK Goodman for another informative and practical Employment Law Update, and to everyone who joined us and contributed to the polls and discussion.

With further Employment Rights Act changes approaching, the session highlighted the value of reviewing policies and processes now rather than waiting until new requirements come into force.

The poll results also provided an opportunity for our HR Hub community to benchmark their preparations against other organisations and consider where further action may be needed.

Save the Date

Our next HR Hub takes place on Thursday 22nd October 2026, when we’ll be joined by Emma Mirrington, CEO & Co-Founder of The Talent Labs, for: The Talent Market is Changing. Are You Ready?

Emma will explore what employers need to know about hiring, skills and the workforce in 2026, including AI, changing candidate expectations, skills challenges and workforce planning.

We hope you can join us.