A new survey carried out by HR and the PAY software supplier CIPHR revealed what measures in the employment law bill would be the most difficult to implement for organizations.
Although many key reforms still require a consultation, the main overhaul of the government of workers' rights will have an impact on each employer in the United Kingdom in one way or another. And the HR teams will play a crucial role in preparation and compliance with the series of new legislation in the coming years.
The Ciphr survey asked 300 UK HR decision -makers to identify which, if necessary, many new proposed policies were going to be the most difficult (in terms of time, increased resources and costs) for their business.
More than a fifth (22%) of those questioned estimated that the change provided for flexible work – namely expanding or improving access to flexible work to make it the “ defect '' where practices – is probably the most difficult of the incoming employment reforms. The strengthening of legal protections for workers participating in industrial measures and the extension of the deadlines of the labor court (which could lead to an increase in complaints), were also identified as being among the most difficult for many employers (selected by 21% and 17% of respondents respectively).
Currently, all employees have the legal right to request flexible work, such as remote or hybrid work, reduced or compressed hours, or bending, but employers can refuse these applications for one or more of the eight statutory commercial reasons. The new bill requirements put the burden on employers to ensure that any flexible work request is properly taken into account and refused only for “reasonable” reasons, these reasons have clearly explained. Employers will also have to follow specific steps to consult the employee before any decision.
Human resources professionals working in organizations in sectors where remote or hybrid work is less important, and work in person is the typical employment model, was the most likely to find the implications of improved access to flexible work. Based on the CIPHR survey, around a third of retail companies and hospitality, leisure and tourism (35% and 33% respectively), as well as more than a quarter of organizations in terms of engineering, manufacturing and construction (29%), and transport and logistics (25%) expect to find this change in work policies and flexible and particularly difficult practices.
Extending the right to statutory disease salaries (SSP) by removing the limit of profits and the lower waiting period, which means that paternity one day leaves, and changes in the qualification period for unfair dismissal also represent significant challenges for six (16%) organizations. The same percentage (16%) has highlighted their concerns about proposals so that employers offer minimum guaranteed hours for qualification workers and low hours.
The most difficult measures of the bill on employment rights to be implemented, according to 300 UK HR decision -makers::
– improved access to flexible work: 22% of all respondents
– Improvement of legal protections for workers participating in industrial measures: 21%
– requirement for organizations of more than 250 employees to publish equality action plans (including the action plans of menopause), alongside data on the gap for sex remuneration: 17%
– Extension of deadlines to present the court complaints (from 3 to 6 months): 17%
– Obligation / obligation to provide guaranteed hours to skilled workers and low hours of work (including agency workers): 16%
– country of statutory disease (no lower profits limit and waiting period): 16%
– Changes made to the qualification period for unfair dismissal: 16%
– Day a right to paternity leave: 16%
– Additional threshold for collective redundancy consultation: 14%
– Denunciation protections (to include the disclosure of sexual harassment): 14%
– requirement for employers to take “all reasonable measures” to prevent sexual harassment: 14%
– Stronger protections for pregnant women and new mothers against dismissal: 14%
– Day the first right to mourning (including leave for loss of pregnancy for 24 weeks): 14%
– Obligation to keep working time files for annual leave of leave and remuneration: 14%
– Code of practice to prevent two level workforce in public sector outsourcing contracts: 13%
– responsibility not to allow workers' harassment by third parties: 13%
– statutory probation period (duration of the “initial period” still in consultation): 12%
– Stop the use of NDAS to silence the allegations of harassment or discrimination: 12%
– The first day with unpaid parental leave: 11%
– Fire and practice restrictions of practices: 8.3%
– Regulation of wrapping companies: 7%
– Nothing above: 9.3%
Commenting on the conclusions, Claire Hawes, responsible for people and operations at the CIPHR, said: “I am encouraged but also a little surprised to see that the widening of flexible work is always at the top of the list of challenges for organizations. After years of hybrid work, and the proven data to support the right work balance for employees, you can expect more confident employers. The integration of fair and transparent decision -making, in particular in the sectors where the presence on site is the standard.
“There is no doubt that many of these employment reforms will be complex, heavy and perhaps expensive for some employers to implement. The changes that can create the main heads of conformity share certain common themes – they all require better processes and better use of data from people, which is sometimes easier to say than done. Complaints, HR will be at the forefront and in the shooting line.
“Do well, the changes brought by the bill on employment rights could help employers widen talent pools, stimulate retention and engagement, reduce absenteeism and create more inclusive and confidence workplaces. In the short term, the administrative elevator will be difficult.
According to Hawes, the earlier the employers are starting to prepare for the new regulations, the better. Some of the actions it recommend include: carrying out an audit and difference analysis of current policies and procedures; Prepare leadership so that they have a complete understanding of what changes and clear expectations around what should happen; And line reduction lines management so that they are trained in new requirements. Investing in integrated HR and payroll software can also help rationalize legislative compliance. Ciphr's pay software, for example, has integrated presets that automatically integrate the latest regulatory changes.
Ciphr instructed OnePoll to conduct an independent survey of 300 -hour decision -makers in July 2025. Complete results, including sectoral data, are available in https://www.ciphr.com/infographics/employment-mights-bill-survey-reveals-biggest-challenge-forest
The CIPHR is the partner of HR software and solutions for average and large organizations in the United Kingdom. Its HR, its pay, its benefits, its software, its services and its integrated content provides invaluable information to the HR teams, helping to inform their strategy of people and to develop and develop their organizations. Based on reading, the CIPHR is on a mission to amplify the voice and the value of HR thanks to intelligent data solutions that help HR be heard – in the conference room and through the company.
For more information, please visit www.ciphr.com.
