Bumps in the Road
Disciplinaries. Grievances. A difficult long-term absence. Neurodiversity in the workplace. These are the moments that feel overwhelming if you are managing them alone.
Before You Set Off
Maintain Momentum
Bumps in the Road
Changing Direction
Most HR situations are manageable when you have the right support and a clear process. But occasionally something more complicated lands. A grievance from a long-standing employee. A disciplinary that involves sensitive personal circumstances. A situation where you are not sure what the right process is, or whether the decision you are leaning towards is legally defensible.
These are the moments where having the right support matters most. Not just advice on what to do, but someone alongside you who can assess your options, tell you where the risks are, help you understand your risk appetite, and make sure the process is fair, documented, and evidenced properly.
At this stage we help with:
- HR Consultancy: investigations, disciplinaries, grievances
- HR Administration: disciplinary and grievance admin and letters
- Advice and Support: ongoing support through difficult situations
Disciplinary processes
A disciplinary process can begin with something as straightforward as repeated lateness and end with a dismissal that, if not handled correctly, becomes an employment tribunal claim. Getting the process right from the start is always easier than trying to defend a flawed one later.
The law requires a fair process: investigation, notification, meeting, right to be accompanied, right of appeal. We support businesses through every stage, from the initial decision to investigate through to the outcome letter and any appeal. For complex situations, or where the grievance is against you as the owner, we can conduct the investigation independently. This matters more than people realise. Trying to investigate a complaint fairly when you are the subject of it, or when you are a small team, creates real problems and barriers that we are here to remove.
Grievances
A formal grievance from an employee can feel alarming, particularly when it involves a manager, a sensitive personal issue, or a discrimination allegation. Your duty to investigate does not change based on the nature of the complaint.
We help businesses acknowledge, investigate, and respond to grievances correctly. We produce investigation reports, draft outcome letters, and support you through any appeal. Where independence is critical, we conduct the investigation on your behalf. We also have great professional commercial partners who we work with every day and who can support on cases that require additional specialist input.
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Neurodiversity and reasonable adjustments
Neurodiversity is going to be the biggest HR challenge for small businesses over the coming months and years. An employee does not need a formal diagnosis to be protected under the Equality Act 2010, and with NHS waiting lists for assessments stretching to years, many businesses are managing employees with conditions they do not fully understand.
We review the situation, remove the noise, and help you make this process proportionate and manageable. We help businesses approach neurodiversity with the right combination of legal awareness, practical adjustments, and genuine care, including occupational health referrals and putting the right reasonable adjustments in place.
Long-term absence
Long-term sickness absence is one of the most challenging HR situations a small business can support. You want to look after the employee. You also need to manage your business. We advise on the right approach for your specific situation: when to refer to occupational health, how to adjust the role, how to manage a phased return, and when a fair exit may be the right outcome. We assess your options and your risk at every stage.
Performance Improvement Plans
When performance concerns cannot be resolved through informal conversations, a structured Performance Improvement Plan gives the employee a clear and documented opportunity to meet the required standards. We design and manage PIP processes that are fair, proportionate, and legally defensible.
Breathe Diamond Partner
Award-winning HR software for You
We are partners with Breathe, a cloud-based HR software solution, to allow you to keep all your people information in one place, taming the chaos, so that you can get out from behind the desk and lead your people.
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