Leading employment experts and major employers said there was “nothing to fear” from the government’s employment law, arguing the reforms would support fairer workplaces, increase productivity and bring the UK closer to international employment standards.
The comments came during a panel in Parliament on Tuesday November 11 – the same day new figures showed unemployment had risen to 5%, the highest rate in a decade outside of the pandemic. The discussion, hosted by the Policy Liaison Group on Workplace Wellbeing and attended by Labor MP Katrina Murray, discussed how the bill could help create a stronger and more inclusive labor market.
Participants agreed that the bill represents a long overdue modernization of the UK’s fragmented employment law framework. While critics have suggested that the legislation will impose additional burdens on employers, participants noted that many of the reforms – including protection against unfair dismissal from day one, increased sick pay and parental leave, and tougher anti-harassment measures – are already routine for responsible employers.
The real challenge, experts say, lies not in the reforms themselves, but in the practical implementation, including updating human resources systems, payroll processes and internal policies. However, this will be facilitated by a phased, sector-by-sector rollout, which has been welcomed by businesses as a sensible and collaborative approach to addressing broader employment changes.
The proposal for a new statutory probationary period of nine months contained in the draft law was also positively received. It was described as striking the right balance between protecting workers and allowing employers appropriate flexibility. Participants said clearer rules and stronger protections would improve recruitment and retention while promoting wellbeing and productivity. As one employee put it, “Good work is good business.”
Gethin Nadin, chair of the Policy Liaison Group on Workplace Wellbeing, said rising unemployment made collaboration between employers and government more important than ever: “Good employers have nothing to fear from good work. This bill builds trust, sets clear expectations and rewards those who lead by example.”
He encouraged employers to engage openly with the bill in order to reduce unnecessary misunderstandings.
Zellis CEO Abigail Vaughan highlighted the need to simplify areas where multiple laws overlap: “The key test now is implementation. Examining ways to simplify maternity and parental leave rules would help reduce honest mistakes, protect vulnerable workers and limit confusion.”
Janet Williamson, head of corporate governance and collective bargaining, said: “The Employment Rights Act will help the UK catch up with other leading economies. It strengthens essential protections and provides a more transparent and consistent framework for companies.”
She added that employers would benefit from lower turnover, less absenteeism and higher productivity: “When people have fair, safe and predictable work, companies perform better.”
