If the ERA is stopping you from hiring read this

Employers are reporting that changes made through the Employment Rights Act 2025 are stopping them from hiring new staff. A recent report by the CIPD indicates some of the top reasons as being a strengthening of Trade Union Rights, Statutory Sick Pay changes and the reduction of the qualifying period for Employment Tribunal Claims from two years to six months. Fears of hiring the wrong people are rife, and costs associated with the changes, very real.

Slowing down or halting recruitment?

If your business is deciding to halt or slow down recruitment that makes your existing staff extremely important. Ensuring you are managing the risk of work-related stress will not only make you compliant with the law, but just as importantly ensure you are protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of the staff you already have, improving retention of staff. Investing in employee training, support and development is vital to retain good employees and reduce the risk of sickness absence and workplace conflict.

Growing your staff team?

If your business is moving ahead with plans to grow your team, that makes your training, support and development of staff important too. Bringing people into the business can impact your culture, how things are done, how people interact, helping or hindering people’s contribution and productivity. Putting in place conflict management and resolution processes and support for Line Managers will help ensure you keep the best of your culture and any changes are most likely for the better. Support and recognition from Line Managers is essential for new staff to have a real opportunity to find their feet and eventually thrive.

Positive workplace culture is essential to attract and retain staff under the ERA

A positive workplace culture will help you both attract and retain staff under the ERA. Whether you are halting or progressing your recruitment of new staff, creating the workplace culture for your employees to make their best contribution will lead to the best results for your business. By investing in workplace culture improvements now, you will be futureproofing your business no matter what legislative framework you are working under. See previous blog post ‘Futureproof your business growth under the ERA’.

Start small with changes that lead to a positive workplace culture

Workplace Culture for many people is an abstract concept that is hard to define. It is therefore hard to identify what difference it will make and who can help. At a basic level, understanding what impacts your employees both positively and negatively on a daily basis is essential business insight into culture, allowing you to decide what changes will make a difference to your team’s results. Any action needs to help change negative workplace experiences, reduce conflict and eventually encourage innovation and productivity. Improvements will mean you are able to keep your existing staff, recruit new staff and comfortably navigate change as you grow your business. This is why workplace culture is an important investment especially for those concerned about ERA changes.

Not all change programmes need to be large internal corporate campaigns that everyone has to adopt all at once. It is more likely your business is ready for change in some areas and not others. Taking action is more important than the optics of change. Making small but impactful actions and initiatives over time means change is easier to implement and it will also increase the chance of it ‘sticking’. 

How Contribute 100 Can Help You Shift Your Workplace Culture

Whether you want to strengthen your culture, protect it as you grow, or address specific issues, Contribute 100 works with you from exactly where you are, helping you change what is possible.

Want to know more? We start by exploring what you can do right now to make the most difference with the resources you have. Our free consultation will explore:

• Your organisation's current position
• Your goals and constraints
• Practical initiatives you can begin right away
• Opportunities to build long-term cultural resilience

To talk over your options, contact:

Nadine Rae, Founder and Director of Contribute 100


(Photo Credit: Contribute 100 Ltd) (Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/36/introduction Ref: Open Govt. Licence)