Aspire HR & Training Consultants

23/10/2026

30 October is approaching. Is your business ready for the s*xual harassment law changes?

There is another important employment law change coming up, and employers need to be preparing now.

From 30 October 2026, employers will be required to take all reasonable steps to prevent s*xual harassment of their workers.

The law is also changing in relation to harassment by third parties, such as customers and clients. Employers may be liable for third-party harassment unless they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent it. These changes are part of the Employment Rights Act 2025.

So what does that mean in practice?

Having a policy tucked away in a folder isn’t enough if the business isn’t putting it into practice.

Now is the time to look at:

* Whether your s*xual harassment policy is up to date
* Whether you’ve assessed the risks in your workplace
* Whether employees know how to report concerns
* Whether managers know how to respond to complaints
* Whether your training reflects the risks in your business
* How you deal with inappropriate behaviour from customers, clients and other third parties

The steps you need to take will depend on your organisation, the work you do and the risks your employees face. The emphasis is on preventing harassment, not simply reacting after something has happened.

The key question is: could you demonstrate what your business is actually doing to prevent s*xual harassment?

If you’re unsure, now is the time to review your approach.

At Aspire, we can help with HR policies, risk reviews, training and practical advice to help you prepare.

Aspire HR & Training Consultants

0121 289 9011
[email protected]
www.aspirehrandtraining.co.uk

19/10/2026

World Menopause Day:

What should employers be doing to support their employees?

World Menopause Day was yesterday, 18 October, but supporting employees experiencing menopause symptoms should be a priority all year round.

Did you know that one in ten women have left a job because of menopause symptoms?

For businesses, this isnt just about being supportive. Its about retaining experienced employees, protecting your business and understanding your legal responsibilities.

Menopause does not automatically qualify as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. However, where symptoms have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on day-to-day activities, they may meet the legal definition of disability.

Employers may then have a duty to make reasonable adjustments.Depending on the circumstances, employers may also face s*x or age discrimination claims, or constructive dismissal claims where an employee feels forced to leave.

So, what can employers do?

Here are five practical steps:
Introduce a menopause policy so employees and managers understand the support available.
Consider reasonable adjustments, such as flexible working hours, access to a cooler workspace, additional breaks or temporary workload changes.
Review sickness absence procedures to ensure menopause-related absences are handled fairly and do not automatically trigger warnings without proper consideration.
Train managers to have sensitive, confidential and constructive conversations with employees.
Listen and respond when an employee raises concerns.

A small adjustment can make a significant difference to someones ability to remain in work.The biggest mistake employers can make is doing nothing because they feel uncomfortable discussing menopause.Women in their 40s and 50s bring valuable experience, knowledge and skills to the workplace.

Losing talented employees because they feel unsupported is avoidable.

At Aspire HR & Training Consultants Ltd, we help businesses put practical HR measures in place, including menopause policies, manager training, absence management reviews and wider HR compliance support.You dont need a full-time HR department to get this right. You need the right advice and a proactive approach.

Would your managers know what to do if an employee approached them about menopause symptoms?

If youre unsure, lets have a conversation.

Contact Aspire HR & Training Consultants Ltd
Telephone: 0121 289 9011
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://lnkd.in/eJKEKX7R
Practical HR support for real businesses.

12/10/2026

New ERA rule: The time limit for bringing a claim to the Employment Tribunal has just doubled.
As of 1 October, employees now have 6 months to bring a claim instead of only 3.
The government estimates these reforms will increase claims by 17%. I'd say the real number will be much higher.
Here's what you need to know:
📅 New 6-month deadline
The extended time limit applies to any dismissal or workplace incident on or after 1 October 2026.
Anything before that date still falls under the old 3-month rule.
⚖️ Claims will arrive better prepared
6 months gives employees more time to get legal advice and build their case.
Claims that land after months of preparation are harder to defend than ones filed in a rush at the old deadline.
📋 Your documentation is your defence
If you can't produce written records of what happened and why 6 months after the event, you could lose the claim on paperwork alone.
Every disciplinary conversation and decision needs a proper paper trail.
📂 Review how long you keep records
HR files and correspondence need to be stored for longer than you may currently be keeping them.
If the evidence doesn't exist when a claim arrives, you can't use it.
👥 Get your managers up to speed
Your managers are making the day-to-day people decisions that end up at tribunal.
If they're not documenting properly, every one of those decisions carries more risk under the new time limit.
If your processes aren't ready, now is the time to sort it.
Get in touch and we can review where you stand.

Contact us for a free non obligation consultation -

0121 289 9011
[email protected]
https://lnkd.in/eyJbQHTR

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

09/10/2026

Four employment law changes to know about this October.
If you haven't heard about some of these, you're not alone.
Some take effect this month; others are coming later.
Business owners need to prepare.
Here's what's changing. Save this list 📌
1️⃣ Tribunal time limits doubled
Employees now have 6 months after an incident to make a tribunal claim.
2️⃣ Harassment prevention duty now live
You need to prove that you've taken "all reasonable steps" to prevent s*xual harassment at work and third-party harassment from customers, contractors, etc.
3️⃣ New trade union access rights
If you have 21 or more workers, new rules expected this month could allow unions to gain access to your workplace.
From January 2027, every employer will need to tell workers about their right to join a trade union.
4️⃣ Tipping rules are getting tighter (possibly October, maybe later 2026)
100% of tips must go to staff, with a written policy to back it up.
This is all a lot for a small business owner to manage (more changes are coming, too).
If you want help with understanding these changes and how they affect your business, reach out for a free consultation call.

Telephone: 0121 289 9011
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://lnkd.in/eJKEKX7R

Aspire HR & Training Consultants

07/10/2026

05/10/2026

EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE

Something changed on 1 October that employers need to be aware of.

The time limit for bringing most Employment Tribunal claims has now increased from 3 months to 6 months.

So, if an employment issue arises on or after 1 October 2026, the new 6-month time limit will generally apply. Issues that arose before 1 October will generally remain subject to the previous 3-month limit.

But before anyone thinks this means you can put an employee issue in a drawer and come back to it later…

Please don’t.

Good HR processes are still just as important.

If anything, businesses should be making sure they are dealing with employee issues properly from the outset.

That means:

* Dealing with grievances and disciplinary matters promptly
* Keeping clear records of meetings and decisions
* Making sure contracts and policies are up to date
* Ensuring managers know how to handle employee issues
* Taking HR advice early when a situation starts to escalate

The change gives more time to bring a claim. It doesn’t give employers more time to ignore a problem.

There have also been important changes to Right to Work checks from 1 October, including the extension of the scheme to certain worker and individual subcontractor arrangements. The exact requirements depend on the nature of the arrangement.

Employment law is moving quickly. Keeping your HR processes up to date is no longer something you can afford to put off.

If you’re not sure whether your HR processes are where they need to be, give Aspire a call.

Aspire HR & Training Consultants

0121 289 9011
[email protected]
www.aspirehrandtraining.co.uk

28/09/2026

HOW HEALTHY IS YOUR HR?

Be honest.

If I asked you today:

“Can you show me your contracts?”

“Are all your policies up to date?”

“Do your managers know what to do when someone raises a grievance?”

“Are your absence records accurate?”

“Are your Right to Work records in order?”

Would you be completely confident with every answer?

If the answer is “I’m not sure” — you’re not alone.

When you’re busy running a business, HR paperwork and processes can easily get pushed down the list.

The problem is that small gaps can become much bigger problems when you suddenly have an employee dispute, grievance, absence issue or other difficult situation.

An HR Health Check can help identify those gaps before they become headaches.

We can look at your contracts, policies, processes, records and overall HR compliance and give you practical recommendations on what needs attention.

No complicated HR jargon.

Just a clear picture of where you are and what you should do next.

When was the last time you checked the health of your HR?

If the answer is “I can’t remember” — it might be time.

Get in touch with Aspire HR & Training Consultants.

Our HR Health Check is part of our wider practical HR support offering. ASPIRE HR Sales Presentation.pdf

Aspire HR & Training Consultants Ltd
0121 289 9011
[email protected]
www.aspirehrandtraining.co.uk

22/09/2026

A tour of our offices with the wonderful Morgan Parkes Recruitment

21/09/2026

If HR is something you’ve been putting off, give us a call and let’s have a conversation.

0121 289 9011
[email protected]
www.aspirehrandtraining.co.uk

You don’t need a full-time HR manager to get expert HR support.

This is something we hear a lot from growing businesses.

“I know we need HR support, but we’re not big enough for a full-time HR manager.”

The good news is, you don’t have to be.

Sometimes you need someone to deal with an employee issue.

Sometimes you need help with contracts, policies or compliance.

Sometimes you have a bigger project that needs professional HR support.

And sometimes you just need someone at the end of the phone who knows what they’re talking about.

That’s where flexible HR support comes in.

You can have experienced HR professionals supporting your business without having to build an in-house HR department.

At Aspire HR & Training Consultants, we can support you with ongoing HR, individual projects or those situations where you simply need some expert guidance.

Good HR doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs to be there when you need it.

If HR is something you’ve been putting off, give us a call and let’s have a conversation.

0121 289 9011
[email protected]
www.aspirehrandtraining.co.uk