Five reasons why reliable HR advice matters

So here we are, a third of the way through 2026 already! And this week we are thinking about reliable advice and the difference it can make to your fortunes.

Oh, how the Trojans must have wished they had a trusted adviser whispering in their ear to “beware Greeks bearing gifts”; or those steering the Titanic to “watch out for those icebergs”.

The record label that turned down The Beatles (yes, they did suffer rejection) must be pretty miffed with their advisers too.

Reliable advice matters in HR as well. As the dust settles on significant changes to employment law which have now been introduced, here are our five top reasons why you should always turn to reliable HR advice. And the different ways you can access it with us at The HR Dept.

1. The ever-changing employment law landscape

Employment law does not stand still for long. In any given year there will be changes, and then there is 2026! Trade union rights, seismic shifts in statutory sick pay and the launch of the Fair Work Agency (FWA) will have a huge impact on British businesses, with SMEs particularly sensitive. 

For time-poor business owners and managers, understanding such changes in advance and knowing how to respond to them is crucial for compliance and smooth operations. Having a source of reliable HR advice like us at The HR Dept meets this need. The alternative is to find out the hard way via an employment tribunal or the FWA knocking on your door.

(There will be equally big changes in 2027).

2. The dangers of AI

For some, AI has become their go-to marketer, bookkeeper and legal adviser. It offers a shortcut and some advantages, but you can end up with hackneyed content, accounting errors and bizarrely, say, HR advice based on Californian state law! Being reliable, is one thing it cannot be accused of.

And it is not just geographical jurisdictions that AI gets wrong. It can base its HR advice on out-of-date UK law too. Other pitfalls include that it may answer questions without understanding the bigger picture, as a professional adviser would. And that it answers with such confidence, regardless of whether it is right or wrong, that you take it as gospel. You really shouldn’t.

3. The attitudes and outlook of each generation

Change is not confined to legal matters. As we move from one generation to the next, attitudes change and this can present conflict and opportunity in the workplace. As Gen Z are to Millennials, Gen X were once to Boomers – there is always some level of inter-generational understanding gap, to put it politely. 

Seeing this through the prism of reliable HR advice can reduce conflict and encourage the positives of a multi-generational workplace. This will influence productivity, culture and learning and development.

4. The cost savings of getting it right first time

The headline cost of HR mistakes is an employment tribunal which results in financial penalties, compensation and quite possibly reputational damage.

But there are low key costs too, dripping away, when you don’t follow HR best practice. Costs associated with retention because the culture is not quite right. Costs in lost productivity because of poor disciplinary and grievance procedures. And costs resulting from human error because you are not offering the right training.

5. Peace of mind

Our final reason is intangible but priceless. The peace of mind you get when you know that something important is covered. You know that the next time there is a problem there is an expert at the end of the phone or email. 

Two ways to get reliable HR advice through The HR Dept

We are a completely outsourced or overflow HR Dept for SMEs. So, whether you have no internal HR resource or you have a team that needs additional support, we can help.

You can choose to work with us on a retained basis via our Advice Line. You get unlimited telephone and email support for HR issues, plus all your documentation like employment contracts and company handbooks. These are updated for you (inclusive in the plan) at key times. You also get valuable tribunal indemnity insurance whereby if you follow our advice from the outset but still get taken to court, your fees and any penalties are covered.

We can also work with you on an ad hoc or project basis. If you have a specific thing that needs doing, from a review of employee benefits to help with job adverts, call us. 

To discuss Advice Line or a one-off issue, get in touch today.