The Employment Rights Act 2025 is going to force a lot of businesses to rethink recruitment. And honestly? That is not a bad thing.
For years, many organisations have relied heavily on probation periods to work out whether someone is the right fit. That has been particularly common in fast-paced creative, PR and agency environments, where hiring decisions are often made quickly, roles evolve rapidly and teams need people who can hit the ground running.
But the reality is this: most hiring mistakes happen much earlier than probation. They happen in the interview process. They happen during onboarding. They happen when expectations are not clearly set. They happen when the difficult questions are avoided because everyone is excited about the candidate, the portfolio looks strong, or the business needs someone in-post quickly.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 has now received Royal Assent, with changes being introduced gradually across 2026 and 2027. One of the key changes employers need to prepare for is the reduction in the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal protection – from two years to six months. In practical terms, that means businesses will have less time to address early concerns informally, inconsistently or without proper process.
For some employers, that may feel daunting. But the best employers will not respond by becoming more reluctant to hire. They will respond by becoming better at hiring. Because...
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