WEBINARS & EVENTS

Change Management, Employment Law, Labour Government, Legal Update, Strategic HR, Webinars

Probation in practice: What employers must do to stay compliant and avoid costly risks

April 23, 2026

10:00 AM
11:00 AM

Following strong interest in last year’s session, we’re running an updated webinar to revisit probationary periods and explore the latest employment law changes coming into force. These reforms will have significant implications for how employers manage new starters, assess performance during probation, and protect their organisation from legal risk.

In this session, we’ll provide a practical overview of what the changes mean for employers and how you can prepare now to avoid costly mistakes later. The webinar is designed to give business owners, HR professionals and managers clear, actionable guidance on strengthening their processes and ensuring their employment practices remain compliant.

Probationary Periods

Probationary periods will become an even more critical part of the employment lifecycle. Your probation clauses may effectively serve as your first line of defence if a role does not work out. We will outline what a robust, best-practice probation process should look like, including clear expectations, structured reviews and appropriate documentation.

We’ll also discuss how employers can manage probation periods in a way that supports fair and legally defensible dismissal where necessary, while avoiding the common pitfalls that can inadvertently give employees greater protection sooner than intended.

Register Now – Thursday 23 April 2026 – 10:00 am – 11:00 am

The Financial Impact on SMEs

The upcoming reforms could significantly change the risk landscape for small and medium-sized businesses. Employers will need to reconsider how they assess potential employment disputes and the financial exposure associated with them.

During the webinar, we’ll explore how to estimate your organisation’s new “risk profile”, including the potential cost implications of disputes under the revised framework. We will also examine why standard settlement agreements may no longer offer the same level of protection as before, particularly in light of the uncapped nature of some future awards. As a result, many employers may need to review and potentially overhaul their current approach to settlements and dispute resolution.

Join us to understand what’s changing, what it means for your organisation, and the practical steps you can take.