Keep your documents watertight

Watertight Documents

As an employer you will likely be aware that it is a legal requirement for you to have contracts in place with your employees (if you’re not, please talk to us!), but the benefits to you as an employer are greater than you might think. Too many employers rely on templates and implied terms, which cover only the absolute basics and afford the employer almost no protection. All too often, we come across employment contracts based on a 10-year-old Google search result with inappropriate and outdated terms. And even the most technically robust examples can be littered with legal jargon, leaving most mere mortals in the dark about their contract and terms. It is only when a problem arises that employers realise the limitation and disadvantage this holds, finding themselves bound by statutory obligations with little or no obligation on the employee.

You have to follow your own contract terms, so make them suit your business

The cost of complacency

The effects of poorly-managed contracts can range from probationary periods not being applied through to finding yourself unable to recover money owed by the employee, or losing the right to withhold benefits in misconduct circumstances. Supporting policies and procedures are often based on generic templates which don’t reflect the culture and operational practices of the business. These documents can end up being served as dust collectors, only to be pulled out frantically when there’s an issue, at which point it’s too late.

As an employer, you could find yourself:

Financially hit from poorly worded legal documents
Unsure about how to reflect your workplace culture in your documents
Vulnerable due to lacking important documents such as employment contracts
Struggling to work through a sea of legal jargon
Limited by outdated or generic copy-paste documents
Unclear how to strengthen your documents

Our business-focused approach

It is all too easy to view these documents as a ‘tick-box’ exercise but overlooking this vital part of the employment relationship can have dramatic consequences when it matters most. Failure to follow your own rules and procedures will be criticised, and possibly penalised financially, should you ever find yourself in front of a tribunal. At Triangle HR, we help you to understand the legal jargon and create robust, tailored, and effective documents that not only protect your business financially and otherwise, but when utilised fully, can serve as an invaluable tool for both your managers and your wider teams – clarifying rules, expectations, and commitments of all parties.

With these in place, you will find yourself in a much stronger position to deal with unfortunate circumstances when they do occur. Also, having these documents available from day one can help eliminate problems before they occur (i.e., before you need to start worrying about tribunal costs). A well-written contract sets out exactly what is required of both you and the employee reducing the possibility of ambiguity or future disputes. We work with you to add in contract elements such as ‘Confidentiality clauses’ and ‘restrictions’, protecting your sensitive and confidential information both during employment and after it ends. Using our expertise to design a suite of clear rules and procedures relevant to your business, we provide the confidence and peace of mind for you to focus on more value-added activities.