Future-proofing the Workplace: Key Reforms in the Employment Rights Bill and What to Do Next

The UK’s employment landscape is undergoing a transformational shift. Building on the insight from our earlier posts “A Historic Shift in UK Employment Rights” and “The Employment Rights Bill Explained” this article drills into how employers should respond now. With reforms on everything from shift-notices to day-one protections, it’s time to move from awareness to action.

1. What’s Changing?

Here are some of the major reforms embedded in the Employment Rights Bill:

• Ending exploitative zero-hours and casual contracts: workers will gain greater certainty of hours and stronger notice rights.
• Day-one rights: protections such as unfair dismissal eligibility, statutory sick pay, and flexible working requests from day one of employment.
• Stronger rights for parents, carers and disabled employees: new leave entitlements, enhanced flexible working, and proactive inclusion expectations.
• New enforcement architecture: a Fair Work Agency, stronger whistle-blowing protections, and higher employer accountability.

2. Why Employers Can’t Wait

These reforms aren’t just legal changes, they reflect a new cultural standard for how work should function. From our analysis:

• Employers who adapt early can enhance retention, reduce conflict, and gain reputational advantage.
• Conversely, outdated contracts, outdated processes and lack of inclusive design risk litigation, reputational harm and disengagement.
• Many of the reforms intersect with inclusion & disability rights: for example, proactive reasonable adjustments and inclusive onboarding (see point 4).

3. Three Practical Steps to Act Now

To move from planning to doing, here are three tactical steps:

• Audit your contracts & policies – check shift-notice clauses, unfair dismissal eligibility, sick pay waiting periods, flexible working terms.
• Update onboarding & training – ensure day-one rights are clearly communicated to new starters, managers are trained in inclusive practices and policies reflect new protections.
• Monitor, measure and embed – set KPIs such as new starter retention, number of flexible working requests, grievance/appeal volumes, and inclusion metrics. Use data to drive improvement.
• Inclusion & Disability: A Strategic Ally in Reform – One of the most significant threads in the Bill is the enhanced focus on disability, neurodiversity and inclusion. Employees with declared or hidden disabilities will now benefit from stronger protections and an employer duty that shifts from reactive accommodation to proactive design.

    4. Disability Impact Assessment Training

Our Disability Impact Assessment (DIA) training becomes a key enabler here. Through this programme, HR teams and managers learn to:

• Assess and remove barriers faced by disabled and neurodiverse colleagues.
• Integrate day-one rights with inclusive onboarding and individual adjustment plans.
• Embed “inclusive design” into recruitment, flexible working, and everyday practice, meeting both legal obligation and cultural ambition.

5. What’s On the Government Radar?

Government resources supporting this transition include:

• The Department for Business & Trade’s factsheets on the Employment Rights Bill, covering topics like “zero-hours reforms”, “day-one rights”, and “fair work enforcement”.
• ACAS guidance updates for employers on flexible working, redundancy consultation, and dismissal protections.
• The Equalities & Human Rights Commission’s materials on workplace disability rights and inclusive practice.

6. The Bottom Line

The Employment Rights Bill marks a generational change in UK employment law — one that moves from optional compliance to expected best practice. For employers ready to act, the opportunity is real: more engaged, secure and inclusive teams. For those waiting, the risk is also significant.

By aligning your contracts, policies and training now particularly through programmes like our DIA training, you’ll be ready not just for compliance, but for a workplace culture that thrives in the new era.

Find out more about our Disability Impact Assessment (DIA) course supports this transition, contact us or book a consultation today.