Employee Relations
Disciplinary, Capability and Grievance Support
At Popoki HR, we provide comprehensive employee relations services to help businesses manage challenging workplace situations fairly and professionally. From misconduct and poor performance to grievances and disputes, our approach ensures legal compliance and protects both your team and your business
Disciplinary Procedures
Used to address employee misconduct, including inappropriate behaviour or breaches of company policy. We support you through each step of the process to ensure fairness and consistency.
Capability Procedures
Focuses on performance-related issues when an employee struggles to meet expectations despite support. We guide employers through structured, supportive steps to assess capability and implement improvement plans.
Grievance Procedures
A formal process that enables employees to raise concerns about workplace issues. We help you manage grievances constructively and professionally, minimising disruption and promoting trust.
We provide comprehensive support to help businesses navigate disciplinary and grievance processes professionally and effectively. This service ensures compliance with best practices while aiming for a fair and constructive resolution.
What's included:
Process Guidance:
Advice on following the correct procedures, including adherence to legal and organisational policies.
Meeting Support:
Assistance in preparing for and attending meetings, ensuring they are conducted fairly and professionally.
Independent Investigations:
Conducting impartial investigations to gather facts and present findings clearly.
Drafting Correspondence:
Preparing letters, meeting notes, and other documentation required throughout the process.
Resolution Support:
Providing recommendations and strategies to resolve issues constructively, whether through mediation or formal action.
Our tailored employee relations consulting services help prevent procedural errors, foster fairness, and reduce the risk of disputes.
Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Work
We help organisations create a safe, respectful, and legally compliant work environment through preventative policies and proactive support.
Creating a safe and respectful workplace is essential for every organisation. We support businesses in implementing measures to prevent sexual harassment, ensuring compliance with legal obligations and fostering a culture of respect and inclusion.
What's included:
Policy Development:
Help create clear, practical anti-harassment policies that define unacceptable behaviours and outline reporting procedures.
Training and Awareness:
Deliver training sessions for employees and managers on recognising, preventing, and addressing sexual harassment in the workplace.
Reporting Mechanisms:
Advise on implementing confidential and accessible systems for employees to report concerns.
Incident Management:
Provide guidance on responding to allegations sensitively and in compliance with legal and organisational standards.
Culture Change Support:
Work with leadership to promote a culture of respect and zero tolerance for harassment through clear communication and consistent enforcement of policies.
These services promote safety, compliance, and employee confidence across your organisation.
Independent Investigations
Independent investigations protect your business from bias, strengthen trust, and demonstrate a commitment to handling workplace issues professionally.
We offer impartial and thorough investigations for workplace issues, providing you with a detailed written report based on the findings. Our independent investigations service is ideal for handling sensitive matters such as grievances, disciplinary concerns, bullying, harassment, or whistleblowing cases.
What's included:
Initial Scoping:
A consultation to understand the nature of the issue, define objectives, and agree on the scope of the investigation.
Fact-Finding:
Conducting interviews, reviewing relevant documents, and gathering evidence in a fair and impartial manner.
Analysis:
Evaluating the evidence to identify key themes, inconsistencies, and insights.
Detailed Reporting:
Providing a clear, objective written report that summarises the investigation, presents findings, and offers recommendations if required.
Support with Next Steps:
Guidance on how to act on the findings, whether it involves disciplinary actions, policy changes, or mediation.
Our approach ensures confidentiality, fairness, and adherence to legal and organisational policies, giving you confidence in the process and the outcomes.
Performance Management and Capability
We support leaders in managing performance issues constructively, with fairness and a focus on improvement. When necessary, we also guide exits in line with best practice and employment law.
What's included:
Performance Conversations:
Guidance on preparing for and conducting clear, constructive discussions about performance.
Improvement Plans:
Support in creating practical, achievable performance improvement plans to help employees succeed in their roles.
Capability Assessments:
Assistance in assessing an employee's capability and determining the most appropriate steps to address any gaps.
Exit Strategies:
Advice on managing exits when performance cannot be improved, ensuring fairness and compliance with employment law.
By approaching performance management with clarity and fairness, you can address issues effectively while maintaining a positive and respectful workplace environment.
Contact us to learn how Popoki HR can support your organisation with expert, pragmatic employee relations support.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are employee relations services?
Employee relations services encompass professional support for managing workplace relationships, resolving conflicts, and ensuring compliance with employment law — including the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, which is the statutory foundation for fair workplace processes. This includes handling grievances, disciplinary procedures, performance management, and fostering positive workplace culture. With 97,000 tribunal claims filed in 2023/24 (up 13% on the previous year) and an average employer cost of £8,500 per case, professional employee relations support is increasingly critical. Our employee relations consulting services help organisations maintain productive, legally compliant workplaces whilst minimising the risk of employment tribunals.
When should I seek external employee relations support?
External employee relations support is valuable when facing complex disciplinaries, potential tribunal claims, serious grievances, or when you lack internal HR expertise. It is also beneficial during redundancy processes, TUPE transfers, or when implementing significant workplace changes. Early intervention through workplace mediation services can prevent issues from escalating to formal proceedings.
How do employee relations consultants help prevent tribunal claims?
Employee relations consultants ensure your processes follow the ACAS Code of Practice — failure to follow the Code can result in tribunal awards being increased by up to 25%. We provide expert guidance on disciplinary and grievance procedures, help manage difficult conversations, and identify potential legal risks before they escalate. This is increasingly important: the Employment Rights Act 2025 reduces the unfair dismissal qualifying period from two years to six months (from January 2027), meaning significantly more employees will have the right to bring claims. The average unfair dismissal award is £13,749, but discrimination claims (which have no statutory cap) can reach six figures. Proper employee relations management significantly reduces the likelihood of costly tribunal claims and reputational damage.
What is included in employee relations consulting services?
Our consulting services include disciplinary and grievance management, performance improvement planning, absence management, conflict resolution, policy development, and management coaching. ER support is typically structured as either retained (a monthly retainer for ongoing advisory access, ideal for organisations managing regular people issues) or ad hoc (project-based for specific cases such as disciplinary investigations, grievance handling, or restructuring). Retained arrangements provide proactive support and are more cost-effective for businesses with 20+ employees. We also provide support with HR policy implementation and organisational change management to ensure consistent, legally compliant employee relations practices across your organisation.