How Legal Changes Are Reshaping Onboarding: What You Should Do Now

Onboarding Under the Spotlight

Good onboarding has always mattered in recruitment, but it’s become critical that we pay more attention to it. With major changes in UK employment law now coming into play, how you welcome and support new hires is no longer just a people strategy that reflects on your culture, it’s a compliance necessity.

There have been changes across the board to employment law, and these updates can affect every step of your recruitment onboarding process. Employers who don’t adapt might risk more than awkward first weeks for new starters; they risk legal exposure, poor staff retention and harm to their reputation that could be hard to undo.

For businesses across South and West Yorkshire, now’s the time to make sure your onboarding process is up to scratch. Read on to find out what you need to focus on.

Overview of Key Legal Changes

Here’s a quick summary of the new legislation and how it directly impacts hiring and new starter onboarding:

Day-One Employment Rights The Employment Rights Bill gives employees key statutory protections from their first day. This includes sick pay, parental leave and, potentially, unfair dismissal protection. Employers can’t rely on long probation periods to delay new employees from having these rights, so your contracts and policies must reflect them.

Flexible Working Requests from Day One Employees can now request flexible working as soon as they join a new organisation. That means your onboarding needs to include clear guidance on how to make this request, and how it will be handled by managers.

Zero-Hours and Fixed-Hours Rights Workers who have consistent hours will gain the right to request fixed schedules, and employers have to give reasonable notice before they make any shift changes shift changes. This makes clarity in onboarding paperwork essential, especially if your business uses part-time or temporary staff.

Neonatal Care Leave and Pay From April 2025, parents of babies requiring neonatal care can take up to 12 weeks of additional paid leave. Induction materials need to reference this alongside any other family policies they might mention.

Stronger Rules on Dismissal and Consultation The updated Acas Code of Practice on “fire and rehire” now includes potential penalties for employers who fail to consult properly during tribunal processes. Clear communication during onboarding about probation, performance expectations and contract terms is essential for all new starters.

 

A Practical Onboarding Checklist for Employers

Making these updates practical is the key. Here’s what you should review now if you are responsible for hiring, which will both cover the compliance angle and ensure your new starter has everything they need to hit the ground running.

1. Polish Your Contracts and Templates

Update any offer letters and contracts to reflect changes to day-one rights and flexible working options. If you have zero-hours workers or any fixed-hours arrangements, make sure they meet the new legal standards. Ensure that your family leave policies are up to date, making sure you include the new neonatal care leave access.

2. ‘Preboarding’ is Important

• Sending welcome messages and any essential communications before your new starter’s first day will help you build connection early.
• You can also use this time to complete paperwork, share company policies and introduce new hires to their team if possible.

3. Induction Materials and Welcome Packs

Provide an overview of your company’s culture, your values and your new employee’s role from day one. Plan their first week out: meetings with the wider team will help foster engagement and a sense of belonging. Scheduling check-ins will also help you ensure your new starter is settling in well.

4. Structured Training & Development

A clear plan of action for your new starter which covers the first three months is a good idea. This should include role-specific topics as well as anything compliance-related.

5. Right Tools for the Job

It sounds like a silly tip to give, but make sure all necessary equipment, software, and system access are ready before the new starter’s first day. This can prevent frustration and allows new hires to focus on learning rather than logistics.

6. Communication and Support

Scheduling regular check-ins and feedback meetings during the onboarding period allows you to track progress and address any concerns that arise early. Options for mentoring, or for someone to act as a point of contact to provide additional guidance, can help new starters integrate smoothly.

7. Manager Training

Ensure you train line managers to handle flexible working requests promptly and fairly. Provide guidance on documenting probation performance and supporting new hires to succeed from day one.

8. Employee Communication and Transparency

Use your onboarding process to educate new starters on their rights, responsibilities, pay structure, and how to access support should they need it. Clear, upfront communication reduces confusion and builds trust early on and sets up the foundations of a solid working relationship.

 

Create Your Action Plan

For regional employers, especially SMEs, these changes can feel like more red tape. But if you handle them well, they’re a chance to strengthen your hiring and reduce turnover. Here’s some practical steps to take to make sure you’re on top of it all:

Audit your current onboarding process. Go through every document you use during the process, from job offer to induction checklist. Anything that references probation, flexible working or leave entitlements will potentially need updating.

Prioritise manager training. Smaller businesses often rely on line managers rather than dedicated HR teams to manage their hiring processes. Make sure the people responsible for hiring understand the new rights and know how to communicate them correctly.

Integrate onboarding with recruitment. Recruitment onboarding shouldn’t be an afterthought. When hiring, make sure those earliy conversations you have set out expectations about flexibility, working hours and pay. This will reduce renegotiations later and keep everyone on the same page.

Update your employee handbook and policies. Even if you don’t have an in-house HR function, ensure your policies are consistent and accessible. Having outdated policies is one of the easiest ways organisations can get caught out in a tribunal process.

Track and document everything. Create a short paper trail for each new starter - contract issued, policies shared, flexible working rights explained. It’s protection for both sides if issues arise down the line.

 

The Cost of Getting It Wrong - and the Value of Getting It Right

Failing to keep up with employment law doesn’t just risk tribunal claims or fines. It can damage trust and undermine your organisation’s culture, which will inevitably lead to increased staff turnover and damage to your reputation.

Good onboarding protects your business and boosts performance. It gives your people clarity, confidence and connection from day one.

Recruitment doesn’t end when an offer is accepted – we’d argue it continues until your new hire feels like they’re fully part of the team. And the businesses that adapt first won’t just avoid compliance headaches; they’ll become the employers people want to work for.

 

At Sewell Wallis, while we recruit for our clients, it’s also important to us that we help our clients navigate these kinds of changes, and our values reflect that.

We own the outcome, for you and for us. We don’t just place candidates; we care about how they integrate and succeed. Helping our clients keep on top of their onboarding ensures the talent we place with them is happy and will stick around for the long run.

We approach recruitment with a conscience, and for us, that means transparent onboarding isn’t just the law, it’s the right thing to do. Showing new hires that you take fairness and inclusion seriously builds lasting loyalty.

We’re always improving, and we want to help you improve, too. Employment law never stands still. Treat this moment as an opportunity to refine how you hire and engage people from the very start.

By keeping on top of your onboarding approach, you’ll create smoother and more human recruitment experiences – and if you need a hand, we’re here to help.