People & HR
Plain-English UK employment documents for SMEs – contracts, policies and privacy notices with How-To guides so you know when and how to use each one.
Built for small businesses hiring and managing staff without an HR department
This pack is for UK small businesses, owner-managers and startup founders who need to get their employment documents right — without paying for a full HR consultancy. Whether you're hiring your first employee or tidying up documents for an existing team, everything is written in plain English and aligned with current UK law.
Perfect for:
- Small businesses hiring their first employee
- Owner-managers with teams of 1–50
- Startups scaling from founders to staff
- Businesses without an in-house HR function
- Managers who need day-to-day people policies
Everything you need to hire, manage and protect your team
Three steps. No legal jargon.
Download
Instant access to editable Word documents
Customise
Follow the implementation guide to match your business (most SMEs do this in a couple of hours)
Implement
Issue contracts to staff, roll out the handbook, and have proper processes in place from day one
Solicitor-drafted · Aligned with the Acas Code of Practice · Covers the Employment Rights Bill changes · Plain-English guidance · Used by UK small businesses from first hire to 50+ staff
Solicitor-drafted HR policies and templates for UK SMEs, covering flexible working, disciplinary and grievance processes, health & safety, and employee privacy.
Choose your pack
People & HR Legal Pack (UK) — COMPLETE BUNDLE
Everything you need to employ people in a UK SME
+ VAT
What's included in the pack (click to expand):
Practical Manager Guides
Step-by-step guidance for line managers handling tricky HR situations – no HR department needed.
Flexible & Hybrid Working Requests
Handle day-one requests confidently with scripts, checklists and legal guardrails.
£45 + VAT
Disciplinary Procedures
Run fair disciplinary processes in line with Acas guidance.
£45 + VAT
Grievance Procedures
Handle employee grievances fairly and in compliance with the Acas Code.
£45 + VAT
Health, Safety & Lone Working
Risk assessments, lone-worker protocols, RIDDOR and near-misses.
£45 + VAT
Social Media, IT & Monitoring
Lawful monitoring, social-media misconduct and GDPR-compliant evidence handling.
£45 + VAT
People & HR – FAQs
Q. Do I legally need an employee handbook in the UK?
No, there's no legal requirement to have a handbook, but you must give a written statement of terms (your contract) and certain key information by law. A handbook is the neat place to put your day-to-day rules and processes (holidays, sickness, conduct, IT, etc.) so you're not constantly rewriting contracts.
Q. What's the difference between the contracts, the handbook and the add-on policies?
Your contracts cover the essential legal terms for each person – job, pay, hours, holidays, notice, etc. The Core Staff Handbook gives you a short, non-contractual set of rules and expectations that apply across the business, while the add-on policies go deeper into specific topics like flexible working, home-working, lone working or social media.
Q. Are these documents "ready to use" out of the box?
They're ready-to-edit rather than ready-to-sign. You get plain-English Word templates plus How-To notes so you can tailor them yourself – for example, choosing how you handle sickness reporting, shift notice or hybrid working. You stay in control of the final wording and make sure it matches how your business actually runs.
Q. Do these templates count as legal advice?
No. These are self-serve templates, not individual legal advice. They're built around current UK law and best practice for SMEs, but you remain responsible for tailoring, implementing and keeping them up to date – and for getting your own advice when you're dealing with disputes, dismissals or other contentious issues.
Q. Will these documents keep me compliant with UK employment law?
They're designed around core UK requirements and Acas-style good practice, so they give you a solid baseline. But law and guidance change, and every business is different, so you still need to keep an eye on updates (for example working time, family-friendly rights, H&S and data protection) and adjust your documents when things move.
Ready to get your employment documents sorted?
Get the complete People & HR pack with everything you need.
+ VAT • Instant download after purchase
Guides & Resources
Free articles to help you get started:
Essential HR Documents Every Small UK Business Needs
The must-have employment documents for UK SMEs – contracts, handbooks and policies explained.
Read moreWhat to Include in a UK Employment Contract
The essential clauses every employment contract needs – and what most templates get wrong.
Read moreHow to Handle a Disciplinary or Grievance Without an HR Department
Practical steps for SME owners running fair procedures without in-house HR support.
Read moreLone Working, Home Working & Hybrid: Are Your Policies Ready?
Policy essentials for modern working arrangements – health & safety, data security and more.
Read moreBringing in freelancers too?
If you're engaging contractors, associates or freelancers alongside your employees, check out our Subs & Support templates — contractor agreements, IR35 checklists and practical guidance.
See Subs & Support templatesNeed help choosing or customising?
If you're unsure which contract to use, how to complete the [square bracket] sections, or how to adapt these for your roles and working patterns, our HR partners at Electra HR can help you tailor the pack, set bonus/commission schemes and keep you on the right side of current UK employment and data-protection rules.
Get in touch for tailored support