Zest Expert HR Solutions

Zest Expert HR Solutions We help ambitious, values-led businesses grow without the people problems holding them back.

We’re the strategic and hands-on HR partner who gets in, sorts it, and sets up systems that work for real people – not just the policy manual. Every business needs an HR professional – whether it be for hiring staff, drawing up contracts of employment or dealing with employee disputes. Having this resource all in one place will save valuable time, money and reduce risk, therefore helping you to ga

in a competitive edge from your most valuable asset, your staff. From recruitment to retirement and all the stages in between, our services encompasses the entire employment lifecycle.

Dreading a disciplinary conversation you know is coming?Most business owners put it off because they're not sure if they...
02/09/2026

Dreading a disciplinary conversation you know is coming?

Most business owners put it off because they're not sure if they'll handle it right.

(And that's a fair concern, because getting the process wrong can cost you at tribunal.)

The ACAS Code of Practice sets out what a fair disciplinary process looks like.

And, if you unreasonably fail to follow it, any tribunal award can be increased by up to 25%.

The good news is that the process is straightforward when you know the steps.

Save this as a reference for the next time you need it. 👇

31/08/2026

August, when half your team might be off, is often a time for uneven workloads.

Uneven workloads turn into resentment.

Which turns into a conversation that you weren't prepared for, then sometimes a resignation or a grievance.

If someone on your team has been carrying more than their share this summer and you haven't addressed it, now is the time.

We can help you to structure those conversations so they're straightforward and actually land well. Reach out for a confidential chat.

If you can't accurately measure the impact of your employee benefits, you might be spending money for nothing.Yes, perks...
27/08/2026

If you can't accurately measure the impact of your employee benefits, you might be spending money for nothing.

Yes, perks are primarily there to support your employees. They keep your people happy and improve your work culture.

But any perks and benefits you offer must also have a positive, measurable impact on your business, whether that's performance, retention or revenue.

These are the 4 metrics you should be tracking and how to measure them 👇

27/08/2026

Summer bank holiday on 31 August... sounds straightforward, but is it?

Who's in? Who's off? Who agreed to work it and on what terms? What does your contract actually say about bank holidays?

Every August, small business owners end up in awkward conversations because nothing was written down. Sometimes it costs them.

If your contracts are vague on bank holiday pay, hours or entitlement, this is a good moment to sort that before the holiday arrives.

We can help you to get the basics right so there are no surprises at the end of the month. Feel free to get in touch.

24/08/2026

Employees who feel developed stay longer, perform better and cause fewer problems.

Ultimately, this is beneficial for your business.

If you've got junior staff and no structure around how you support them, that's a gap. Not a big one, but it compounds over time.

Structure can look like: regular check-ins, clear expectations and basic feedback. Most small businesses already do pieces of this informally, they just haven't written it down.

We can help you to put something simple in place that actually holds up.

Avoiding an awkward conversation with an employee could end up costing you... a lot.Maybe it's a performance issue or co...
24/08/2026

Avoiding an awkward conversation with an employee could end up costing you... a lot.

Maybe it's a performance issue or conflict with other colleagues.

Maybe there's a lack of effort or resistance to change.

Whatever the problem, sitting on it for weeks without addressing it will only backfire for you as an employer.

Getting ahead of it early usually costs a fraction of what it costs to deal with it later.

Sometimes it costs nothing at all beyond a well-handled conversation.

And, remember, getting independent HR help can often be a great way to handle employee issues. Consultants are impartial, fair and know how to manage niggles in a legally safe way.

If there's something in your team you've been putting off dealing with, get in touch.

20/08/2026

August is quiet for a lot of businesses.

It's the best time to do all that HR admin you've been avoiding since January.

Things we often see piling up but are good to sort now:

• Contracts that haven't been updated since the business changed
• No written policies for flexible working, sickness or disciplinary processes
• Performance issues that have never been properly documented
• Employees who haven't had a review in over a year

If you want help with ironing these areas out while things are quiet (rather than when it's an emergency), get in touch and we'll run you through how it works.

Employment tribunals rarely come completely out of the blue.Usually there are warning signs long before a claim that the...
20/08/2026

Employment tribunals rarely come completely out of the blue.

Usually there are warning signs long before a claim that the employer missed.

Because small business owners are busy running the business, not looking for early indicators that their employee is going to take them to court.

Below are some of the common warning signs we see that escalate into claims if no action is taken by the employer.

But spotting the signs is only half of it.

Here's what to actually do:

🗣️ Speak up.

- If an employee goes quiet, stops raising things informally or starts requesting copies of documents, don't ignore it.

- Check in with them directly, ask if anything is bothering them and make sure that any recent decisions which affected them were handled properly and documented.

☹️ Check grievances.

- If a grievance has been raised by your employee and you're not sure if it was dealt with correctly, go back and fix the process now.

- Avoid treating the employee differently because they raised concerns.

✋ Check your processes.

If you've recently dismissed someone, changed their terms or refused a flexible working request, pull the paperwork to check that your process was fair and documented at every stage.

⚠️ Health, safety or legal compliance.

If an employee has raised a concern about health, safety or legal compliance and they later face disciplinary action, dismissal or negative treatment: get advice immediately.

When an employee raises this type of concern, usually they are automatically protected under whistleblowing and employees must proceed very carefully.

The earlier you deal with these issues properly, the easier they usually are to resolve.

If any of this looks familiar, get in touch and we can work through it with you.

Many employers accidentally misuse the SOSR "some other substantial reason" clause when firing employees...And leave the...
13/08/2026

Many employers accidentally misuse the SOSR "some other substantial reason" clause when firing employees...

And leave themselves exposed under the new unfair dismissal rules.

One employer recently paid out over £66k after a tribunal found that they had unfairly dismissed an employee by misusing SOSR.

SOSR covers situations that don't fit neatly into conduct or capability, which means that it's also the category that gets misused the most.

Save this checklist and use it if you ever plan to dismiss someone under SOSR.
And, if you're already in the middle of a situation and want a sense check, get in touch for a confidential chat.

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