What is an HR health check?

An HR health check is a structured review of your employment documents, people processes and everyday management practices. It can be useful when a business grows, takes on its first managers or realises that its paperwork no longer matches how the team works.

Agree the scope before starting. A review of contracts and policies is different from checking payroll calculations or investigating an individual complaint. A health check gives you findings and next steps; it is not a guarantee that every employment risk has been removed.

Check documents against working arrangements

List the contracts, written statements and policies in use, including different versions across the team. Compare them with actual hours, locations, reporting arrangements and benefits. Note missing information, contradictions and documents that staff cannot easily access.

In Great Britain, employers must provide employees and workers with a written statement of employment particulars. The principal statement is due on the first day, with the wider statement within two months. The GOV.UK written-statement guide explains the required information and timing. A statement is not the whole employment contract. Northern Ireland has different requirements, so seek advice on the rules that apply to your workforce.

Look at how the process works

  • Recruitment and onboarding: are responsibilities, checks, induction and probation reviews clear?
  • Absence and leave: do staff know how to report absence and request time off?
  • Performance: do managers set expectations, give feedback and follow up agreed support?
  • Employee concerns: can staff find reporting routes and understand how issues are handled?
  • Records: is information accurate, access controlled and responsibility for keeping it up to date clear?

Ask managers to explain a recent process, using anonymised examples where possible. This often shows whether a written policy is usable. For discipline and grievances, compare the procedure with the Acas Code of Practice.

Prioritise fixes rather than replacing everything

Separate urgent concerns from improvements that can be planned. For each finding, record the issue, its practical effect, a proposed action, an owner and a review date. Explain what needs specialist advice before anyone acts.

Updating a document does not automatically change an employee's agreed terms. Check whether consultation or agreement is needed before introducing changes. Acas explains what employers should consider when changing contracts.

Keep the review useful

Revisit the action plan after changes are introduced. Check that staff can find the updated information and managers understand the process. Review again when the business or relevant requirements change. Adept HR can help you turn a list of gaps into practical next steps.