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Struggling With an HR Problem?
Tell us what’s keeping you up at night. Find your challenge below and we’ll point you to the right support, whether that’s a quick answer or a long-term partner.
About this page
Every Business Faces HR Challenges. You Don’t Have to Face Them Alone.
Most HR problems don’t arrive with a label. They start as a difficult conversation, a resignation letter or a sick note that doesn’t seem to end. This page brings together the challenges UK employers ask us about most, so you can quickly see what’s involved and how we can help.
Whether you need a quick answer to a one-off question or ongoing support as your business grows, we’ll point you to the right service and the most cost-effective way to pay for it.
How to use this page
Browse the common HR challenges and filter by People, Compliance or Hiring & growth.
See the warning signs, exactly what we do to fix it, and the best way to pay.
Answer three quick questions for a suggestion, or book a free 15-minute call.
How we help
From Problem to Solution in Four Steps
Whatever the challenge, the way we work is the same: listen first, then give you clear advice you can act on.
Tell us
Call or email us and explain what’s happening. There’s no charge for the first conversation.
We assess
An adviser looks at the facts, the risks and what the law says about your situation.
We recommend
We explain your options, the right service and the most cost-effective way to pay.
We fix it
We guide you through every step, draft the paperwork and stay with you until it’s resolved.
The cost of waiting
Why HR Problems Shouldn’t Be Left to Grow
Small people problems rarely stay small. The longer an issue is left, the harder and more expensive it is to fix, and the Employment Rights Act 2025 is raising the stakes for employers.
Dates correct as of September 2026 and subject to change.
Ways to work with us
Pay the Way That Suits You
Whatever your challenge, choose how you’d like to pay for support. Not sure which fits? A 15-minute call is usually enough to tell.
Pay as you go
For occasional, one-off issues.- No monthly commitment
- Billed by the hour or the task
- Same advisers every time
Subscription
For steady, ongoing support.- Named adviser for your account
- Agreed response times
- Documents, policies and audits included
Project basis
For a defined piece of work.- Fixed scope, fixed fee
- TUPE, restructures, handbooks, audits
- Clear start and finish
Retainer
For predictable monthly need.- Agreed hours each month
- Preferential rate
- Unused time handled as agreed
Fractional HR
For businesses needing senior expertise.- Senior HR lead embedded
- Agreed days per week or month
- Sits alongside your leadership team
Common HR challenges
What’s Your HR Challenge?
Pick the one that sounds most like you. Open any card to see the warning signs, exactly how we help, and the best way to pay.
Get step-by-step guidance so the process is fair, compliant and properly recorded.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- A complaint has been raised in writing
- You’re not sure what the ACAS Code requires
- You’re worried it could end up at tribunal
What we do
- Review the situation against the ACAS Code
- Plan the investigation and hearing
- Draft invite letters, scripts and outcome letters
- Guide you through any appeal
Handle long-term and repeated absence fairly, with the right conversations and paperwork.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- Fit notes keep rolling in with no return date
- You’re unsure how often to keep in touch
- Absence is affecting the rest of the team
What we do
- Review the absence history and your policy
- Plan welfare meetings and occupational health referrals
- Consider reasonable adjustments and a return-to-work plan
- Advise on next steps if a return isn’t possible
A clear, compliant exit process, from resignation to final pay and P45.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- A resignation has just landed
- You’re unsure about notice, holiday pay or garden leave
- Company kit and system access need sorting
What we do
- Confirm notice and final pay, including holiday
- Give you an exit checklist for managers and IT
- Plan the handover and protect company data
- Run an exit interview to capture useful insights
Plan and run the process properly to reduce risk and protect morale.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- Some roles are no longer needed
- Costs need to come down
- You may be proposing 20 or more redundancies at one site within 90 days, which triggers collective consultation
What we do
- Build the business case and timeline
- Agree fair selection criteria
- Run consultation meetings and draft every letter
- Handle notice, redundancy pay and appeals
Deal with it quickly, impartially and in a way that protects everyone involved.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- Allegations have been made against a colleague or manager
- The team atmosphere has changed
- A customer or client has behaved inappropriately towards staff
What we do
- Advise on immediate steps to support those involved
- Carry out or guide an impartial investigation
- Recommend fair outcomes and actions
- Update your policy and training to help prevent it happening again
Tackle underperformance fairly, from the first conversation to a formal process.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- Targets are being missed
- Other team members are picking up the slack
- You’ve avoided the conversation because you’re unsure what to say
What we do
- Prepare you for an informal first conversation
- Set clear objectives and a support plan
- Guide a formal capability process if needed
- Keep records that show you acted fairly
Sector-specific HR, including safer recruitment and safeguarding.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- You need DBS checks and references in place before staff start
- Inspections are coming up
- Staffing pressures are affecting your team
What we do
- Set up safer recruitment and safeguarding induction
- Align policies with your sector’s requirements
- Support you through people issues with sector knowledge
- Give you an adviser who understands your setting
We review and rewrite your documents so they meet current UK employment law.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- Contracts haven’t been reviewed in the last year
- Policies were copied from templates found online
- New starters don’t get a written statement on day one
What we do
- Review your contracts, handbook and policies
- Rewrite anything that’s out of date or missing
- Make sure new starters receive the right documents
- Keep everything updated as the law changes
Understand what’s changing, when, and exactly what you need to do.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- You’re not sure which changes apply to you, or when
- Your probation process needs tightening before 2027
- Your policies don’t reflect recent changes such as day-one sick pay
What we do
- Review how the changes affect your business
- Give you a clear timeline of what to do and when
- Update your contracts, policies and processes
- Brief your managers on what’s changing
Hand HR to a dedicated consultant and get your time back.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- HR is eating into time you should spend running the business
- You worry you’re getting things wrong
- Nobody else in the business knows HR
What we do
- Take day-to-day HR off your plate
- Give you a dedicated HR consultant
- Put proper processes and documents in place
- Be there whenever an issue comes up
Respond correctly and on time, whether you can agree to it or not.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- An employee has asked to change their hours or work from home
- You’re not sure you can accommodate it
- You don’t know the deadlines
What we do
- Explain your legal obligations, including the two-month decision period
- Help you consult with the employee
- Explore alternatives and trial periods
- Draft a clear decision letter
Get your checks and records in order before it becomes a problem.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- Checks were done in different ways by different managers
- Some records are missing or out of date
- You employ staff on time-limited visas
What we do
- Audit your current right-to-work records
- Fix gaps and set up follow-up checks
- Give managers a simple, consistent process
- Keep records ready for inspection
Resolve pay and contract disputes before they turn into claims.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- Questions about holiday pay or deductions
- You want to change terms and conditions
- An employee says they’re owed money
What we do
- Review the contract and the facts
- Explain your position and the risks
- Help you respond or agree a fair solution
- Advise on changing terms the right way
Access pre-screened candidates and specialist recruiters for your sector.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- Adverts bring in the wrong candidates
- Roles stay empty for months
- Hiring takes up too much of your time
What we do
- Understand the role and your culture
- Source and pre-screen candidates
- Manage interviews and feedback
- Support offers and onboarding
Build an onboarding journey that helps new hires settle, perform and stay.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- People leave during or soon after probation
- First days are disorganised
- Managers don’t know what good onboarding looks like
What we do
- Review your current onboarding
- Design a pre-boarding to 90-day journey
- Create starter packs and probation reviews
- Train managers to run it
A workforce plan that puts the right people in the right roles at the right time.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- Hiring happens in a panic
- Nobody owns HR
- Processes haven’t kept up with headcount
What we do
- Map your current workforce and skills
- Plan the roles you’ll need
- Set up scalable HR processes
- Give you senior HR support as you grow
Fixed monthly HR support, or a senior HR lead for a few days a month.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- You’re too big to wing it but too small for an HR manager
- HR issues come up every month
- You want the same adviser every time
What we do
- Agree the level of support you need
- Give you a named adviser
- Include documents, policies and audits
- Scale support up or down as you grow
Manage the transfer properly, from due diligence to day one.
See how we help
Signs you’re facing this
- You’re acquiring a business or winning a contract with existing staff
- You’re unsure what information you need
- Terms and conditions don’t match
What we do
- Review employee information and risks
- Plan the inform and consult process
- Draft letters and communications
- Help you bring teams together after the transfer
Find my fix
Not Sure What You Need? Answer Three Quick Questions
Tell us a little about your situation and we’ll suggest the right service and the best way to pay. It takes less than a minute.
Answer all three to see your suggestion.
Example scenarios
How This Works in Real Life
Here are some typical situations we help businesses like yours with, and how we approach them.
A room leader raised a formal grievance about a colleague, and the owner wasn’t sure how to investigate it fairly.
We guided the investigation, prepared the hearing questions and drafted every letter, following the ACAS Code.
The grievance was resolved internally, with a clear record of a fair process.
Three drivers were off long-term with no clear return dates, and cover costs were rising.
We reviewed each case, arranged occupational health referrals and planned welfare meetings and adjustments.
Return-to-work plans were agreed where possible, and next steps were handled fairly where they weren’t.
Headcount was set to more than double in a year, with no HR processes in place.
We built a workforce plan, contracts, a handbook and an onboarding journey, then provided fractional HR support.
Hiring became planned rather than panicked, with every new starter onboarded the same way.
Work had dried up in one division and the directors needed to reduce roles.
We ran the process as a fixed-fee project: business case, selection criteria, consultation meetings and letters.
The restructure was completed on the planned timeline, with a documented, fair process.
The staff handbook hadn’t been updated in six years and didn’t reflect recent law changes.
We reviewed and rewrote the handbook, contracts and key policies, including the Employment Rights Act changes.
The firm now has up-to-date documents and a plan for future changes.
Different managers had been checking right to work in different ways, and some records were missing.
We audited every file, fixed the gaps, set up follow-up checks for time-limited visas and trained managers.
Complete, consistent records, ready for inspection.
These are illustrative examples of typical situations, not specific client case studies.
Not Sure Which One You Need?
Tell us what’s happening and we’ll tell you honestly which option costs you least. Sometimes that’s pay as you go.
Recognized by the best
Clients Trust Clearpath UK.
Here are some of the renowned companies we have had the privilege of partnering with.
What Our Clients Say
First Class in Every Aspect
“Absolutely first class with help in every aspect of my business. The knowledge and time invested in me and my business has been exceptional.”
Kept Informed Throughout
“I had an excellent experience with Clearpath. The team was professional, supportive, and kept me informed throughout the recruitment process.”
Long-Term Sickness Resolved
“We spoke to Clearpath in relation to one of our staff who was on long term sick, Clearpath supported us with our difficulties and provided a resolution. Highly recommended.”
Let’s Get Started: Contact Clearpath UK Today
Ready to create a positive, high-performance work environment? Contact our expert team to discuss how we can help.
Book your free consultation today — we’re excited to help your business thrive.
Get in touch
Speak to an Adviser
Whether it’s HR, employment law or health & safety, tell us what you need and one of our advisers will get back to you, usually within one working day.
Send us a message
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Other ways to reach us
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m not sure which service I need. What should I do?
Book a free 15-minute call. Tell us what’s happening and we’ll point you to the right support, and tell you honestly which option costs you least.
Can I mix different ways of working with you?
Yes. Every way of working covers our full range of HR services, so you can mix and match. For example, a monthly subscription for everyday advice and a fixed-fee project for a restructure.
Do I need a monthly contract to get help?
No. Our pay as you go option is there for occasional, one-off issues, with no monthly commitment. You can move to a subscription later if you need more regular support.
What if my problem isn’t listed here?
These are just the most common challenges we help with. Whatever the HR issue, get in touch and one of our advisers will talk it through with you.
Do you work with businesses in my sector?
We support businesses across education, healthcare, construction, professional services, and other regulated sectors, adapting HR support to each industry’s requirements.