HR 101: The Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about human resources, written specifically for UK businesses. 8 chapters covering employment law, hiring, onboarding, leave, pay, performance, and more.
Your Learning Journey
Start from the beginning or jump to any chapter that interests you.
8 Chapters, One Complete Guide
Each chapter builds on the last, taking you from the basics of HR through to advanced topics like performance management and offboarding compliance.
What is HR?
Understand the role of human resources, what HR teams actually do, and why every growing business needs an HR function.
UK Employment Law Basics
The essential employment legislation every UK employer must know, from contracts and working time to discrimination and data protection.
Hiring and Recruitment
How to attract, assess, and hire the right people — from writing job specs and compliant adverts to conducting interviews and making offers.
Employee Onboarding
Build an onboarding process that turns new hires into productive, engaged team members — including legal requirements and best practices.
Leave and Absence Management
Navigate UK statutory leave entitlements, absence policies, and practical tools for managing time off — from annual leave to sick pay.
Pay, Benefits, and Pensions
Understand payroll obligations, employer NI, pension auto-enrolment, salary sacrifice, and how to build a competitive benefits package.
Performance Management
Design reviews, set objectives, deliver feedback, and manage underperformance — with UK-specific legal considerations.
Offboarding and Compliance
Handle resignations, dismissals, redundancies, and exits professionally — with proper compliance, knowledge transfer, and legal protection.
Frequently asked questions
What is HR 101?
HR 101 is a free, 8-chapter guide that covers the fundamentals of human resources management for UK businesses. It covers everything from what HR is and UK employment law basics through to hiring, onboarding, leave management, pay and pensions, performance management, and offboarding.
Who is this guide for?
This guide is designed for anyone new to HR or managing people in a UK business — whether you're a small business owner handling HR yourself, a new HR professional, or a manager who wants to understand HR fundamentals.
How long does it take to complete?
Each chapter takes approximately 8-12 minutes to read. The full guide can be completed in about 90 minutes, though we recommend reading one or two chapters at a time and applying the practical advice to your business before moving on.
Is this guide UK-specific?
Yes, every chapter is written specifically for UK businesses and references UK employment law, ACAS guidance, HMRC requirements, and The Pensions Regulator. The legal information, rates, and procedures are all UK-focused.
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