Employment contracts, policies
and employee handbooks

Legally compliant employment documentation designed to support your business goals.

Employment contracts, policies and handbooks that protect your business

Your contracts, policies and employment documentation provide the framework for managing employees effectively and reducing risk.

Whether you’re recruiting your first employee, growing your workforce or updating existing documentation to reflect legal developments, having clear and legally compliant employment documentation is essential.

At AfterAthena, our employment law specialists help businesses draft, review and update employment contracts, employee handbooks and workplace policies that are practical, commercially focused and aligned with your organisation’s objectives. We take time to understand how your business operates, helping ensure your documentation works in practice, not just on paper.

Why employment documentation matters

Employment documentation does far more than satisfy legal requirements.

Well drafted contracts, handbooks and policies help employers:

Set clear expectations from day one
Promote consistency across the organisation
Manage employee relations issues effectively
Support disciplinary and grievance processes
Reduce the risk of Employment Tribunal claims
Protect confidential information and business interests
Adapt to changing legislation and workplace practices
Provide managers with clear frameworks for decision making

When documentation is outdated, inconsistent or poorly drafted, employers can find themselves exposed at precisely the moment they need protection most.

Contracts, policies and procedures tailored to your organisation

No two organisations operate in exactly the same way.

Our employment lawyers work closely with employers to understand their workforce, structure, culture and objectives before creating or reviewing documentation. This helps ensure your contracts and policies are aligned with the realities of your business rather than relying on generic templates.

A pair of spectacles and a pen lay on top of an employment contract on a table.

Employment contracts

Employment contracts are one of the most important documents in any employment relationship. They establish expectations, define obligations and help protect the organisation if issues arise in the future.

We regularly assist employers with:

Permanent employment contracts
Fixed-term contracts
Part-time contracts
Senior employee and executive contracts
Director service agreements
Consultancy agreements
Contract amendments and variations
Restrictive covenants
Confidentiality provisions
Intellectual property clauses

Workplace policies

Workplace policies help create consistency across your organisation and provide managers with guidance when dealing with employee issues.

We can draft, review and update policies covering:

Disciplinary procedures
Grievance procedures
Sickness absence management
Flexible working
Hybrid and remote working
Equality, diversity and inclusion
Family-friendly rights and leave
Social media use
Data protection and GDPR
Whistleblowing
Bullying and harassment
Performance management

Our policies follow an innovative Q&A format to assist your employees in a way that genuinely reflects how they go about their work. No more wall of text that your workforce has to crawl through.

A hand holding a pen hovers over an illustration of HR workplace policies.

Employee handbook and clipboard on table.

Employee handbooks

An employee handbook brings your policies and workplace expectations together in one accessible resource.

A well-structured handbook can help employees understand how your organisation operates whilst providing managers with valuable guidance when issues arise.

We can create, review and update employee handbooks to ensure they remain legally compliant and reflect current working practices.

Common employment documentation mistakes employers make

Many organisations do not realise their documentation is creating risk until an employee dispute arises.

Common issues include:

Contracts containing outdated legislation or terminology
Employee handbooks that no longer reflect workplace practices
Missing policies for modern working arrangements such as hybrid working
Inconsistent disciplinary and grievance procedures
Policies that have never been reviewed following organisational growth
Documents copied from online templates without legal review
Restrictive covenants that may prove difficult to enforce
Terms and conditions that fail to provide adequate business protection

Gaps in your employment documentation can increase the likelihood of workplace disputes and make it harder to defend Employment Tribunal claims successfully. While legal expenses insurance offers protection against legal costs, risk remains to your organisation when it comes to compensation awards, settlements, management time and reputational damage.

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Annual reviews and ongoing support

Employment law is constantly evolving.

Changes in legislation, case law and workplace practices can quickly leave employment documentation outdated.

Through our employment law retainers, employers can benefit from ongoing reviews and support to help ensure contracts, policies and handbooks remain legally compliant and commercially effective.

Regular reviews can help identify risks before they become costly problems and ensure documentation continues to support the organisation as it grows and develops.

Why choose AfterAthena?

As an SRA-regulated law firm, our employment lawyers provide practical, commercially focused advice designed to help employers navigate compliance, employee relations and workplace risk.

Our employment law support includes:

Dedicated employment law specialists
Legally privileged advice
Practical and commercial solutions
Fast response times
Contract and policy reviews
Employment Tribunal expertise
Fixed-fee retainer pricing options
Technology-enabled support through the AfterAthena Hub

Talk with an expert

We work in partnership with employers to help create documentation that supports their business objectives whilst reducing legal and reputational risk.

Technology-enabled support through the AfterAthena Hub

AfterAthena Hub is available as a paid app or offered free of charge to all retainer clients. The app provides practical resources to help support effective workforce management.

The Hub includes:

Employment law resources
Policy guidance
Template libraries
Legal updates
Practical HR support materials
Automated legally sound policy generation
Access to specialist support

Combined with advice from our employment law specialists, these resources help employers manage documentation more efficiently and confidently.

What our clients say

“Oli McCann and his team have always been very responsive in addressing any issues, we have required help with. They have guided us through some quite complex areas and have always helped us achieve the best outcomes that were possible. After Athena have taken the time to understand our business and their advice is always pragmatic and balanced.”

Andy Boardman, Managing Director, Alcedo Care

“Bridging Finance Solutions Group have worked with Chris and his team from an employment law & HR perspective for some time. We have found his advice and support to be excellent and he has become an extended part of our internal team. We would have no hesitation in recommending.”

Gillian Barker, HR Manager, Bridging Finance Solutions

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FAQs

Do employers legally need employment contracts?

Employers must provide employees and workers with a written statement of particulars. A well-drafted employment contract goes further by clearly setting out rights, responsibilities and expectations whilst helping reduce the risk of future disputes.

How often should employment contracts and policies be reviewed?

Employment contracts, policies and handbooks should be reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant legal, organisational or operational changes. Many employers choose to carry out annual reviews to help maintain compliance.

What policies should every employer have?

The policies required will vary depending on the organisation, but most employers should have disciplinary, grievance, equality, absence management, family leave, data protection and bullying and harassment policies in place.

Can you review our existing employee handbook?

Yes. We can review existing employee handbooks, identify areas of legal or practical risk and recommend updates to help ensure they remain compliant and fit for purpose.

What happens if our employment contracts are out of date?

Outdated contracts can create uncertainty, increase legal risk and make it more difficult to manage employee relations issues. Regular reviews help ensure contracts continue to provide appropriate protections for the business.

Can you create contracts for senior employees and directors?

Yes. We regularly draft and review contracts for senior employees, executives and directors, including provisions covering confidentiality, post-termination restrictions and intellectual property.

Are employment documentation reviews included within a retainer?

Many AfterAthena employment law retainers include support with employment contracts, policies and handbook reviews. The level of support will depend on the package selected.

Do small businesses need formal employment policies?

Yes. Even small employers can benefit from having clear and consistent policies. Well drafted policies help set expectations, support managers and reduce the likelihood of disputes escalating.

What’s the difference between an employee handbook and workplace policies?

Workplace policies usually deal with specific areas such as disciplinary procedures, sickness absence or flexible working. An employee handbook typically brings multiple policies and organisational information together in a single document.

Can employment documentation help prevent Employment Tribunal claims?

Clear contracts, policies and procedures can help reduce risk by setting expectations, promoting consistency and ensuring workplace issues are managed fairly and appropriately. While no documentation can eliminate risk entirely, robust documentation forms an important part of any risk management strategy.

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