From 1 January 2027, one of the most significant employment law changes in recent years will take effect. Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, employees will gain the right to claim ordinary unfair dismissal after just six months’ continuous service, rather than the current two-year qualifying period.

The right to request written reasons for dismissal will also reduce to six months, while the statutory cap on unfair dismissal compensation will be removed. Existing day-one protections for discrimination, whistleblowing and other automatically unfair dismissals remain unchanged.

For Garden Centres and Nurseries, this places greater importance on how new starters are onboarded, trained, managed and reviewed during their probationary period. Informal conversations, handwritten notes and verbal feedback may no longer provide sufficient evidence if employment decisions are challenged. 

The good news is that technology can help.

By implementing structured onboarding, regular performance reviews, documented training programmes and task-based assessments, businesses can create a clear audit trail from day one. This helps demonstrate that employees have received appropriate support, training and feedback throughout their probationary journey. 

WorkForce Manager brings recruitment, onboarding, training, task management and employee records together in a single platform. Managers can assign tasks, track completion, record feedback and monitor development over time, creating objective evidence rather than relying on memory, emails or spreadsheets.

Powered by an integrated AI Assistant, WorkForce Manager can also help identify missing training, overdue reviews, outstanding tasks and emerging performance trends, reducing administration while improving visibility and compliance.

As employment legislation evolves, accurate workforce records are no longer just good practice—they are becoming business critical.

Are your probation processes ready for 2027?

Book a demo today and discover how WorkForce Manager can help you build a stronger audit trail, support employee development and stay prepared for the changes ahead.