Pub groups shorten probation as the six-month unfair dismissal rule nears

From 1 January 2027, under the Employment Rights Act 2025, employees can claim unfair dismissal after six months in a job rather than two years. The law does not set a probation period, but three operators speaking at the MA Leaders Club conference in Nottingham on 22 October, reported by The Morning Advertiser, have already changed theirs.

What they have changed - Barons Pub Company has cut probation to four months and built a framework to make expectations part of managers' routine. People leader Charlotte Whindle said written policy alone will not do it: managers have to tackle issues early. Barons recorded 76 internal progressions last year through its training academy. - Hickory's Smokehouse has halved probation from six months to three and offers staff guaranteed hours. People director Rachel Woodcock said retention is now a bigger challenge than recruitment. - Chestnut Pubs has focused on structured onboarding and manager development to take the "fear" out of employment processes. People director Charley O'Toole said rising labour costs limit how far it can move on pay.

What it means for groups: the six-month line moves the real test of a hire into the first 12 to 20 weeks, and that test is run by GMs, not HR. Groups that have not yet set a probation length, trained managers to document performance conversations and audited how consistently that happens across sites have about two months left to do it.