Built environment

Weightmans is a nationally recognised advisor to the Built Environment sector, and our employment law experts regularly support employers in this area with the complex ‘people problems’ inherent in this time-sensitive, cost-sensitive work.

We understand that in construction, housebuilding and other infrastructure projects, budgeting is key, and our HR Rely teams are committed to delivering excellent, pragmatic advice within a framework of cost-certainty. 

We appreciate that building projects run to tight timescales and are acutely aware of the contractual and financial consequences of over-run, delivering commercial solutions that will streamline your processes and save you time. 

Our advisors are also alive to the recruitment challenges currently facing the construction sector, and can assist with all aspects of engaging, retaining and remunerating a flexible workforce in a challenging economic climate. 

Our team

Our team includes advisors who have a special interest and particular skill in advising the construction sector. We talk your language, have insight into common issues in your sector, and deliver direct advice tailored to your particular circumstances and business concerns. Our employment advisors can also tap into the expertise of Weightmans full-service, multidisciplinary Built Environment team to provide a seamless service. 

Our service

We deliver a high-quality personal service to your managers and HR professionals, ensuring we give practically focused, strategic advice.  This can include advice on managing relationships with unions and handling your public communications. 

Your Client Relationship Owner (CRO) will ensure total continuity of service. They will work to understand your key strategic aims, and tailor our approach to meet your needs. Your CRO will focus on supporting your business to achieve your objectives within costs agreed with you.

Our HR Rely team is flexible, available and supports our clients to address their issues confidently and quickly. Our service is demand-led to meet significant peaks and troughs of activity.

Helpline

We operate a dedicated HR helpline service to answer any day-to-day queries that arise. We find that the majority of issues fall with the scope of the retainer and that our early advice helps to mitigate against bigger issues down the line. Our advisers will act as a ‘sounding-board’ to your in-house HR specialists, to confirm that your business is on the right track, or to provide a crucial steer when needed. 

You can choose whether you want your HR team to liaise with us every time, or whether you would prefer to free-up valuable HR time by asking us to support your managers directly. Either way, our advisors will be on the lookout for any recurring issues and provide upskilling tips to help you grow. 

Employment tribunals

Whilst we work with you closely to avoid employment tribunal claims, they will inevitably, occasionally arise.  You can be assured that, at the outset of each case, we will review the claim and advise on the legal issues and the relevant evidence that needs to be collated, as well as identifying the witnesses. As early as is reasonably practicable, we provide an initial assessment of the merits and potential quantum of compensation as well as giving advice about other relevant factors such as potential reputational damage, policy, and strategic implications.

Recent work for the built environment sector

The range of our work with Built Environment employers covers all aspects of employment relations and employment law advice. Recent examples include: 

• COVID Advice; Testing, vaccination, and handling health-related data.
• Bringing employees back to work post-pandemic (including ‘reluctant returners’ and making reasonable adjustments for vulnerable staff)
• Complex disciplinary and Health and Safety issues arising from failure to follow new policies/processes/COVID-safe working practices. 
• Advising on issues involving calculation of holiday pay, where employees may work to variable shift patterns and receive multiple allowances or other complex elements of pay. 
• Supporting employers to address recruitment challenges and the ‘skills gap’.
• Immigration: the new points-based system and sponsor requirements 
• Redundancy and re-organisation 
• Performance management of senior management team members
• Senior executive exits

Our three-tier menu offering enables you to choose the right support package that works for best for your business. Your CRO will be able to help guide you through the process.