What the Employment Rights Act Means for PR Hiring — And Why It Might Not Be the Problem People Think
There’s been a lot of noise about the Employment Rights Act. Most of it has focused on cost, risk and whether it’s going to make hiring even harder than it already is.
The market is already jittery. Hiring has slowed. Unemployment has crept up. Agencies are watching margins more closely than they were a couple of years ago. So when new employment rules come along, it’s understandable that some people see them as another thing getting in the way of recruitment.
But from where we sit at PR CROWD, working day‑to‑day with PR agencies and candidates, the reality is a bit more nuanced than the headlines suggest.
In some ways, PR hiring is actually getting better.
Not easier — better.
Let’s Be Honest About the Market First
It would be naïve not to acknowledge what’s going on.
Hiring confidence is patchy. Some agencies are sitting on roles longer. Others are holding off completely, leaning on freelancers, or waiting for “more certainty” before committing to permanent hires. We hear that most weeks.
There’s also a genuine concern that the Employment Rights Act is landing at the wrong moment — that extra protections could make hiring feel riskier when businesses already feel under pressure.
Those concerns are real. And they’re not stupid.
But here’s the interesting bit. Most PR agencies haven’t stopped hiring altogether. What they’ve stopped doing is rushed, slightly vague hiring. And frankly, that’s no bad thing.
In a softer market, every hire matters more. Everyone knows that.
A Quick Word for People Struggling to Get Back In
It’s also worth saying this — because it’s a reality for a lot of people right now.
For anyone who’s been unemployed for a long time, the market can feel brutal. Rejections stack up. Confidence takes a hit. And it’s easy to read new employment legislation as another reason employers won’t take a chance.
We see that side of the market too.
What we’re finding, though, is that agencies hiring well are becoming clearer, not harsher. Clearer about expectations. Clearer about what the first few months look like. Clearer about where support sits and how performance is managed early on.
That doesn’t remove every barrier. But it does help people who may need a bit more structure, context or time to get back into their stride.
Good recruitment isn’t about taking risks for the sake of it. It’s about giving people a fair shot in roles that actually make sense — and that matters most when the market is tougher.
Hiring Is Slowing Down — But It’s Also Sharpening Up
What we’re seeing isn’t a freeze. It’s a shift.
Agencies are taking a bit more time at the start. Thinking harder about what they actually need. Being clearer about what success looks like in the role — not just on day one, but six months in.
A simple example:
We helped an agency that was close to pulling a role entirely because the brief just wasn’t landing. Instead, we worked with them to re‑write the brief properly, clarify expectations around workload and progression, and re‑launch it. They hired someone who’s still there a year on.
That pause made the difference.
This kind of thinking isn’t driven by legislation alone — but the current environment absolutely encourages it.
Candidates Are Moving Differently Too
On the candidate side, behaviour has changed as well.
People are more cautious. Fewer knee‑jerk moves. More questions. More interest in what actually happens after they join, not just the job title or salary.
One example that sticks:
A Senior Account Executive turned down a higher‑paid global role to join a smaller independent. The deciding factor wasn’t money — it was clarity. The agency could clearly explain how the first six months would work, how feedback was handled, and what progression realistically looked like.
That decision wasn’t about legislation.
It was about confidence.
And confidence leads to commitment. Which leads to better retention. We’ve all seen how the alternative ends.
Probation Is Being Treated Like It Actually Matters
This is one of the quieter shifts — but probably the most important.
Probation used to be a bit of a shrug. “Let’s see how it goes.”
Now? It’s being taken more seriously. In a good way.
More regular check‑ins. Clearer feedback. Quicker action if something isn’t clicking.
One recent example:
We placed a new Account Director who was strong strategically but struggling with pace early on. Instead of letting it drift, the agency adjusted account mix and support within the first couple of months. The Account Director stayed. The team benefited.
That’s not red tape. That’s basic people management done properly.
Why This Actually Helps Agencies Compete
Good PR people still have options. Even now.
What’s changed is that candidates are asking better questions:
“How do you give feedback here?”
“What does flexible working actually look like day to day?”
“What does progression mean in practice, not on a slide?”
Agencies that can answer those questions clearly are winning talent — often without needing to be the highest payer.
Agencies that can’t? They struggle. And they’ll struggle more in a market like this.
Recruitment Is Becoming Less Transactional (Finally)
From a recruitment point of view, this shift plays to our strengths.
We’re spending more time upfront:
Challenging briefs that aren’t quite there
Helping clients think through team structure
Making sure the role makes sense before it goes live
One example:
A client initially wanted a senior hire immediately. When we stepped back and looked at the team properly, they hired slightly more junior — with a clear development plan. Twelve months later, that person is leading accounts and mentoring others.
That’s not slower recruitment.
That’s smarter recruitment — especially in a tougher market.
So What Does This All Mean?
The Employment Rights Act isn’t a magic fix. And it won’t make hiring easier overnight.
But in a market where:
hiring is harder
mistakes are more expensive
and people think twice before moving
…it nudges behaviour in a direction that good agencies were heading in anyway.
Clearer roles. Better conversations. More thought given to the first six months. Less “let’s try it and see”.
None of that is revolutionary.
But right now, it matters.
When Does the Employment Rights Act Come Into Force?
The Act is being introduced in phases, not all at once.
From February–April 2026, changes begin to take effect, including:
Day‑one rights for certain family leave (including paternity and unpaid parental leave)
Expanded Statutory Sick Pay, with eligibility widened and payment from day one
Stronger protections around workplace conduct and enforcement, backed by a new Fair Work Agency
From January 2027:
The qualifying period for unfair dismissal reduces from two years to six months
It’s a gradual rollout. Which helps.
Most of the behavioural change we’re talking about is already happening anyway.
And Finally…
At PR CROWD, we’ve always believed good recruitment comes down to clarity, honesty and decent conversations.
That hasn’t changed.
If you’re a PR agency thinking about your next hire — or a PR professional weighing up a move, especially after a tough spell — we’re always happy to share what we’re seeing on the ground and talk it through properly.
No hype. No panic.
Just real market insight.
hello@prcrowd.co.uk