The shape of things to come: A look at the future landscape for employers

IES Perspectives on HR 2021

2020 is a year that will be studied for many years. Few (if any) in 2019 would have dreamt of the profound impact that a virus (probably) originating on the other side of the world would have on the economic and social fabric of the UK the following year. Few would have foreseen the ability of employers and employees to adapt at speed, and in ways that are likely to leave an indelible mark on the future of work and the workplace.

And even without Covid-19, 2020 is still likely to have been a year that would have profoundly impacted the future employment landscape in the UK. It was a year in which the UK struck an exit deal with the EU, (thereby severing ties with a significant generator of employment law rights in recent years) and the Black Lives Matter movement shined a light on diversity issues.

This paper looks at these issues from an employment lawyer’s perspective to draw out what these recent developments are likely to mean for employers.