Introducing “Dibs on ER”
Employee Relations. It’s the part of HR that so many of us find both challenging and rewarding — and often a little daunting. There are policies to follow, laws to navigate, and people at the centre of every situation. Rarely are two cases the same.
That’s why I’m launching a new section of the Dibs HR blog: Dibs on ER.
This space is dedicated to exploring real-life, practical ER scenarios, reflecting on case law, and building confidence in the decisions we make as HR professionals. It’s not about having all the answers — it’s about learning how to ask better questions, apply sound judgement, and approach ER work with clarity and care.
Why I'm Creating This
Over the years, I’ve seen how valuable it is to learn from real cases — the difficult conversations, the grey areas, the moments where the right path isn’t always obvious. As HR professionals, we’re often balancing what’s legally compliant, what’s fair, and what’s right for the business and the people within it.
I wanted to create a space where we can unpack those situations — without the pressure, without the hindsight bias — and learn together.
This isn’t a legal blog. It’s a practical one. Built by someone who’s worked through countless ER issues and still knows there’s more to learn.
What You Can Expect
Dibs on ER will feature:
The Dibs Files – A growing library of realistic ER scenarios covering everything from absence and conduct to grievances and capability. These will come with prompts to help you think through how you’d handle them, what risks to consider, and what a fair process might look like.
Case Law Highlights – Short, accessible overviews of relevant UK employment tribunal cases, focusing on what HR professionals can learn and apply in practice.
Tools and Reflections – From checklists and planning templates to reflective questions and common pitfalls to avoid, I’ll be sharing things I’ve found helpful (and things I wish I’d known earlier).
Who This Is For
This blog is for anyone working in HR who wants to deepen their ER skills in a practical way. Whether you're early in your career and trying to build confidence, or more experienced and looking to sharpen your judgement, you'll find something useful here.
It’s also for line managers who want to better understand the “why” behind HR processes, and for students or CIPD learners looking for something a bit more grounded than the usual case study examples.
Let’s Learn, Case by Case
The first post in The Dibs Files is now live, and there’s also a free resource coming soon — a list of 60+ ER scenarios to work through in your own time. My hope is that this becomes a useful space you can return to, reflect with, and maybe even share with others.
Thanks for reading. And welcome to Dibs on ER.
Let’s make the messy parts of people management a little clearer — together.
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Dibs HR
Practical HR. Thoughtfully done.