Dan joined Acas as People Director in 2019. Dan has extensive HR experience in the private multi-site retail sector and the Civil Service, leading teams in business partnering, employee relations, and learning and development. Dan became Interim Chief Executive Officer of Acas in August 2024.
2024 has been a significant year in many respects. We will all remember different things: the northern lights seen over Cardiff where I live, the Paris Olympics, the swathe of global elections and political unrest, the hottest year on record.
In Britain, we have a new government, and a new raft of legislation, which is going to make a significant difference to workplace relations for years to come.
This year we have seen a sea-change in focus. We already knew from 2021 research on estimating the costs of workplace conflict that it costs British businesses nearly £30 billion a year. Now we have more evidence on the causes of that conflict, and the barriers employers and trade unions face when trying to respond effectively. We also have a few constructive ideas on how to address this.
Acas-commissioned research on managing conflict at work from the Industrial Relations Research Unit at Warwick Business School shows us many HR professionals, trade unionists and business owners have lost the art of negotiation. Too often, disputes come to Acas at a late stage, when positions are entrenched and parties polarised.
We have been working closely with the new government and the Department for Business and Trade on the Make Work Pay agenda. We have been able to share evidence and insight on the concerns and challenges faced by employers as well as employees in the current system, and proposed changes to help them get it right.
The year in numbers
In 2024, Acas helped thousands of employers and employees resolve their disputes faster and earlier, which can rebuild workplace relations and bring about growth. We:
- helped to resolve 90% of around 600 collective disputes, avoiding the worst impacts of industrial action and strikes
- helped hundreds of thousands of people in individual industrial disputes – we have continued to improve the service, making it easier for people to resolve their disputes
- marked 10 years of early conciliation, dealing with more than 1 million notifications from more than 1.5 million claimants – fewer than a third of these notifications went on to make a claim to an employment tribunal, and of those that did, we resolved a further 76% without the need for a judicial hearing, bringing significant savings to the public purse
- answered nearly 540,000 calls to our Acas helpline from businesses and employees needing help
- received 18 million visits to the Acas website
- ran more than 2,000 training sessions on topics businesses need extra help with
- launched new digital ways to help our customers access dispute services when and how they want it, including a new Skilled Managers: Conflict Management Skills training course, collaborating with the University of Westminster
How employers and employees can avoid the costs of workforce disputes
Parties to disputes we get involved in tell us it's important to have a calm, trusted third party who can step back and listen to both sides to help create a solution everybody is happy with. It's not showy, and it does not hit the headlines because all our work is confidential. But it is effective and makes a positive difference.
My advice in any conflict is to try to be understanding, empathetic and respectful, and to listen more than you speak. And when conversations become difficult, know where you can go to for help to de-escalate.
While you are dealing with conflict, it's important to think about what you want the world to look like on the other side. Focus on rebuilding positive relationships, effective collaboration and trust, to allow all parties to rebuild for the future. And it's critical to upskill the people building the relationships.
Things to look forward to in 2025
In 2025, we will be celebrating 50 years since Acas was created in its current form.
Our current ambitious 2021 to 2025 strategy period ends on 31 March – we are close to meeting our goals but we will continue to keep our foot on the pedal.
In 2024, we started thinking about our next strategy, covering 2025 to 2030. I would like to thank all the partners and stakeholders who met us to talk about the big opportunities and challenges ahead, and the role Acas can play. In January, we are bringing together partners in Wales and Scotland to ensure our planning is fit for all the nations of Britain.
2025 will be an important year for businesses, trade unions and workers, as we look to the Employment Rights Bill. We will continue to work closely with the government to inform their policy making with our insights and expertise. We will also help them think about implementation and how the various aspects of the Employment Rights Bill can be introduced to bring greater protections, and build trust and healthy workplace relationships.
Whatever challenges next year brings, our Acas promise is that we will be there for all employers, employees and trade unions, supporting Britain's workplaces for growth.
I wish you all a peaceful Christmas and happy 2025.