Employee Contract Review: How to Check Your Contracts Are Up to Date

Employee contracts aren’t something most business owners think about until there’s a problem.

But failing to carry out a regular employee contract review can cause real headaches when things go wrong.

Roles often change over time, clauses may no longer reflect how the business operates, or the law may have moved on. When contracts fall behind, it creates uncertainty for both employer and employee about what applies and what doesn’t.

Here are some simple ways to check whether your contracts still work for your business.

What to Look for in an Employee Contract Review

A key part of any employee contract review is looking at how roles and working

arrangements have evolved.

If job duties, working patterns, pay structures or benefits have changed, your contracts should reflect that. Regular reviews help prevent confusion and ensure expectations are clear on both sides.

Check for consistency

Contracts should be broadly consistent across your workforce.

That doesn’t mean every clause must be identical, but fairness and alignment in key areas such as notice periods, holiday entitlement and working hours are essential. An effective employee contract review highlights inconsistencies that could otherwise lead to disputes or claims.

Make sure contracts reflect how you actually work

The way people work has changed significantly in recent years.

Hybrid working, flexible hours, new shift patterns and increased use of technology are now common. If your contracts still describe a traditional 9-to-5 office-based role, an employee contract review is overdue.

Your contracts should accurately reflect how work is done in practice, not how it used to be done.

Legal and Practical Risks Identified in an Employee Contract Review

Employment law changes regularly, and even small updates can affect what your contracts should include.

You don’t need to be an expert, but carrying out a periodic employee contract review helps ensure your documentation remains compliant. Many businesses choose to involve an HR consultant to manage this and reduce risk.

Review policies and handbooks at the same time

Contracts don’t sit in isolation. They work alongside your policies and employee handbook.

As part of an employee contract review, it’s important to check that policies, procedures and contractual terms still align. Reviewing everything together keeps documentation consistent and avoids gaps that could cause problems later.

The takeaway for employers

Keeping contracts up to date isn’t about ticking boxes. A regular employee contract review helps protect your business, manage risk and treat people fairly.

If it’s been a while since your contracts or policies were reviewed, we can help.

Our compliance audit checks your documentation is clear, consistent and legally sound, giving you peace of mind that everything is up to date.

Send us a message, we’ve got you covered.