A 'first of its kind' scheme is set to support Tees Valley businesses with hiring employees and navigate changes to employment law.

Small firms across the region can apply to take part in a new pilot offering two days of free HR support.

The initiative aims to help these businesses create more quality jobs, recruit top candidates, and prepare for changes in employment law.

Lord Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor, said: "Small and medium-sized businesses make a huge contribution to the economy in our region and it’s essential they have access to the right advice to support their workforce and grow their business.

"This is why we are delighted to be leading the way in delivering this support."

The trial programme, developed by the CIPD and the Behavioural Insights Team, and delivered by Tees Valley Combined Authority, aims to provide SMEs across Teesside, Darlington, and Hartlepool with bespoke HR support as and when they need it.

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(Image: Tom Banks) This tailored HR support is provided by CIPD-qualified HR consultants who will work with participating firms—employing between five and 250 employees—to improve their working practices.

Ben Willmott, head of public policy at the CIPD, said: "Small firms typically have little or no access to professional HR support which can mean they lose out on recruiting the best candidates, or aren’t making the most of people’s skills or lose staff unnecessarily."

The launch of the new HR pilot scheme is coincides with a raft of changes planned to employment regulation—announced in the UK government’s Employment Rights Bill—along with the rise of the national minimum wage, and to employer National Insurance contributions.

The evaluation of the HR pilots will explore if this type of bespoke HR support can help to improve productivity and business outcomes for participating firms.

Eva Myers, director at the Behavioural Insight Team, commented: "With the help of hundreds of SMEs we aim to recruit into the project—the first trial of this kind—we will gain invaluable insights into what works to improve workplace recruitment and retention of employees in an SME context."

SMEs employing between five and 250 employees in Tees Valley can apply to take part in the free HR pilot by emailing ben.willmott@cipd.co.uk.