A UK employer’s perspective on global developments: Key employment and workforce considerations

First and foremost: Duty of care

Employers have a duty to take reasonable care of the health and safety of its employees, including where external events increase risk or uncertainty.  In the context of heightened global security concerns and travel disruption in certain regions, this includes:

• Keeping risk assessments under review and updating them where appropriate, including in relation to travel and overseas working.
• Providing clear guidance to affected employees. Communication channels should be stress‑tested and capable of being used quickly and reliably if circumstances change.
• Responding proportionately to emerging risks, while balancing operational needs and employee welfare.

Travel and remote working

Restrictions on flight routes and airspace will impact employees who are returning to the UK, travelling overseas for work, or transiting through affected reasons.  It is also possible that employees may become stranded whilst on holiday or may want to cancel holiday last minute due to travel restrictions.  Employers will need to consider contingency plans for such employees and the potential HR implications.  This will include:

• Identifying employees who may be affected by travel disruption and maintaining up‑to‑date contact details.
• Considering whether employees who are unable to travel can work remotely on a temporary basis.  Employers would need to check right to work, tax and data protection issues depending on the relevant jurisdiction. 
• Clarifying pay arrangements and authorised absence where employees are delayed or stranded due to circumstances outside their control.
• Reviewing travel policies and approval processes, including whether non‑essential travel should be postponed or restricted.
• Ensuring employees know who to contact in the event of travel disruption or an emergency while overseas.
• Monitoring developments and keeping arrangements under review where disruption is prolonged or evolving.  Communicate clearly with employees.

Business continuity

Periods of international disruption can create operational challenges for employers, particularly where absence levels increase, travel is restricted or working arrangements change at short notice. Employers may wish to consider whether existing business continuity and workforce plans remain appropriate and sufficiently flexible to respond to evolving circumstances. This may include:

• Reviewing business continuity and contingency plans to identify any workforce‑related risks.
• Assessing resourcing arrangements, including cover for key roles and critical functions.
• Reviewing arrangements for flexible working, redeployment or temporary changes to duties where required.
• Ensuring decision‑making and escalation processes are clear.

Workplace conduct and employee relations

International events can give rise to strong personal views and heightened emotions, which may surface in the workplace or on internal and external communication platforms, such as LinkedIn.  Employers should be alert to the potential impact on employee relations and take steps to ensure that workplace standards are maintained.  In particular, employers should:

• Reinforce expectations around respectful and professional behaviour at work, including in informal discussions and online communications.
• Remind employees of applicable policies on conduct, dignity at work, social media and communications, and apply those policies consistently.
• Ensure managers are equipped to address sensitive issues appropriately and to escalate concerns where necessary.
• Deal with grievances or complaints promptly, proportionately and even‑handedly, in line with workplace policies and procedures.

Consideration should be given to the Equality Act 2010.  Care should be taken to avoid discrimination, harassment or victimisation risks and to ensure that any action taken is objective, evidence‑based, legally sound and in line with the employer’s cultural values. 

Wellbeing and support

Ongoing global uncertainty can be unsettling for employees, particularly where individuals may be personally affected through family, friends or wider connections. Employers may wish to remain mindful of the potential impact on employee wellbeing and consider whether appropriate support and flexibility are in place. This may include:

• Signposting available support, such as employee assistance programmes or other wellbeing resources.
• Ensuring mental health first aiders are visible and accessible.
• Considering flexible working arrangements or temporary adjustments where appropriate.
• Encouraging managers to check in with their teams and to escalate concerns where additional support may be required.

Human rights and responsible business conduct

Global disruption should also be considered through the lens of human rights and responsible business conduct, recognising that employment guidance and workforce decisions should sit within a broader Human Rights Action Plan or human rights due diligence framework, with people remaining a central consideration throughout.  For UK employers with international operations or globally connected workforces, this means ensuring that mitigation and response measures align with the organisation’s wider human rights commitments, risk appetite and governance structures.

In practice, this may include reviewing supplier and contractor controls, such as enhanced due diligence, contractual human rights protections and mechanisms for monitoring and rapid escalation where concerns arise.  Employers may also wish to ensure that security arrangements are proportionate and consistent with recognised standards, including the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, and that controls are in place to prevent the misuse of company assets, data or facilities.  Particular care should be taken to protect vulnerable groups, including women, migrant workers and ethnic minorities, with appropriate safeguards against exploitation, trafficking or gender‑based violence, alongside practical worker protection measures such as evacuation planning, safe transport, mental health support and wage continuity where disruption occurs.

Clear communication and engagement are also key. Boards should remain sighted on human rights risk and organisational risk appetite, while employees, investors, regulators and business partners should receive consistent and accurate information. Employers should ensure compliance with applicable government guidance and international standards, including OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development) expectations, and remain alert to developments involving host governments or security forces that may affect workforce safety or business operations.

The human rights considerations outlined above are intended as a top‑line summary of a much broader and more complex set of issues. While employment and HR matters are an important component, they represent only one aspect of a wider human rights framework.

Conclusion

Employers should take this opportunity to review relevant employment contracts and workplace policies and procedures to understand what flexibility is available and where limitations apply.  Travel, remote working and crisis response arrangements should be checked to ensure they remain fit for purpose, and managers reminded of escalation routes and supported in handling sensitive issues consistently.  Alongside legal and operational considerations, there is value in maintaining a focus on culture and support, reinforcing shared values and encouraging teams to work together constructively during a period of wider uncertainty.