Free HR Health Check Ireland
Free HR Health Check for Irish Employers
Answer 20 questions and find out where your HR compliance stands — before a Workplace Relations Commission inspector does.
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers.
A free HR health check is a structured self-assessment that helps Irish employers identify gaps in their employment practices before they become a legal problem. It covers the core areas that the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) focuses on during inspections — contracts, working time, leave entitlements, HR policies, and personnel records. This tool gives you a scored result across 20 questions so you can see exactly where your business stands and which areas to prioritise.
The best starting point is an HR compliance check like the one above. Irish employment law covers a wide range of obligations — from issuing written contracts within five days of a new hire starting, to maintaining three years of working time records, to having documented disciplinary and grievance procedures in place. Many businesses are partially compliant but have gaps in one or two areas. Completing a health check helps you identify those gaps before an inspector or a complaint does.
Yes. The Workplace Relations Commission has the legal power to enter any workplace and conduct an inspection at any time during normal working hours, without giving advance notice. Inspectors can request employment contracts, payslips, clocking records, personnel files, and written HR policies on the spot. This is why completing an HR audit proactively — rather than waiting until an inspection is triggered — is always the better approach.
WRC inspectors typically examine: written contracts and terms of employment, working time and rest period records, annual leave and public holiday calculations, payslips and wage records, right-to-work documentation, and written HR policies such as disciplinary and grievance procedures. In hospitality businesses, particular attention is often paid to working time records for shift workers and holiday calculations for part-time staff — two areas where non-compliance is very common.
Depending on the nature and severity of the findings, the WRC can issue a compliance notice requiring you to fix specific issues within a set timeframe, or a fixed-payment notice for straightforward breaches. More serious non-compliance can be referred to WRC adjudication, where an adjudicator has the power to award compensation to affected employees — including arrears of pay, compensation for breach of working time rules, and unfair dismissal awards. Getting your HR compliance right before an inspection is significantly less costly than dealing with findings after the fact.
Start with the items marked red in your results — these carry the highest risk if a WRC inspection or employee complaint occurs. Many gaps are straightforward to fix: updating a contract clause, drafting a missing policy, or setting up a simple record-keeping process. If you're unsure where to start or the gaps are significant, Beacon's HR consultants work exclusively with Irish hospitality businesses and can audit your setup, fix what's missing, and make sure you're protected. A free consultation is available — no obligation, just a conversation about what you need.
Get Expert Guidance for Your Business Today.
From policies to compliance, we provide tailored solutions to keep your business protected and running smoothly. Book a consultation today and get the guidance you need.
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