It’s half past four on a Thursday. An employee has just told you they’re raising a grievance about their manager, and they’ve mentioned the word “tribunal”. You’ve got a phone in your hand and three numbers you could call.
Who you ring first changes how the next month goes.
What each one is actually for
An advice helpline is built for quick, general answers. What does the law say about notice periods? How is holiday calculated for part-time staff? It’s fast and often included in a membership. The limits are depth and context: the adviser doesn’t know your business, your history or your people, and the answer is generic by design.
An employment solicitor is a lawyer. They advise on legal rights and risks, draft settlement agreements, and represent you if a claim is brought. Their value is highest when the question is legal, the stakes are high, or a claim is likely. Their time is also billed accordingly, and they are not usually the people who run your meetings or write your invitation letters.
An HR consultant works with you on the practical handling: what to do, in what order, how to run the process fairly, how to talk to the people involved, and how to keep the organisation functioning while it happens. A good one also knows when to say “this needs a solicitor now”.
Where the lines blur
Many problems start as HR matters and become legal ones. A grievance mishandled in week one is a constructive dismissal claim in month three. That’s why the early stage matters so much, and why the right first call is often the person who can help you manage it well, not the one who’ll defend it later.
A rough guide
If you want to check a fact or a rule, a helpline will usually do.
If you need to handle a situation, such as an absence, a conduct issue, a grievance, a restructure or a difficult conversation, an HR consultant is usually the best first call, particularly one who can sit alongside you through the process.
If someone has already threatened or started a claim, you’re negotiating an exit, or the legal exposure is serious, bring in a solicitor, ideally with your HR adviser still in the picture so the process and the legal strategy match.
The costly mistake
The most expensive pattern we see is the employer who does something first and asks later. A suspension, a dismissal letter, a rushed “chat” that becomes evidence. Ring before you act. Almost every case is easier to steer in the first 48 hours than the first 48 days.
Making the combination work
The strongest set-up for a small employer is simple: an HR adviser who knows your business, a solicitor you can call if it escalates, and a helpline or reference source for quick checks. A good HR consultant will have referral partners for tribunal work and will tell you honestly where their role ends.
Where we come in
King HR Advisory handles the practical side of employee relations for employers across Sheffield and South Yorkshire: case strategy, investigations, hearings, appeals and letters. Where legal representation is needed, we work with referral partners rather than pretending to be something we aren’t. If you’ve got something live, book a discovery call and we’ll help you work out the right first step.