HR glossary.
Every team has its own shorthand. Here are the fifteen HR terms you’ll hear most this week — tap any to see what it means. Reading at least five will unlock your stamp.
HR
Human Resources - the team that looks after everything to do with the people in a business.
Onboarding
Everything that helps a new starter settle in: paperwork, inductions, introductions and early training.
Contract of employment
The agreement setting out pay, hours, holiday, notice and duties. Legally binding once accepted.
Probation
A trial period at the start of a job, often 3 to 6 months, where both sides check it's a good fit.
Equality Act 2010
The main UK law making it unlawful to discriminate against people at work.
Protected characteristic
A trait the Equality Act protects - age, disability, sex, race, religion, sexual orientation and more.
GDPR
General Data Protection Regulation - the rules for handling people's personal data safely and lawfully.
Gross vs net pay
Gross is your pay before deductions; net (take-home) is what lands in your account after tax and NI.
PAYE
Pay As You Earn - how income tax and National Insurance are taken from your wages automatically.
National Insurance
A contribution taken from pay that helps fund the state pension, the NHS and some benefits.
Grievance
A formal complaint an employee raises about something at work.
Disciplinary
The formal process used when someone's conduct or performance falls short.
Appraisal
A regular review of how someone is doing, their goals and their development. Also called a performance review.
Reasonable adjustment
A change an employer makes so a disabled person isn't disadvantaged at work.
Turnover
The rate at which people leave and are replaced. Consistently high turnover is often a warning sign.
Got the lay of the land?
Expand at least five terms to enable Mark complete — you don’t need to memorise them all now. This stays here as a reference, so come back whenever an acronym shows up on site that you don’t recognise.
Five expanded — you’re good to go.