Complex TUPE process moving people from multiple legal entities into a single company
Case Study
The Situation
This global professional services firm had grown rapidly through acquisition and was operating through multiple legal entities. As part of a strategic integration programme, the business made the decision to consolidate key parts of the operation into a single UK entity — including client contracts and the employees supporting them.
Because client work was moving between legal entities, TUPE regulations applied — requiring the business to formally transfer affected employees to the central organisation.
At the same time, the client chose to use this transition as an opportunity to roll out a new, standardised set of employment terms and conditions across the company — a bold and complex undertaking under TUPE rules.
Overview
Client
Description of client
Industry
Client’s industry(ies)
Services Provided
List of services provided
Duration
n months
Team Deployed
n Consultants, n Administrators, n Director
The Challenge
The project was made significantly more complex by three key factors:
TUPE legal boundaries: While the new terms were largely improvements, TUPE prohibits changes to terms that are linked to the transfer itself. The process needed to be tightly planned and carefully executed to remain compliant.
Contractual variation: Each legacy entity had different contract types and terms. There was no single “standard contract” to use as a baseline.
Highly detail-oriented employees: Many of the affected staff were lawyers — experts in contractual nuance — which led to unusually high levels of scrutiny, engagement and negotiation.
Our Solution
The client fully outsourced the delivery of this transition to us — from strategic planning through to employee transfer.
Our support included:
- End-to-end process design and timeline planning
- Leading collective consultation, acting as the delivery arm for stakeholder engagement and resolution tracking
- Drafting new employment contracts, tailored and approved by the client’s legal team
- One-to-one contract comparisons across legacy and new terms (not templated), due to variation across entities
- Individual consultation meetings, scheduled, led, and documented by our team
- Contract issuance, signature tracking, and follow-up
- Support with payroll transitions, data migration and admin wrap-up
Our delivery team acted as a seamless extension of the client — guiding them through the complex web of TUPE, cultural sensitivity, and legal scrutiny.
The Outcome
All employees successfully transferred to the new UK entity on schedule, with new contracts in place and full compliance with TUPE regulations. Despite the complexity of the project, there were no process delays, and all employee engagement was managed professionally and respectfully.
Why It Worked
Deep TUPE expertise combined with contract fluency
Structured, controlled documentation across all stages
Confidence in delivery, allowing the client to stay focused on broader transformation efforts
A delivery team trusted to represent the client with care, professionalism, and rigour — even with an audience of legal professionals.
What You Get With Us
HR Capacity
Scalable delivery teams that expand your HR function when demand peaks.
HR Expertise
Practitioners who specialise in restructures, TUPE, and acquisitions – delivering what’s needed, when it’s needed.
Trusted Execution
Every consultation, document, and deadline managed professionally, compliantly, and with care.
Clarity first. Then execution.
Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out where to start. We’ll help you build a plan that’s credible, deliverable, and right for your business – then, if you want, we’ll help you make it happen.
