Our strategy 'Transforming British workplace relations' explains how we plan to achieve our ambitions by 2030.
Read the foreword to the strategy from the Acas Chair, Clare Chapman
As part of the 2025 to 2030 strategy, Acas has 3 ambitions.
Prevent
Ambition 1: Healthier employment relations
Acas has a critical role to help employers, workers and their representatives prevent conflict arising in the first place.
By 2030 we will:
- grow the reach of Acas's content online by 50% – from 286 million appearances in search results in 2024 to 430 million in 2030
- strengthen our offer to all employers on how to create healthy employment relations, led by evidence and metrics of what works
- make Acas swifter, simpler and more efficient: target the sectors where prevention is most likely to prevent conflict and dispute
What we'll do next (2025 to 2027)
We will:
- expand our social media and presence in AI-generated content to ensure people get the help they need faster
- strengthen our position as the go-to organisation to help employers, workers and their representatives navigate the upcoming reforms to employment law
- publish a new State of Workplace Relations report, cementing our role as the leading experts on British employment relations
- target the industry sectors where prevention is most likely to prevent conflict and dispute
To do this in a way that's accessible and inclusive for all
We will:
- improve access to groups who are under-served or under-represented in our services
- champion the value of inclusive workplaces to growth and explain the risks of weak accessibility and inclusion policy and practice
- advocate for what works, including reasonable adjustments, to help people stay in work and thrive
The difference we'll make
This will mean:
- our prevention advice is delivered in ways that are simpler, swifter and more efficient to meet rising demand
- a larger, more diverse group of employers, workers and their representatives are equipped to prevent conflict at work
- good relations at work are recognised as essential to business success
Manage
Ambition 2: Better conflict management at work
If conflict can't be prevented, Acas will be there to help employers, workers and their representatives manage it. We will help Britain disagree well by building conflict management confidence and capability.
By 2030 we will:
- have at least 90% of customers – both employers and workers – saying Acas improved their ability to manage conflict
- double the number of small and medium-sized businesses Acas equips to better manage conflict, led by evidence and metrics of what works
- reduce the average cost-per-query for our helpline service by 20%
What we'll do next (2025 to 2027)
We will:
- launch a new Conflict Capability Development Programme for leaders, workers and their representatives
- enhance our helpline and business support services, supported by new digital tools
- focus on sectors and groups most affected by conflict at work, including small businesses, and those managing issues like disciplinary, discrimination and pay
To do this in a way that's accessible and inclusive for all
We will:
- design our conflict management tools and training to reflect a wide range of work experiences
- make sure our business support services are easy to find and use for under-served groups
- embed accessibility and inclusion as integral elements of good conflict management
The difference we'll make
This will mean:
- Acas services are simpler, swifter and more efficient, supporting better conflict management across different sectors
- more organisations manage conflict internally, reducing disputes and improving staff wellbeing
- employers, workers and their representatives become more confident, skilled and inclusive in how they handle issues at work
Resolve
Ambition 3: Earlier dispute resolution
If individual or collective conflict continues, Acas will help parties resolve disputes quickly and fairly, reducing stress, duration and cost.
By 2030 we will:
- sustain our record high settlement rates of above 70% for individual and 90% for collective conciliation, even as demand rises
- use our expert voice to support labour market reform, including improvements to employment relations and dispute resolution mechanisms
- reduce the average cost per individual dispute resolution case by 20%
What we'll do next (2025 to 2027)
We will:
- promote clear advice on why, when, and how best to use statutory dispute resolution services
- work with government, the Tribunals Taskforce and partners to shape a more effective dispute resolution system
- help the public sector resolve disputes earlier
- continue investing in digital tools to streamline and improve our resolution services
To do this in a way that's accessible and inclusive for all
We will:
- identify and remove barriers faced by groups who would benefit from Acas dispute resolution services but are under-represented
- advocate for system changes that make the dispute resolution system more accessible to currently under-represented groups
The difference we'll make
This will mean:
- more people can access Acas's support in a way that is swifter, simpler and more efficient
- more disputes are resolved earlier, avoiding escalation and saving time, money and stress
- employers, workers and their representatives trust Acas to resolve disputes impartially and effectively