HR Mistakes That Cost More Than You Think 

 

Every HR professional has handled a difficult case. 

• A poor performer who can’t improve 

• A misconduct report with no clear evidence 

• A manager who wants to “just terminate” 

• A warning letter written under pressure 

At first, it feels routine. 
Until it’s not. 

When HR Gets It Wrong, It’s Not Just a Slap on the Wrist 

In Industrial Court, a poorly handled dismissal isn’t just embarrassing. 
It can be a 6-figure payout. 

• One unclear warning letter 

• One missing Domestic Inquiry step 

• One sentence you couldn’t justify 

That’s all it takes to lose a case. 

And once it’s lost — the damage goes beyond money: 
☒ Reputational harm 
☒ Morale decline 
☒ Public scrutiny 
☒ Internal chaos 

The Real Problem? We Learn the Law Too Late 

Most HR professionals never get formal legal training. 
They learn through: 

❌ Trial and error 
❌ Losing cases 
❌ Reading court decisions after it’s too late 

But here’s the thing — employment law isn’t just legal theory. 
It’s your daily battlefield. 

From Managing People to Managing Liability 

Let’s be honest: 

• How many times have you reused the same warning letter template? 

• How confident are you that your termination process is defensible? 

• Can you explain what makes a dismissal “constructive”? 

If the answer is “not sure” — you’re not alone. 
But it means your company is at risk every time HR acts. 

You Are the First Line of Legal Defence 

You may not have “Legal” in your job title. 
But if you: 

✅ Issue warnings 
✅ Draft termination letters 
✅ Sit in grievance meetings 
✅ Handle misconduct cases 

Then you’re already making legal decisions — whether you realise it or not. 

Final Thought 

You don’t need to become a lawyer. 
But you do need to stop guessing. 

Because in HR, what you don’t know can cost everything.