New Acas regional director Nick Dover, who has returned to his native county to take up the role, is keen that more Bradford businesses – and employees – should understand what the employment relations service actually is.

To those of a certain age, the acronym Acas recalls images of set-piece industrial strife where the trade union barons on one side and the big bosses on the other were brought together by Acas officials to settle their differences, usually through compromise.

And while conciliation remains at the heart of what Acas is about, the taxpayer-funded service is about much more than the infamous ‘beer and sandwiches’ arbitration of the 1970s and early 80s.

Nick Dover has responsibility for a team providing advice, training and conciliation to employees and employers across Yorkshire.

Nick said: “Good employment relations make a big contribution to business success and growth. I am looking forward to working with employers, their workforces and representatives, on getting the people issues right and releasing that vital time to create thriving businesses and economic growth across the area.”

Over the past year the Acas helpline in Leeds dealt with more than 48,000 calls from employers and workers, with the top issues being discipline, dismissal and grievance; redundancies, lay-offs and business transfers and contracts.

He is keen to build closer working relationships with businesses across the Bradford district to help make them more aware of employment-related issues through discussion forums and training courses. He also wants to build on Acas’s work with HR students on the Masters course at the University of Bradford School of Management.

Nick’s appointment comes at a critical time following the Government’s announcement that from next April all potential employment tribunal claims will go to Acas. The service is being introduced following the success of a similar free service that Acas launched in 2009 called Pre-Claim Conciliation.

Demand for the service in the area continues to grow. In the past six months, the Acas regional office has received more than 850 requests from local employees and employers and has successfully resolved over half of these, avoiding costly and stressful tribunal claims for hundreds of people.

The office has also received more than 2,300 potential employment tribunal cases in the past six months, most of which have been successfully resolved by local conciliators preventing hundreds of cases from reaching an employment tribunal.

Nick said: “At Acas, we believe that prevention is always better than cure. Our new early conciliation service will mean that disputes will be referred to us before an employment tribunal claim is made. The work we do helps reduce the cost, stress and time involved in disputes at work.

“Our free helpline is a highly trusted source of free advice with over 90 per cent of callers satisfied with the service. Recent independent research has shown that the helpline has long-term benefits for the British workplace and significant savings to the economy.

“And whether you are a solicitor or hairdresser, our expert advisers will listen and provide practical advice about your individual situation, no matter how complex the problem might seem. We’re not judgmental and don’t take sides. I would encourage anyone in the area that needs advice to come to us for help and advice as early as possible.”

Nick worked in company law, forensic accountancy and training before joining Acas in 2000. He moved to his new post from being Acas’s head of information and guidance where, for four years, he led a team modernising the delivery of Acas information services through a period of significant change.

One key issue on which Acas is currently consulting is a draft code of practice on the extended right to request flexible working.

Under the Government’s proposals, announced in November last year, the right to request flexible working will be extended to all employees who have worked for their employer for 26 weeks or more, which employers will be obliged to consider in a reasonable manner.

The Government has asked Acas to produce a code of practice to help businesses manage the new regime. Acas is seeking views from employees and employers, particularly small businesses which often have no HR support.

If the proposed changes come in next year, requests for flexible working are likely to increase and come from a wider range of people such as older workers who may want to work more flexibly if they care for grandchildren or elderly parents – especially at a time of spiralling childcare costs and nursery reforms on the agenda.

Nick Dover pointed out that the new rules were also designed to help employers by enabling them to keep good talent and more committed employees.

Flexible working arrangements, including short time working, is also a way of avoiding redundancies during the recession.