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Employee Forum terms of reference

£7
Word count
Template words
282
Reading time
Reading time
5 mins

A clear guide that sets out the purpose, membership, and operation of your internal employee forum or staff consultation group.

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What is an Employee Forum terms of reference?

This document explains how an employee forum works, from who’s involved to how it supports staff voice and engagement.

It covers purpose, structure, roles, confidentiality, and meeting processes.

Organisations benefit from stronger communication, employee trust, and practical input into workplace decisions.

Applicable legal jurisdictions
In which jurisdictions can this template be used?
Great Britain & NI (United Kingdom), Worldwide

Sequence

Previous step
Policies
Employee Forum participation policy

Sets expectations for how employees engage in the employee forum, including nomination, time commitment, and respectful behaviour.

This step
Employee Forum terms of reference template
Next step
Forms
Employee Forum member nomination form template

A simple nomination form to select employee representatives for your staff forum or employee consultation group.

Employee Forum terms of reference

Purpose

The employee forum provides a structured way for staff to raise ideas, discuss workplace issues, and contribute to organisational improvements. It supports open communication, collaboration, and a positive working culture.

Scope

This forum is a consultative body. It does not replace formal collective bargaining or individual communication routes. It covers all departments and roles across the organisation.

Objectives

  • Promote two-way communication between staff and leadership

  • Encourage employee voice and input on workplace matters

  • Support employee engagement, wellbeing, and inclusion

  • Discuss and provide feedback on policies, practices, and organisational change

Membership

The forum will include elected or nominated representatives from across departments, ensuring a mix of roles and demographics. Members should be approachable, trusted, and willing to represent the views of others.

Roles and responsibilities

  • Chair: To facilitate meetings, set agendas, and ensure actions are followed up
  • HR/Management Rep: To provide updates, respond to queries, and escalate items as needed
  • Employee Reps: To gather feedback from teams, raise concerns, and share forum updates afterwards

Meeting frequency

The forum will meet every two months. Additional meetings can be arranged if urgent matters arise. A schedule will be published annually.

Agenda and minutes

Agendas will be circulated one week in advance. Minutes will be shared within 10 working days and stored where all employees can access them.

Confidentiality

Forum discussions should be open but respectful. Sensitive matters must be handled appropriately, and members must not share confidential information outside the group.

Review

These terms of reference will be reviewed annually. Feedback from forum members and employees will be used to improve the structure and impact of the group.

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employee forum terms of reference