| AC | Appeal Cases |
| ACAS | Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service |
| AEEU | Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union |
| AFTA | ASEAN Free Trade Association |
| All ER | All England Reports |
| APEC | Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation |
| APL | accreditation of prior learning |
| ASEAN | Association of Southeast Asian Nations |
| ASSET | Accreditation for Social Services Experience and Training |
| BARS | Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales |
| CAC | Central Arbitration Committee |
| CCETSW | Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (1988 Social Care Council) |
| CCT | compulsory competitive tendering |
| CPD | continuous professional development |
| CPIS | computerised personnel information systems |
| CRE | Commission for Racial Equality |
| EAT | Employment Appeal Tribunal |
| ECJ | European Court of Justice |
| EOC | Equal Opportunities Commission |
| EPOS | electronic point of sale |
| ER Act | Employment Rights Act 1996 |
| EU | European Union |
| EWS | effective worker standard |
| GPMU | Graphical, Paper and Media Union |
| HCN | host country national |
| HR | human resources |
| HRM | human resources management |
| ICR | Industrial Cases Reports |
| ID | industrial democracy |
| IDS | Incomes Data Services |
| IES | Institute of Employment Studies |
| IMS | Institute of Manpower Studies |
| IPA | Institute of Practitioners in Advertising |
| IPD | Institute of Personnel and Development |
| IRLR | Industrial Relations Law Reports |
| ISPP | Intergovernmental Social Policy Protocol |
| ISR | International Survey Research |
| ITB | Industrial Training Board |
| LSL | lower standard of living |
| MCI | Management Charter Initiative |
| MNE | multinational enterprise |
| MSC | Manpower Services Commission |
| MSF | Manufacturing, Science and Finance |
| NAFTA | North American Free Trade Agreement |
| NDC | National Disability Council |
| NVQ | National Vocational Qualifications |
| OD | organisational development |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development |
| OPQ | Occupational Personality Questionnaire |
| PBR | payment by results |
| PDP | personal development plan |
| PMTS | Predetermined Motion Time Systems |
| PPP | Premium Payment Plan |
| QB | Queen’s Bench |
| QWL | quality of working life |
| SEA | Single European Act 1986 |
| SWOT | strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats |
| TCN | third country national |
| TULR(C) Act | Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 |
| WLR | Weekly Law Reports |
