Leeds United are pleased to announce a new partnership with Employment Hero, the global leader in HR, hiring and payroll software, for the remainder of the 2025/26 Premier League season.
The link up between the two parties will form part of a wider campaign for Employment Hero to champion regional businesses and strengthen ties with communities across the UK, having identified Yorkshire & the Humber as a key growth region.
Working closely with the club, Employment Hero will collaborate on a programme of activity to engage and support growing local businesses, and this will include tailored experiences for business leaders at Elland Road, offering insight into how elite sporting organisations operate behind the scenes.
The joint programme will also include Employment Law and Compliance seminars for local organisations to help them navigate the significant changes facing employers in 2026 as a result of the Employment Rights Act. Employment Hero will also offer businesses across the region free access to its payroll services as part of an initiative to support SMEs during regulatory change.
Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director at Employment Hero, said: “This partnership with Leeds United is about far more than matchday visibility. It’s about working with a brand at the heart of the community to deliver practical, meaningful support for local employers.
“We recognise the challenges small businesses are navigating, and our role is to celebrate their ambition and provide the tools and support they need to keep growing.
“Yorkshire & the Humber has a proud business heritage and a strong sense of local identity, and our data shows genuine confidence in local talent and a clear commitment to backing local suppliers. When you consider the pressures employers have faced, and the regulatory changes still to come, it’s remarkable that so many small businesses are continuing to hire and demonstrate real resilience.”
Phil Hardman, Partnerships Director at Leeds United Football Club, added: “We are really pleased to welcome Employment Hero into the Leeds United family for the 2025/26 season, and look forward to engaging with their team and learning more about the support they can offer local organisations.
“As part of the new partnership, that we will look to develop over the last few months of the Premier League campaign, we are excited to have Employment Hero present at all upcoming fixtures at Elland Road.”
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of business leaders in Yorkshire & the Humber say they would recommend the region as the best place to start a business, according to new data from Employment Hero, underlining strong regional confidence as we embark on this new relationship.
With more than three-quarters (77%) of SME leaders saying they can adequately fill their staffing needs with local talent, slightly above the national average (73%), and 80% of business leaders in Yorkshire & the Humber saying they have prioritised a local supplier over a cheaper national or international alternative, we can really see how that confidence translates into economic loyalty.
Proprietary data from more than 1,000 employees in Leeds* paints a picture of a city demonstrating resilience amid an unpredictable employment landscape. While overall employment growth is down year on year, hiring has rebounded sharply, with a 9% increase month on month in January 2026.
