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FAQ's:

Experience & Expertise

  • I’ve been working in HR since 2001. My first stint working in HR Consultancy was in 2010-2011 working for Park City Consulting based in Essex, giving me multi sector experience with clients based around Essex and London. I’ve been working as a self employed HR Consultant since 2017 growing my business whilst working in house at HR Director level, where I was eventually able to work in my business full time since 2023.

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    Industries I’ve worked with include: Tech Companies/MSP’s, Charities/CIC’s, Local Government, Professional Bodies; Housing Associations; Renewable Energy; Travel; Architects: Communications Agencies; Car Dealers; Fashion; Construction; Engineering; Childcare; Facilities Management; Hospitality & Leisure; Retail; Healthcare & Further Education.

  • Yes! you can check them out on our Website, Google Reviews, and LinkedIn testimonies.

  • I’m a member of the CIPD and have achieved chartered status (FCIPD). I also hold a Level 7 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring and a NEBOSH Level 3 certificate (Health and Safety). I hold current insurance certificates for professional indemnity and public liability and am happy to share copies of these if requested.​

  • Service Level
    National HR Companies
    Sure Betts HR Solutions
    Point of Contact
    Anyone who is working in the call centre that day
    Dedicated person who gets to know you, your organisation and your culture and build a partner relationship
    Response time
    Variable and via a call centre process/set contact channels.
    24 hour turn around to helpline queries – can be flexible on method and provide real time support
    Quality of advice
    Inconsistent and transactional– based on feedback received from my clients who switched. Get different answers to the same question by junior HR staff
    Consistent, practical no nonsense, commercial advice by someone who’s worked at HR Director level and is bespoke to your organisation. Looks at the bigger picture and overall strategy.
    Proactivity
    Reactive “fire fighting”– waiting for your call to solve problems. Purely advisory.
    Proactive – wants to work with you and do early intervention to prevent issues happening or escalating in the first place and offering hands on bespoke development/feedback and coaching managers.
    Strategic
    Box ticking – will provide standard policy documents
    Looks to help your organisation survive, thrive and grow and can recommend strategies to achieve this. Provides bespoke advice and documentation to support it.
    Length of contract
    Tied in for minimum period and difficult to get out of even if your circumstances change
    Ongoing support on a monthly retainer with no long notice periods.

    The main benefit of outsourced HR is it’s a fraction of the cost of hiring an employee in house, particularly if you don’t need someone all the time.

    Here’s a comparison to help you decide

    Service Level
    National HR Companies
    Sure Betts HR Solutions
    Point of Contact
    Anyone who is working in the call centre that day
    Dedicated person who gets to know you, your organisation and your culture and build a partner relationship
    Response time
    Variable and via a call centre process/set contact channels.
    24 hour turn around to helpline queries – can be flexible on method and provide real time support
    Quality of advice
    Inconsistent and transactional– based on feedback received from my clients who switched. Get different answers to the same question by junior HR staff
    Consistent, practical no nonsense, commercial advice by someone who’s worked at HR Director level and is bespoke to your organisation. Looks at the bigger picture and overall strategy.
    Proactivity
    Reactive “fire fighting”– waiting for your call to solve problems. Purely advisory.
    Proactive – wants to work with you and do early intervention to prevent issues happening or escalating in the first place and offering hands on bespoke development/feedback and coaching managers.
    Strategic
    Box ticking – will provide standard policy documents
    Looks to help your organisation survive, thrive and grow and can recommend strategies to achieve this. Provides bespoke advice and documentation to support it.
    Length of contract
    Tied in for minimum period and difficult to get out of even if your circumstances change
    Ongoing support on a monthly retainer with no long notice periods.

Services Offered

  • I provide a monthly retained service for ongoing HR admin, advice and support. That includes issuing contracts of employment and new starter packs, and processing leavers and staff changes. I can also attend HR meetings remotely or in person, and coach managers beforehand if they're unsure how to lead them.

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    Beyond the day to day, I take on project work such as writing a people strategy aligned with your goals, job evaluation, and pay and reward benchmarking. You'll find the full list on my HR Services page.

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    No one is an expert in everything, so for some tasks, such as recruitment and mediation, I work with trusted partners rather than doing them myself. I know them personally and work closely with them to make sure you get a great service.

  • Yes. I have over 20 years' experience of complex cases like these and give practical, legally compliant and commercial advice to help you resolve them as quickly and painlessly as possible. That includes writing your letters and making sure there's a clear audit trail. Unlike some larger HR firms linked to insurance companies, I'll give you a realistic view of the risks so you can make an informed decision rather than being told no. Where an exit is the right outcome, I can also support you with protected conversations and settlement agreements.

  • Yes, I will work with you to help you write your people plan/strategy that’s linked to your organisation’s goals and mission. I’ll also help you look at workforce and succession planning and help you identify gaps between your current workforce and what you need in the future.

  • Absolutely. I'm passionate about prevention rather than cure, so I run a flagship programme for newly promoted (or about to be promoted) line managers taking on their first team. It covers the whole employee life cycle in bite-sized weekly sessions, and it's about how to get the best out of your team, not policy and process. You can find out more on my Leadership Training page.

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    I also design and deliver bespoke training on site for clients on a wide range of people-related topics.

  • I’ve not met some of my clients in person – despite working for them for some years. I find most meetings can be carried out remotely over video call – and that’s more cost effective for you. I am always willing to travel out to clients site for key meetings and events if needed.

  • In most cases, no. I have the experience to advise on the vast majority of employee issues, and contacts in my network I can go to for a legal view when needed, at no extra cost to you. If a matter becomes legally complex, or you need representation at an employment tribunal, I'll tell you plainly and can introduce you to a trusted employment lawyer. My aim is to help you avoid getting there in the first place.

Legal & Compliance

  • I keep up to date with UK employment law by attending online and in-person events run by local employment lawyers and reading professional journals. I apply this to my clients' existing policies and procedures, and run webinars on the changes. I also write a monthly newsletter to let you know about upcoming changes, which you can sign up to on my Resources page.

  • Whilst I try and help my clients prevent disgruntled employees from putting in Tribunal Claims I do help with these where required. This includes writing the defence statement and liaising and negotiating via ACAS if the client wants to settle. For more complex cases I recommend working alongside an employment lawyer for these.

  • Confidentiality is part of everything I do. Sensitive matters such as grievances, investigations, health issues or exits are only discussed with the people who need to know, and I'll agree with you at the start who that is. Documents are shared and stored securely, personal data is handled in line with UK GDPR, and I keep notes factual and professional in case they are ever needed later. Employees can trust that the process is fair, and you can trust that nothing goes further than it should.

Costs & Pricing

  • All of the above. My retained packages start at £225+VAT a month. If you don't need a retainer, I also offer pay as you go at £75–£150+VAT an hour, depending on the level of expertise needed, billed in 15-minute intervals. For projects I quote a fixed fee, based on urgency and complexity, so you know you won't go over budget.

  • I am transparent in my individual quotes for what is and isn’t included in a service to avoid any hidden costs occurring.

  • I take a hands on approach in working with my clients. The pricing structure I have is reflecting of the fact that I have reached HR Director level so can advise at this level, whereas there are other independent consultants who have only worked up to HR Manager/Advisor levels or have achieved CIPD at Levels 3 and 5, whereas I have the qualification at Level 7 with the experience to match.

Customisation & Flexibility

  • Yes absolutely. I have multi sector experience so am used to adapting so I fit in with the size of your organisation and your culture.

  • My retained packages run on a monthly rolling basis, so they can flex as your organisation changes. Larger HR companies often tie you into watertight contracts that last for years and are hard to change. I deliberately work on the principle that you're free to look elsewhere if you're not happy with the service, or if your needs change and you want to bring HR in house. I also offer ad-hoc support at £75–£150+VAT an hour, depending on the level of expertise needed, if you'd rather not have a retainer.

  • I run a responsive helpline that you can reach by phone, WhatsApp or email, and I aim to turn queries around within 1 working day.

Technology & HR Systems

  • I'm an affiliated Breathe HR partner, which means I can give you a free demo and a free two-week trial, and manage the system on your behalf if you're on one of my retained packages. I've also worked at the other end of the market, helping clients implement and get more from systems such as Zellis ResourceLink.

  • Yes. If Breathe HR isn't right for you, I can help you research and implement a system that suits your organisation.

Added Value & Result

  • Through positive google reviews and client testimonials; and knowing I can help a client achieve the outcome of the project. It can also be measured with metrics like lower staff turnover, less/no grievances, long term sickness and happier more engaged and productive staff.

  • Not much to get started. After a free call to understand what you need, I'll ask for copies of your current contracts, staff handbook and key policies, a simple list of your team (roles, start dates and who they report to), and a main contact I can work with. If you already use HR software, I'll need access to it; if not, I can set you up on Breathe HR. I'll then review what you have, flag anything that needs attention and agree the priorities with you, so you know exactly what happens next.

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