Tell us a bit about your business

I am an independent HR consultant providing outsourced HR support and services to small and medium sized companies. This could involve helping with their recruitment, settling employee disputes, advising on workplace procedures, contracts of employment, training workshops – whatever support is required – I try to provide the solution. Smaller companies do not want or need the expense of having to hire a HR consultant into their business so I can provide them with as much or as little support as their business needs, when they need it.

How did you get into your chosen career and why?

I always say I got into HR later in life, but in reality it wasn’t that late. My early career was as a secretary and whilst I was doing quite well in that field, I was looking for something more challenging. An opportunity came up in the HR department of the company I was working in and although it meant a step back, I felt it was the opportunity I was looking for. As soon as I started working in HR I knew I had found my niche and I was hooked. I was sponsored by that company to do my CIPD qualifications and I enjoyed the journey of going back to study. I have not looked back and worked in corporate HR gaining valuable experience, as well as having the opportunity to travel to some fascinating places, so I feel very lucky.

In 2016 I took the opportunity for voluntary redundancy and had a month off to contemplate what I really wanted to do next. The main reasons for where I am today are I knew I wanted to work with business owners and I also knew I wanted to work for myself so I set up Your HR Consultant Ltd.

I chose the name after not too much deliberation as I knew the message I wanted to give and that was that I am your HR consultant!

“Michelle has supplied much needed HR advice and support to my organisation since 2017. In that time I have found her to be concise, knowledgeable and completely adaptable to our needs. She understands the latest legislation and has undergone many revisions for the organisation, including the update of our company handbook, employee contracts and GDPR. She has additionally conducted specific training programmes for staff development and has been actively involved in improving our interview processes and staff retention levels. Michelle is a pleasure to be around and her impact on our HR functionality is immeasurable.”

Caroline South – CSA

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

I really enjoy building the working relationship with my clients, learning about their business and looking at solutions to their needs and how I can best help them. I love their passion about what their business means to them and being a small part of that is what motivates me. There are, of course, the nice and not so nice parts of being a HR Consultant – not so nice is a disciplinary for example, whereas nice is offering someone a job. You have to take them both, but I like to think I encourage my clients to embrace fairness and transparency with their employees. I have been extremely lucky to work with some truly inspirational entrepreneurs so far!

What have been the high and low points of your career to date?

Well I have to admit getting my CIPD qualification and then getting chartered status has been a high point in my career – I hate exams so it was a relief when they were all over! Having said that, getting my first client for my business was a huge high for me, it gave me the push I needed to believe in what I was doing. I have not had many lows but I did have some wobbles in the early days of working for myself when I wasn’t sure I would get clients, but that’s normal for anyone starting a new business or venture and it’s given me a good grounding in helping clients who are starting from scratch as I’ve been where they are now.

What do your clients value most about your services?

I recently asked one of my clients who I have been working with the longest that very question and she said that my calm approach gave her reassurance and confidence that everything is in hand – I was quite pleased with this summary and hopefully I can continue to provide that to her and other business owners in the future.

Your HR Consultant Ltd
37 Breech Lane, Walton on the Hill, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 7SJ
07809 117634 / 01737 910638
michelle@yourhrconsultant.co.uk
www.yourhrconsultant.co.uk