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This year has been the year of political changes, and we’re only seven months in. No matter where you’re based, it’s likely the changing political landscape will impact your business. In Northern Ireland we saw the return of the Assembly and changes to European legislation are bound to continue to impact policies and processes across the Republic of Ireland. Following the general election and the appointment of a new Labour Government, we can expect upcoming changes in employment law. A “New Deal for Working People” was a key element of Labour’s campaign, committed to giving voices to workers, improving their terms and conditions, and ensuring protections at work.
Labour has pledged to implement this new deal within the first 100 days of being in power, setting a deadline of October. However, the comprehensive details of the plan have not been released yet, and further development is needed over the coming months. We view this as an evolving situation and believe it is unlikely the entire plan will be fully operational within this ambitious timeline due to the need for further clarity and consultation on procedural requirements. Within the new deal, Labour outlined significant changes to be implemented and we have set out a brief summary of some of these below. However, it’s important to remember that it would be premature to make structural changes to your organisation as the evolving situation is exactly that, evolving. With no certainty in this area, our advice is for everyone to keep calm, don’t panic but keep yourself appraised of the situation. That’s why we’ve pulled together some key highlights of what’s been shared so far.
Employees will have increased rights from day one, eliminating qualifying periods for unfair dismissal, flexible working, sick pay, and parental leave.
Currently, there is a three-day waiting period before employees are entitled to statutory sick pay, but the Government plans to make this a day-one right, which could be implemented quickly given that similar measures were temporarily introduced during the pandemic.
Although no more qualifying periods for unfair dismissal is proposed, we do not see this being an easy thing to implement quickly and Government will need further clarity, and consultation on the procedural requirements before it can be brought into force. If implemented, it is important to note that this will not prevent fair dismissal, organisations will still be able to operate probationary periods and the aim of this change will be to ensure that new employees are not dismissed without reason and will help to drive standards within workplaces.
Labour has proposed to move towards a single status of ‘worker’ instead of employees, workers and self-employed having different levels of employment rights and protection. This will mean that all workers will have equal employment rights and we believe this could be difficult to implement due to the complexity of determining the employment rights each category of worker currently has, and therefore, we would expect this to fall outside of the 100 days that Labour has committed to.
The Labour Government proposes to make the National Minimum Wage (NMW) reflect the real Living Wage and will remove the age bandings attached to NMW which they believe to be discriminatory to ensure every worker is entitled to the same living wage. If implemented, this could mean organisations being required to give pay rises to their workers. It is likely that this will not be put into action until 2025 as NMW rates are annually reviewed and typically released in April each year. Any proposed changes or new implementations we would expect to align with this timeline.
Labour proposes to make significant changes to the zero-hour contracts, they aim to ban exploitative zero-hour contracts to ensure all jobs have a baseline level of security and predictability and that workers have the right to a contract that properly reflects their regular hours of work. It is important to know that this change will not prevent organisations from offering fixed-term contracts which are important in industries that offer seasonal work.
Labour has proposed to end ‘fire-and-rehire’ so that workers can properly negotiate their terms and conditions with their employers.
It will become mandatory to report on disability and ethnicity pay gaps to tackle workplace inequalities. Many larger organisations are already reporting on this, and it will only be mandatory for organisations of 250 employees or more, suggesting that this change may not significantly impact workplaces.
Even though the reporting requirement for disability and ethnicity pay gaps is mandatory for organisations with 250 employees or more, smaller organisations should also be vigilant and ensure they are compliant. By adhering to these standards, even smaller organisations can contribute to combating discrimination in the workplace and promoting equality. This proactive approach not only aligns with legal obligations but also fosters an inclusive and fair work environment for all employees, regardless of the organisation’s size.
Labour has proposed to strengthen trade union rights. They plan to implement new rights designed to empower unions in their efforts to recruit, organise, and secure improved conditions for their members. These measures include streamlining the process for unions to gain official recognition, ensuring a fair right of entry for union activities within workplaces, and enhancing protections for union representatives and officials.
Given the significant impact of these changes, trade unions will naturally want to be actively involved in the development and implementation of these changes. Their participation is crucial to ensure that the measures are effective and truly beneficial for their members. Therefore, this collaborative process is likely to extend the timeline for these changes to come into action, as it will require thorough discussions, negotiations, and potential adjustments based on union feedback.
As we adapt to a new Labour Government, it is crucial for us to stay updated on the latest developments and understand their implications for our clients. We are dedicated to ensuring our clients remain well-informed and supported during these transitions in employment law. Our commitment is to provide guidance and assistance in navigating any forthcoming changes, ensuring that our clients are equipped to manage them effectively.
In the meantime if you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with James Richardson, or your usual AAB People contact.
Proud to support a diverse range of clients
Leaders within organisations.
Supporting leaders to improve and build their own capabilities. Problem-solving. Advising clients on problems and opportunities. Fine tuning what clients really need and working alongside them to deliver results.
All sectors.
Based in Belfast, Emer Hinphey is a Partner in AAB People. Emer was the CEO and Co-Founder of Think People Consulting, which has become part of AAB People. Emer’s approach is the same as AAB People’s: practical and pragmatic; bespoke to the size, culture, and objectives of each unique organisation. Emer works with the team to develop and implement business-propelling people and culture solutions and sustaining lasting partnerships with clients, many of whom Emer has worked with for years, even decades!
“I have a history of building strong, honest relationships with clients, some of which I can now call friends. It’s hugely rewarding to help a client either individually or for the sake of the business, to bounce off ideas and develop approaches that optimise opportunities for them in the short and long term. I really thrive in client facing work and have enjoyed the opportunity to work across industry sectors and with scaling business to global PLCs. It can be challenging at times to juggle the differing demands, I really enjoy the range of work involved – it suits my personality and certainly never gets boring!”
“We’re a people-centred business but tech is certainly where a lot of the future opportunities lie. We’re benefitting greatly from a tech-enabled approach that sees us delivering leadership programmes around the world.
We also work on global face to face projects. One of our high-profile global clients recently commented on an event we ran for 120 of their leaders coming together from around the world: “this is the best quality event we have run for many years.” We can be perceived as small being based on the island of Ireland, but I’m proud that the knowledge and skills we have as team and AAB Group are world class!”
“Having co-founded a business myself, I bring an entrepreneurial mindset to the job and can relate to the feelings and situations that a lot of my clients experience. Being a leader requires a level of assertiveness, bravery, and an ability to make sure your voice is heard in a way that people respect and hear you. I believe the success of our client base is a testament to the level of new thinking we bring to an organisation and individual, no matter where they are in their journey.”
“It’s important that HR people see themselves as businesspeople and build the expertise required to deliver genuinely differentiating commercial and strategic solutions for the organisation. The industry is improving but there’s still a long way to go – if we can learn anything from the past few years, it’s that people and culture need to be seen as a strategic component, not just firefighting!”
Any private or public sector organisation.
Whistleblowing Service. Fraud Prevention and Investigation.
Food & Drink. Retail. Healthcare Not for Profit.
Louise Cheyne is a Whistleblowing Assistant Manager. Her role is to implement confidential whistleblowing arrangements for our clients to enhance their corporate governance and ethical framework.
Based in Aberdeen, Louise works with clients from various industries to provide their employees, subcontractors’, and third-party members with a safe confidential space to report any concerns they have of unethical behaviours that are occurring in their workplace. Alongside the team she helps clients to identify, prevent and deter unethical behaviour, assist them with promoting a culture of honesty and transparency across their organisation by providing their employees with a safe and supportive environment for them to raise concerns.
“We mainly work with our clients HR departments to support them with delivering a robust whistleblowing arrangement for their organisation, but we also work with compliance officers, health and safety officers and finance managers who are responsible for investigating reports received through our services. The type of service we provide means that these clients expect us to deliver their services with minimal input from them. As our services are focussed on their employees, they expect us to support their staff when they contact us but also ensure that we gather all the relevant information to enable a thorough investigation into the allegations of wrongdoing.
“An ideal relationship with a client is one where both parties work together to deliver the services that benefit their employees whilst also enhancing the organisations corporate governance. This is what I always strive for.”
“The services we provide our clients is always virtual. We provide our clients employees with hotline numbers and online web forms that their employees can use to make a confidential disclosure. This can be a challenge, in that we need to ensure that our services are known to our clients’ employees. We respond to this challenge by providing a suite of marketing materials to allow employers to promote the services across their workplace locations.
The aspect I find most satisfying about working with our clients is that the services we provide help our clients to improve the culture in the workplace. Whistleblowing is often viewed in a negative light when it should be considered a positive. Blowing the whistle enables employers to know what is going on in their business and allow them to put in place the appropriate corrective measures.”
“The greatest compliment that a client has paid me came from a whistleblower who stated that without our services they would not have felt empowered to raise their concern with their employer. I believe that my ability to listen and understand our clients’ frustrations and deliver a solution that helps their business is one of my greatest strengths. I have a genuine passion for my role and helping my clients and am excited to continue to learn more about my industry to allow us to continue to deliver exceptional service to our clients and their employees.”
Any Private or Public Sector Organisation.
Government. Leisure. Hospitality & Retail. Financial Services. Industrial. Food and Drink. Healthcare. Public & Third Sector.
Sean McAuley is the Senior Manager of our specialist Whistleblowing team. The service gives clients a comprehensive set of safe and secure reporting channels that their employees can access should they have any concerns about unethical behaviour which may be occurring in their organisation. Employees can speak to a trained call handler in confidence, 24/7, 365 days a year.
Sean’s role is to forge and manage relationships with clients who use the service around the UK and worldwide. He also plays a central role in shaping and growing the business, looking for innovations in its service delivery and ensuring clients receive the services in accordance with their unique service needs. Based in Aberdeen, Sean also heads up the firm’s Fraud Prevention and Investigative Service where he advises on policies and procedures and undertakes comprehensive fraud risk assessments to organisations. Sean is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
“I worked in local government for more than two decades investigating widespread fraud before AAB asked me to join them and manage the whistleblowing services. I’m an organised, innovative individual with extensive experience both as a counter-fraud manager and in project management. I’m a certified Fraud Investigations Manager and a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) so AAB knew I had all the experience they needed to do a great job for them. Now with the fantastic support of AAB and my team, we have grown the business to the essential service that it is today.”
“I think I’m quite a dogmatic person. If there’s something I want to do, I will persevere until I get there. But on the other side of the coin, I’m also very approachable and a good communicator. So when I’m dealing with people, I think they warm to me and find me easy to get on with.
I would also say that I’m loyal – something that I believe is incredibly important in any organisation. Clients need to know that you’re invested. That you’ll still be there when they need you. And they want someone they can trust. It’s all about giving them confidence really.”
“Although I have extensive experience in fraud and whistleblowing, this is my first role where business development is a fundamental and key area in delivering services. This is why building relationships with our clients is important. I’m open, transparent and ensure that I’m always there for them. And when someone shows an interest in my service, I want to be reactive and give our clients as much useful information as I can to ensure that their services are provided in accordance with their unique service needs. I think in doing that we offer a service that’s discreet, sensitive, professional and really important. And I’m proud of that.”
“Trust, impartiality, and protection are the three key areas that both define, and are embedded in, our whistleblowing services. We build trust by supporting whistle-blowers with empathy and understanding throughout their journey. Listening to employees without bias and taking no sides in the raising of whistleblowing reports is key to building trust and reflecting our independence and confidentiality. This is why putting time into these key crucial areas ensure we continually improve our services for our clients now and into the future. Having the right resources in place with the right expertise and experience embodied with the right technology will continue to allow us to grow and thrive, while allowing it to become one of the most valued whistleblowing service providers across the globe.”
Lauren Farrell
HR Consultant
Belfast
Business Owners & Directors. SMEs. Medium-Sized Companies. Large Organisations.
Outsourced HR Function. HR Strategy. Building Line Management Capability. Team Well-Being. Employee Relations Management. Employment Law Compliance. Optimising HR Processes. Early Conciliation, Mediation & Conflict Resolution.
Leisure, Retail & Hospitality. Food & Drink. Construction & Property. Family Business. Public Sector.
As an HR Consultant, Lauren Farrell’s role is a varied one, and she is responsible for a wide range of her clients’ HR needs.
Sometimes these are of a routine or day-to-day nature, where a client is part of our retained group. Sometimes these are more on an ad hoc basis where a client engages the team for specific projects that are perhaps a little complex, and the client is seeking professional and expert guidance to ensure compliance and best practice. These can be anything from grievances and disciplinaries to redundancies and sickness absences. Lauren helps her clients navigate these issues, and manages the processes from beginning to end.
Her main responsibilities include supporting as a secondary consultant for a number of our retained clients to help with recruitment, employee conduct, and capability issues. She also reviews and advises on policies and procedures. Lauren specialises in ‘right to work’ queries including visa and sponsorship queries, fair employment monitoring and sickness absence.
“For me, the most important thing in a relationship with a client is that they trust me. Building that trust can take time and sometimes it can be challenging, purely through the fact that we may not see them or interact every day. But it really is so important that they feel they can trust us and the advice that we give them – that they know it’ll be objective, well thought through, and informed by knowledge and experience.”
“We’ll always give our clients all the options that are available to them and offer our opinion on which would be the best course of action. Of course, they do not have to take our advice – our role is certainly not telling them what to do – but hopefully they know that we always try to be objective, and that we’re there to answer any queries or questions on anything at all. I’m here to advise, and work collaboratively with my clients. So, it’s always nice when a client values us and our advisory capacities, and it really helps foster a positive relationship.”
“Clients expect legally compliant and objective advice, as well as someone they can approach no matter what the issue. It goes without saying that our advice has to be based on correct information, and it is. We have a great team to sense check things from if we’re not sure and I think it’s also important to be able to be honest if we’re not 100% sure on something, especially as things can change so quickly in our area – there’s always someone in the team that will have the answer! It’s great when clients understand this – that we would always want to make sure that the advice we’re giving is as informed and comprehensive as possible. We would never simply pretend we’re immediately sure on something if we aren’t. Our client’s trust, giving quality advice, and honesty and transparency… these are too important to us to do that. So, if we do have to go away to double check something, it’s because we want to ensure we’re delivering the absolute best for our client.”
“We have a collaborative mindset for everything we do – our work would not be the same without it. The nature of being a consultant can be quite independent because I’ll be looking after a client who won’t be being looked after by anyone else, but we are a team! We have a whole team of consultants behind us who all have their own expertise and experience that we can all draw from and benefit from. And that’s how we all continue to learn and develop even greater understanding on various topics and situations.
Everyone is always so willing to jump on a call and help you with something – and if someone wants to get experience on a particular subject or project, we can introduce them to a client as a team member who will be assisting with it. We’re always willing to help each other, however we each might need.”
“On a personal level, I love when I feel like I’m truly making a difference to a person’s life – like being able to reduce their stress and worries, or solve a problem for them that’s been keeping them up at night.
It’s fantastic to see the tangible contribution that we’re make to companies, and see how the changes they’ve implemented with our support have benefited them over time and helped them to move in a positive direction with their staff and strategic goals.”
Start-ups. SMEs. Investor-Backed Businesses. Internal HR Teams. Business Owners & Directors. Medium-Sized Companies. Large Organisations. Large International Organisations.
HR Strategy. Improving HR Functions. Employee Relations Management. HR Meeting Support. Coaching & Supporting Managers. HR Strategy Development. Investigation & Disciplinary procedures. Managing Grievances.
Industrial. Not for Profit. Public Sector. Leisure, Retail & Hospitality. Professional Services. Family Business. Technology. Construction & Property.
Ursula Henderson is a Senior HR Consultant based in our Belfast office. Ursula’s main role is engaging with management and employee teams to understand the root cause of any issues, and providing expert advice and guidance to bring about a lasting resolution. She works with many clients on long-term improvements for their human resource response to reduce the number and significance of issues that arise over time.
Ursula works across a mix of public, private and third sector industries, for companies ranging from large scale manufacturers to smaller independent businesses and charitable organisations of all sizes.
“To my mind, the ideal client relationship is one that is based on mutual trust; where they trust the support that I give them, and I trust that they have given me all the information I need to provide that support. My clients can always expect expert knowledge, reassurance and professionalism from me, as well as solutions that are tailored to their specific needs.”
“I like to look at any situation that is brought to me from all angles, just because a company has ‘always done it this way’ does not mean that it has to continue to do that. I feel that it is my responsibility to generate a solution that will resolve a situation, and if that is very different to how the business operates, I see it as my responsibility to help the client understand why this is the best fit and how to implement it so that it is its most effective. At the same time, I quite like Status Quo – Rockin’ All Over the World is one of my favourites, so if a tried and tested method is the best solution, I am equally happy to go down that route!”
“When it comes to methods of communication, I believe that a blend of both worlds works well in this industry. With people, it’s important to make sure that you are using the best communication method for any given situation. The best may be the quickest, therefore you can have a Teams call, or it may be that a face-to-face meeting is required due to the nature of the issue, in which case, of course, it’s crucial to be there in person. It is a decision that we make every day, and we’ll always try to advise and promote the best method for the client and for the situation at hand.”
“The biggest challenge in my area of work is also the most rewarding aspect: people! People often take sides and can make assumptions, misinterpret things due to cultural differences or only hear part of a communication. But without doubt, people are also the most gratifying aspect for me. Getting colleagues and clients onto the same page and allowing them to see things from the other perspective not only produces the best results usually, but is also a fantastic feeling.”
“As AAB Group grows I am excited to be part of that growth. Developments in technology are helping us reach more and more clients, and customers are reaching out to us with more diverse needs. So, having a broader service offering means that we can provide our clients with the whole package – a more meaningful, seamless service that includes finance, recruitment, learning and development, organisational development and employee relations.”
“When working with clients I always look at situations first and foremost through the eyes of the client. With over 20 years’ experience in Human Resources across three continents, I have a good insight into how diverse our small planet is, and I can help companies understand the complex people issues that arise. I like to feel that we and the companies that we work with are all part of a wider team; their concerns are our concerns. This makes helping to resolve an issue to their satisfaction of all the more rewarding. Similarly, coaching and nurturing the developing talent within the team of AAB gives me great satisfaction.”
“AAB is an organisation that allows me to be myself, and I am a ‘glass half full’ person. I enjoy seeing the positive in every situation and helping clients to get there too.
One of my other greatest strengths is resilience. When a client brings an issue or challenge that seems insurmountable, I can look through the data and start a positive conversation that will help bring about a solution. A client once said that they were so worried about and consumed by a situation until they spoke with me and realised that there was a way forward. I’m always looking on the bright side of life and the culture of AAB is very much the same.”
“The best compliment I can receive from a client is when they include me as part of their team and treat me as one of their own.”
“Human resources are often positioned as the company police or the department that takes away all the fun. However, I prefer to see the function as being the team that enables communication when it breaks down, enables progress when things have reached a standstill or a deadlock, and enables development when more skill is needed. We enable the fun stuff to happen – we can’t have fun without people!”
Onboarding is a part of the recruitment process that can often be forgotten and underutilised. Relationships at work are so important and the onboarding process is often the first introduction new starts will have with your team. Therefore, the integration opportunity here cannot be denied.
In this article, we’ll be diving into onboarding so you can ensure new starts have the best start to life in your organisation. We’ll be covering:
Employee onboarding is a process that encompasses everything required when a new team member joins your organisation. Through this process, the individual will receive training, information resources and more to help them establish themselves in their role.
Typically, this process is kicked off when a candidate accepts their first offer and ends after the induction period is over.
Starting a new role can be overwhelming and daunting for candidates. An onboarding plan can help them to acclimatise to your organisation, their role and help them to get an understanding and feel for the company culture.
Onboarding isn’t just beneficial for the new team member- it can be a game changer for the rest of the team too. When you take the time to properly onboard someone, you’re not only helping them get up to speed on your organisation but also setting the tone for their success. By providing clear expectations, resources, and support from their very first day you create a strong foundation for a team that can work together to achieve amazing things. The team involved will benefit as they’ll be able to provide training, reflect on processes, improve communication, and strengthen bonds. It’s a great chance for them to also learn and share knowledge.
Think about it like this- your new start might have had a 3 month notice period before joining your team. If you have a slick and smooth onboarding process you can spend that 3 months getting to know your employee and having regular touch points before they join. However, without one you leave your employee semi-in-the-dark until they start their first day.
First impressions, as they say, are everything. So, you want this really important step in the employee lifecycle to get off to the best start possible. We always recommend communication with candidates before their start date- you can achieve this by staying in contact through email or by phone until their first day. Having their line manager reach out and introduce themselves is essential if they’ve not already met through the hiring process.
The onboarding process is crucial to the new start as it provides an insight into the company culture before their first day, builds relationships and reduces stress for the individual, allowing them to feel comfortable and confident in their new role.
As well as being beneficial to the new start, the onboarding process is important for the organisation as a whole. It can improve employee retention rates through the new start feeling supported, engaged and connected at the beginning of their working relationship, they are more likely to stay with the company longer-term. As a result, this can reduce turnover costs. Additionally, providing the candidates with contracts, policies and procedures reduces organisational risk to legal / regulatory issues and ensures a compliant work environment from day one.
There are no set requirements for an onboarding process. The most important thing is that your process is unique to your organisation and doesn’t feel disjointed or disingenuous to who you are and what you stand for. To ensure you have it all covered we recommend that you follow the 5 c’s of onboarding.
Onboarding should not be a forgotten task or even one that has less importance in the new starter journey. It can be a key to success when utilised properly. When you focus on the 5 Cs of onboarding, you’ll be able to create a seamless onboarding journey that ensures your new team members are set up for success.
Our team of specialists can help you create a bespoke onboarding journey that integrates your new starts seamlessly into your team. Creating a positive work culture and workplace that your people are proud to work within.
If you have any queries about how to create a successful onboarding process please do not hesitate to get in contact with Rhona Macleod, or your usual AAB People contact.
SMEs. Start Ups.
Employee Relations Management. Recruitment & Onboarding. Day-to-day HR queries. Employment Law Compliance. Review of HR Documentation and Policies/Procedures. Optimising HR Processes. HR Process Development / Redesign.
Leisure, Retail & Hospitality. Technology. Industrial.
As an HR Consultant, Katie Bremner’s main goals are to build good client relationships, and to provide best practice advice across a variety of HR areas. Katie provides her clients with advice and support through any HR processes and employment matters.
She supports her clients in a range of ways, such as by reviewing documents such as employment contracts, company handbooks and client specific policies. Being proactive in her role ensures that her clients feel supported.
Katie works closely with the senior management teams (such as directors and any HR employees that the company may have) of her clients, who are from a multitude of different sectors, including retail, data science, and waste management.
“I would say an ideal client relationship would be having good and open communication. Part of my role is to understand the client’s needs, goals, and expectations, which I believe can be achieved through listening to the client so that we can work collaboratively to achieve their business objectives.”
“Clients expect openness and honesty from me. Clients come to us for advice on any challenges or opportunities they are facing, and I think it is important to be honest when giving advice. We are there to support the client but also the colleagues so it is important to be open with the client and establish any risks they may face and work together to follow the option that is legally and ethically appropriate.”
“I think being able to develop relationships is one of the most satisfying aspects of my job. I think it is important to understand that the relationships between myself and the client, and my colleagues and I are not transactional. My role is to continuously communicate with clients and colleagues and foster an ‘open door’ policy so that I am perceived as approachable and reliable. My role is about understanding the client’s and colleagues’ needs whilst building trust and communication, collaboration, and a shared commitment to achieving goals and driving their business success.”
“I think that technology has enabled me to be able to do my job more efficiently and effectively. Clients have different ways of working; some prefer to have a more virtual relationship and others prefer to have us on-site and embedded into their work environment. I think it is important to tailor to the wants of the client and through technology, it is now possible to carry out my job fully in either a more hands-on way or an entirely virtual way, and still achieve the best outcome for the client.”
“I think the biggest challenge in our area of expertise would be the ongoing changes to employment law. As HR professionals, it is crucial that we stay up to date with any and all changes so that we can best advise our clients.”
“Being able to continuously grow my knowledge and experience is something I am very excited about. I think AAB Group as a whole including AAB People has a huge amount of knowledge and expertise that I can learn from. Building relationships with my clients is something that also excites me. I think it’s so interesting to see how each client works and see how my role contributes to them achieving their goals.”
“Collaboration is something that is fully embedded in the People Team at AAB. The team has years of experience and knowledge, and everyone is so willing to share this with their colleagues. I think this is crucial in our role as we are able to get involved in unique cases and projects that open us up to taking new approaches in our role as consultants.”
“I think often HR has a bad reputation – people sometimes assume we are there to bring bad news. I do think it is important to understand how much HR has evolved over the years and, at AAB People, our focus revolves around people and our roles are designed to assist our clients in fostering a supportive and positive workplace for their employees.”
SMEs. Medium sized companies. Business owners and directors. Large organisations. Large international organisations. Start ups. High growth businesses.
Building line management capability. Team Development. Unlocking employees’ potential. Supporting organisational objectives.
Business Services. Technology. Family Business. Industrial. Public Sector. Leisure, Retail & Hospitality.
Based in our Belfast office, Rhonda Redfern is a dedicated Learning & Development Consultant renowned for her ability to craft tailored solutions that precisely address her clients’ needs.
Her expertise lies in orchestrating programs that uplift organisational achievements by empowering employees to elevate their performance, realise their potential, and evolve personally and professionally.
Rhonda’s methodology is characterised by an open-minded, forward-thinking, and personable demeanour, which resonates well with her clients. She thrives on collaborating with organisations that embrace innovation and are committed to nurturing their workforce’s growth and development.
Rhonda’s approach fosters an environment conducive to exploring new avenues and unlocking fresh perspectives in learning and development initiatives.
“My curiosity drives me to continually seek knowledge and push the boundaries of my capabilities. I thrive on staying abreast of the latest trends and methodologies in learning, immersing myself in networking events, reading insightful articles, and drawing inspiration from TED Talks. Yet, perhaps the most enriching aspect of my journey is the vibrant synergy within our team. The collective expertise we possess fuels my passion for growth, as each interaction becomes a wellspring of motivation and inspiration. Being immersed in such a dynamic environment ignites my drive to evolve and excel, propelling me ever forward on the path of professional development.”
“Receiving praise from a client who acknowledged my passion for our work and highlighted my approachability was truly humbling. It reaffirmed my commitment to ensuring clarity and understanding throughout our clients’ journey. Knowing that I can effectively convey concepts in a manner that resonates with them is immensely gratifying. It’s a testament to my dedication to fostering meaningful connections and delivering exceptional service, ultimately contributing to our clients’ success stories.”
“I firmly believe that organisations are experiencing a pivotal shift towards recognising the inherent value in nurturing and advancing the individuals within organizations. In times of financial scrutiny, learning and development often bear the brunt of cost-cutting measures. So, it’s truly refreshing to collaborate with clients who prioritise their people and grasp the enduring benefits of investing in talent development. The best organisations champion a culture where the growth and enrichment of employees are not just priorities, but integral components of long-term organisational success.”
“The core values that resonate deeply with me are centred around our clients being our passion, and collaboration serving as our superpower. There’s nothing quite like the fulfilment that comes from delivering unparalleled service to our clients and witnessing the positive impact it has on their organisations. When we unite as a team, the outcomes are truly extraordinary. I am particularly drawn to environments where collaboration is not just encouraged but celebrated as our greatest asset. This collective synergy not only enhances our ability to serve our clients effectively but also fosters personal and professional growth. It’s invigorating to be part of an organisation where profound knowledge and expertise abound, creating a fertile ground for continuous learning and development.”
Start ups. Small and medium-sized businesses. Large established companies.
By providing expert strategic and operational HR advice to businesses to add value through their HR/People function and strategy.
Technology. Professional services. Engineering. Manufacturing. Leisure, retail & hospitality.
Shannon’s role is varied and involves advising on employment law queries, managing complex employee relations cases, organisational restructures, conducting HR audits, employee onboarding and benefits, recruitment and selection, and other aspects of the employee lifecycle. She also acts as the HR department for many clients where she is available as a trusted point of contact for employees on any queries/issues that may arise.
“My clients expect that I will provide them with professional expert advice to ensure compliance with employment legislation and best practice. They know that they can trust me to provide reactive support for any HR need which may arise, as well as proactively helping them to plan for the future. Watching my clients grow from strength to strength and knowing I have supported them through every stage of their journey is one of the most rewarding elements of my role.”
“I am commercially focused, flexible, responsive, and truly passionate about my clients’ businesses and contributing to their success. I pride myself on building lasting relationships through delivering results and understanding the unique aspects of my clients’ business. I continually adapt my approach based on the evolving needs of my clients to ensure a bespoke service.”
“It’s important to be assertive and feel comfortable to challenge our clients on the way they do things to ensure fairness and drive continuous improvement. My clients know that they can rely upon me to be honest and always provide pragmatic advice that is in the best interests of their business and their employees.”
“I enjoy a hybrid approach to working and adopt my approach where necessary to meet the needs of my client. I am always keen to visit my local clients onsite whenever possible and this can be a great way to immerse myself in my client’s business, values and ways of working. However, many of my clients operate globally and face to face meetings aren’t always possible. Working for a technology enabled business allows me to easily connect with these clients using virtual tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and slack channels to ensure effective day to day communication.”
“Collaboration is one of our values at AAB and is something which I think is essential within the team. We have an incredibly supportive team where everyone is happy to help and no question ever seems too silly! I know that there will always be someone in the team who has specialist knowledge on a certain topic – this ultimately benefits our clients and ensures that we provide the best guidance and advice possible.”
“The greatest compliment that a client has paid me is that they value and rely upon me as they would an in-house HR Manager and that I am considered to be part of their team. It is always incredibly rewarding when a client can see the value in your work and positive contribution to their business.”
