HR Direct and HR consultancy

We are a team of experienced and pragmatic HR professionals who support and advise you across a range of HR matters. We help you to resolve workplace issues and identify and assess risk. Both operational and strategic, our HR team skillfully guides you through HR issues using their knowledge and experience, adhering to employment law to achieve the best outcomes for your  educational establishment or organisation.

Our HR helpline provides instant, clear, concise, uncomplicated advice and guidance on many HR issues. All purchasers of HR for education will benefit from automatic subscription to HR Direct which provides access to the HR helpline and HR policies where appropriate. This level of service provides high quality advice and guidance for one-off operational / policy queries not related to ongoing cases. This service does not include a named link HR adviser.

We can:

• Help managers understand and manage HR issues with staff in accordance with employment law
• Give user-friendly guidance briefs for managers to support each step in delivering HR processes
• Talk managers through HR processes
• Provide template letters to send to employees to ensure that issues are dealt with and resolved.

Helpline support is available via a single telephone number and email address between 8.30am - 5pm, Monday - Friday.

Additionally, HR for education customers may purchase blocks of consultancy time in 10, 20 or 40 hour packages. This  consultancy support will be provided by a link HR adviser who will develop a working knowledge of your school and work with you to resolve on going cases.

This time may be used for:

• Site visits - HR advisers can either attend planned meetings or make emergency visits for specific matters as necessary; or
• Work undertaken by an HR adviser outside of visits. This could include drafting or reviewing letters, reviewing and amending reports, specific research, telephone advice, or preparation for hearings/meetings.

Some of the areas we provide professional support, advice and guidance are:

• Absence management and attendance issues
• Diversity, equality and inclusion
• Conduct, capability and dispute resolutions, including investigations
• Change Management, including redundancy, reorganisation, redeployment and TUPE
• Pay grading and conditions of service, including contractual matters, job evaluation and pay appeals
• Preparation for employment tribunal hearings and appeals
• Employment law updates
• Policy and guidance writing
• Negotiating with staff consultation groups and Unions
• Guidance on exit strategies
• Writing job descriptions and job grading to ensure compliance
• Advising managers, heads, principals and governors during hearings
• Attendance at multi-agency safeguarding meetings

Alternatively, bespoke packages to support special projects and one-off pieces of work can be developed on request.