HR advice firm opens office in York (From York Press)

HR advice firm opens office in York

10:48am Friday 6th February 2009 in Search By Ron Godfrey

A FIRM which offers a human resources department to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has opened in York.

The HR Dept, a Bristol-based group, claims to offer SMEs “everything a large business receives from its in-house human resources team, but at a fraction of the cost”.

It has launched its first local office in Prospect House, Prospect Terrace, Fulford.

Run by HR specialist Sarah Cordukes, the office will serve business customers throughout the York and Harrogate areas.

It is the 28th HR Dept to be opened in the last five years, since it was started by Sue Tumelty, a senior experienced human resources professional who wanted smaller business clients to enjoy the same levels of support, advice and expertise on staff matters as those enjoyed by large corporations.

It offers advice and guidance on issues which could prove vital as the recession tightens its hold on York and North Yorkshire.

These include recruiting and retaining staff, redundancy, disciplinary procedures, maternity leave, contracts of employment, equal rights opportunities, interviewing, training and development.

The HR Dept also offers health and safety advice, an email alert service on up-coming changes to legislation and “health checks” to keep employment contracts and terms and conditions up-to-date. Clients can also buy into the company’s “no-nonsense insurance”, which covers firms for any possible employment tribunal expenses as long as its advice is followed. Sarah, who has previously worked as a senior HR professional across a number of sectors including finance, media, IT and outsourcing is a Member of the Chartered Institute Of Personnel And Development and has a Masters degree in human resource management.

She said: “Few issues cause business owners more sleepless nights than employment problems. “Large corporations are fortunate enough to have a human resources department to help them pick their way through the minefield of ever-changing rules, regulations and red tape. But for small firms, employment issues are not just a huge headache – they can be extremely costly if they make a mistake “Now help can be on hand from the moment a business starts to think about its first member of staff, with no problem too large or too small for us to advise on. We believe this service will be welcomed by local businesses who can now employ and manage their staff safe in the knowledge that reliable and affordable HR expertise is just a phone call away.”

Sarah will also visit clients at their own premises to ensure they are fully compliant with employment legislation and to provide guidance on any HR issues they are facing.