“The terrible twos” A second birthday in lockdown

It’s AJBHRCS second birthday!

I’ve been lucky enough to experience both birthdays during a national lockdown… so I guess the pub will have to wait.

My second year of business has been a turbulent one to say the least in which the only constant thing has been change. Like many other industries, the world of HR has had to adapt on a daily basis in order to keep staff supported and businesses moving forward. Despite this, there’s definitely been a lot to celebrate.

As AJB HR Consultancy gets older and (hopefully) wiser, it seemed like an apt time to reflect on my journey and the lessons I’ve learnt along the way.

We all start somewhere

I have worked for various organisations including HSBC and Nationwide Building Society.

I have headed up numerous HR departments in the UK and had responsibility for HR operations in Budapest and Ireland. I joined HSBC (Midland Bank as it was then)and thought I would work in banking for the rest of my life.

And like most plans in life, that didn’t happen.

I moved from People Management to HR at HSBC and had to make a decision between banking and HR. As you can probably guess, HR won.

In 2019, I took my years of hands-on experience to start my own business.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but even in my wildest dreams I don’t think I could have imagined something like a global pandemic hitting in my first year.

Uninvited guest

Covid-19 threw a bit of a spanner in the works I’ll admit, and some days the constant changes just seemed impossible to cope with.

Regardless of this, self-employment provides a freedom I couldn’t get from the corporate world. Now I get to choose the work I take on, the people I work with and even the times I work.

Recently I’ve even been driven to the Priory. No, no, it’s not what you’re thinking. As my business and team expands, I decided a suitable office space was appropriate.

I’m proud of what I’ve been able to achieve in the past two years, most of which has been spent dealing with social distancing, lockdowns, furlough, and numerous developments in employment law.  Despite all of this, I’ve made a lot of positive changes and my business continues to adapt and grow.

Lessons in HR

Last year I learnt a number of lessons, all of which still apply, but one fundamental thing has remained a clear focus as I move into my third year as a HR consultant: people are our biggest asset.

I’ve said it before and I will most definitely say it again, but it’s a crucial point. From your job description to your offboarding process, your people should be at the forefront. If you don’t hire the right people and treat them properly, your business won’t succeed. It really is as simple as that.

By making your people plan a clear pillar of your strategy, you increase the chance of employee satisfaction, loyalty, productivity, and engagement. All of which are guaranteed to increase the overall performance (and profitability) of your business.

Growing up

Even with all the challenges we’ve faced over the last 12 months, we’ve seen our people thrive. I’ve worked with a number of clients to implement effective HR advice and policies to better support their people to support them.

Overall I’ve enjoyed the challenges posed, my passion for HR is bigger than ever and I am looking forward to what the next year has in store as I continue to support my clients with all manners of queries and issues.

Here’s to year number 3!

If there’s anything I can do to help you focus your strategy and better support your staff just drop me an email (andrew@ajbhrcs.co.uk) or pick up the phone (01788 228608).