I set up Centric HR Limited a year ago as I’d always wanted to create a legacy. My biggest problem was being spoilt for choice in what to offer potential customers with 25 years of experience in both operational and strategic HR interventions. I was also cautious. Would I be able to work with clients who had the same values and principles as me? Would I be able to afford to turn down small business owners who I’d heard could be ruthless and cut-throat?
Well throughout the year and through working with new clients, I’ve been able to crystallise Centric HR offerings into key products – catering for all different types of clients and their needs. From SMEs to Corporate Organisations, Centric HR offers a wide variety of Outsourced HR Services around the usual operational issues such as general compliance, sickness, disciplinary and grievance, to the more Strategic offerings such as Workforce Strategy, Planning, Efficiencies and Engagement.
What I knew from the outset was that I wanted to provide an exceptional service that really helped my clients and customers and added value to their business – whether that was taking the heat out of a difficult situation, helping them deal with people problems or issues, plan for the future or simply saving them time and money.
What I didn’t understand, was how the impact of setting up this business would affect me personally. I would watch and listen to clients and small business owners how, when I was able to offer HR solutions for them and their staff, the weight bearing down on them would lift physically from them and in their voices. Sometimes the results would be immediate; sometimes over the course of a few days or weeks. They would share with me that they felt assured and felt they would “be able to sleep tonight”!
It was different. Very different from being in corporate world. Yes, you develop trusting relationships and get results in corporate world, but the recognition, trust and mutual respect that develops with my clients is the best job satisfaction that I have ever felt in the last 25 years!
And values and principles?? Well I really don’t know what I was worried about. Business owners who hardly know me have gone out of their way to help me as a newbie. And so far, I have not come across one business that didn’t want to do the right thing. If anything, SMEs care about how they are viewed as an employer; it can affect their reputation. I think they genuinely care about the people they employ. One business owner said to me:
“When you’re a small team, the effect you have on your people means if you treat them in the right way, you ‘touch gold’ quickly – but it can also go pear-shaped just as quickly if there’s something wrong and you don’t put it right.”
If anything, SMEs are too sometimes too generous, often leaving themselves wide open and vulnerable as they are so trusting.
Am I addicted to providing services that exceed expectations and help companies achieve their challenging targets? You betcha!
Will I continue to find solutions to problems and enable organisations to create a great place to work for employees? Absolutely!
So welcome folks – welcome to Centric HR. I hope you’ll tune into the next leg of my journey, as I introduce you to the team and share my knowledge and tips with you to help you become the best at what you do through your people and be the best employer that you can possibly be.
