Alison King is the founder and Managing Director of Bespoke HR.
Tell us about Bespoke HR, what prompted you to set up the business?
Bespoke HR is an outsourced HR consultancy providing HR support to a business that needs an HR resource or who wants to support their in-house report. I set up the business after I was made redundant from my last role and had a young baby. I decided that working for myself would provide flexibility around childcare, and have grown the business ever since with a team of HR Consultants and support staff.
What is your aim for the business?
The aim for the business is in our vision. We aim to be the best HR outsourcing provider for SMEs, achieve outstanding customer feedback and offering a rewarding and truly engaging place to work.
Our USP has always been the personal approach. Our clients are allocated a dedicated HR Consultant who gets to know and understand their business, rather than having to rely on a telephone helpline or call centre when they need help.
What are you most proud of?
The team, and how the business has grown, and how many clients have grown with us over the years. Once clients engage with us we build strong long-lasting relationships and become an extension of their business.
What are the typical HR issues clients face?
The ‘normal’ problems are employee relations issues and recruitment issues, such as attracting and retaining the right people. These are things that we can really help with and turn around for a business.
Why should small businesses consider outsourcing?
Any HR matter from recruitment through to documentation can take up a lot of time and can be costly if not done correctly. Companies should focus on what they are good at and outsource their HR helping them to run more efficiently and not fall foul of any issues.
What advice would you give a small business owner employing staff without any HR support?
Make sure any decision you make is scaleable, for example, if you implement a process when you have a few employees, will that still work and be fair when you have more employees?
What have been your biggest learns in running your own business?
To practice what I preach – not trying to do something myself that I’m no expert in which is not a good use of my time or skill set.
What is the one piece of advice you would offer anyone managing a team?
Always do what you say you are going to do. Be fair and consistent, and deal with an issue when it is small before it grows!