(The Vegan Society Trademark)
In the last six years and since the launch of Veganuary, we have seen an unprecedented amount of new vegans and vegan businesses, along with animal rights charities across the UK and the world. Do you remember the day when you could not buy a vegan sandwich in a major supermarket, a snack bar or even a slice a cake that was vegan? This really was not that long ago!
In Bristol, we are supporting our local vegan businesses and charities of course, in particular Koocha Mezze Bar: Viva!, Vegfest.
In Birmingham, we have The Vegan Society, going from strength to strength, expanding from a handful of employees and still growing. It has also become an employer of choice in the vegan sector; and being the leader in the vegan trademark and vegan campaigns across the UK……to name just a few.
Vegan businesses and charities are plagued with the same problems as any other employer when it comes to employing people, where they have:
- difficulty attracting the right people that share the same values and beliefs
- problems to retain their best people
- persistent lateness and it is causing operational problems
- sickness absence issues, putting pressure on existing staff
- insubordination and staff disruption
- managers inexperienced to deal with employee relations issues
- staff under-performing in their roles
- bullying, harassment, and discrimination issues
- low staff morale and lack of job satisfaction
- employees refusing to return from furlough
- a lack of sales, leading to redundancies and more
What can a vegan HR Consultancy do to improve these issues for an employer?
As we support the employer with any matter involving an employee, we give the employer the tools and skills to manage their people effectively. Very often it is through introducing more effective HR practices and polices but can also be through management coaching and development. We also ensure the employer is compliant with employment law very efficiently.
We are not risk averse. We make sure that if the employer needs to appoint a vegan into a role with adversity, we will ensure they have a genuine occupational qualification report to support this.
How do businesses use a vegan HR Consultancy?
Our vegan HR Consultancy works with ethical vegan businesses and charities. We are effectively an outsourced HR Manager. We do everything a HR Manager or Advisor does and more, but at a reduced cost to the employer as our services can be added and reduced to meet the business needs. We work with many of our clients on a retained basis, where they receive a package of support, but we can also provide support on an ad-hoc or project-only basis.
What is the difference between a vegan HR Consultancy and a non-vegan HR Consultancy?
Our expertise in working with a vegan business or charity and their employees, exceeds any other HR Consultancy in the UK. We are the first Consultancy that is run by vegans and only appoint vegans to work in the business.
We are the leading experts in appointing vegans into vegan businesses and vegan roles. Many non-vegan HR Consultancies are not invested in supporting vegan businesses and charities to help them grow and prosper; in the same way that we are.
We have extensive experience of working with businesses and charities that provide: services, food and beverage, beauty, health, well-being, energy manufacturers and providers, social media, marketing, IT, retail, eco-homes, ethical investments in the vegan and sustainable sector. Our team of HR experts spends time getting to understand the needs of the business and work with its key people to ensure everything is delivered and meets the businesses’ current needs. Our team is passionate about veganism and we all work tirelessly to not only ensure that these businesses and charities survive but thrive.
We pride ourselves in getting our clients legally compliant with as little fuss as possible. Very often our clients remark on how many of their employees do not realise their employer is working with us, as what we do is subtle and with the least disruption to the day to day business as possible.
We are also 100% ethical and paperless. Employers have the peace of mind knowing that when they work with us, we also give back. We support the vegan business community as much as we can, and we donate part of our annual profits to a nominated animal or environment charity.
If a business or charity is going to work with a HR Consultancy, then it makes complete sense to work with one that shares the same values and beliefs.
What are the main services a vegan HR Consultancy can provide?
- Expertise of working with vegan businesses and charities
- 24-Hour employment law and advice and guidance helpline
- Contracts of employment
- Employee handbooks and HR policies
- Health and Safety packages
- Furlough and homeworking
- HR letters and forms templates
- HR software
- Annual leave calculations
- Dedicated HR consultant
- Management coaching and development
- Support with workplace issues – staff disputes, issues over terms and conditions, termination of employment, long term sickness, under-performance, restructures, redundancies and TUPE
- Performance management and appraisals
- Help recruiting the right calibre of employee
- Sickness absence issues
- Workplace and safeguarding investigations
- Employment law updates
How much do HR consultancies cost a business or charity?
As HR consultancies are not appointed as permanent employees, then employers do not have the burden of costs of an employee. Costs vary dependent on the service selected. Retained clients get better value for money as they receive a complimentary suite of employment contracts and a tailored employee handbook or HR policies. An in-house HR professional could cost the employer upwards of £25k per year. Our clients pay nowhere near that figure on an annual basis for a monthly retainer.
Having to attend an employment tribunal is costly, let alone losing one and having to pay out any form of compensation. Employees can complain to an employment tribunal for most things these days and if the employer does not have policies and practices in place that are legally compliant, or best practice and have acted unreasonably or unlawfully; they don’t stand a very good chance of winning a case. Appointing a HR Consultancy at the outset and they can help the employer prevent any such issues and that burden goes away.
What sets us above the rest?
We have 100% success rate with our clients. Not only have all our reviews reflected how delighted our clients have been with our service, but we have also not had any of our clients find themselves in an employment tribunal since we have been supporting them.
Why use a HR Consultancy?
HR consultancies ensure the business can take care of its employees properly and puts in place processes and practices that allow for the business to grow.
A reputable HR Consultancy will have indemnity to cover that will protect the employer, should they receive any advice.
Many employers start looking for a HR consultancy that fits their business model when they start looking for their first employee. The first employee must be the right employee. This is because they need to set the standard, the culture, and processes to help the employer take on their next employee. Getting it right with this employee is key for the business to grow. Forget to give them their correct annual leave entitlement or to sign them up to the workplace pension, alongside not providing their employment contract within the required timescale; could ultimately lead to them getting the wrong impression of their employer and not staying. Recruiting the right person can be costly, so it is a cost that can be avoided if the right HR Consultancy is appointed at the right time.
If you have an employee problem and you want a quick resolution, do not hesitate to get in touch: 0843 1760266 or email hello@specialisedhr.co.uk.
Visit us to find out more about our services: www.specialisedhr.co.uk.