How different approach to HR has seen Sarah reap the rewards

In the latest edition of Marketing Derby’s Innovate magazine, we meet Sarah Loates – founder of Loates HR Consultancy – who shares her hands-on approach to supporting businesses.

Sarah is celebrating a decade of running the consultancy, which provides HR advice, training and recruitment services to businesses across the East Midlands and further afield.

The firm deliberately set out to be different – and this approach has helped it win business across multiple sectors. It is also why the Loates team is still supporting the very first client that was signed up a decade ago.

Sarah told Innovate magazine: “We pride ourselves on the personal service we deliver to employers.

“There are no anonymous telephone help desks or generic document databases here.

“It’s just proper face-to-face HR support from down-to-earth, approachable people with actual names.

“We are people who you can get to know and trust, who can be relied on to be there to provide practical assistance and a non-judgemental, friendly face whenever things aren’t going so well – people who, in turn, can really get to know you and your business and so fully understand how best to help you achieve your goals.”

One of her major success stories is Midland Lead, a business which is seeing the benefits of investing in its people and seeking to become an employer of choice.

The family-owned company, which produces lead sheet, employs 40 highly-skilled staff, combining traditional craftsmanship with a technology-led approach.

But it had suffered from high employee turnover and questioning of the team uncovered a feeling that loyalty was not rewarded, work was underpaid and there was little career development.

The company brought in Loates five years ago to help it deliver a business strategy that was built on the principle that if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers.

Critical objectives included establishing a safer workplace, increasing staff retention and attendance, improving productivity and quality and developing a happy and flexible workforce.

The firm worked with Loates to address these issues and today, Midland Lead says the impact of its new strategic approach to HR has been transformational.

Sarah said: “I wish more SMEs would take a similar approach – not because I want the business but because I want them to be great places to work.”

To read the full article in the latest Innovate magazine click here.