Business Interviews
Business Aspects Magazine recently spoke to Charlotte Gallagher from P3 People Management in Cheshire, professional HR Advisors.
We questioned her about one of the sectors in which she works – Property and Construction.
Having started her employment in retail management after University, Charlotte formally entered the world of HR and Training in 1995.
With extensive experience in both small professional businesses and large high profile organisations in the leisure, non-profit and commercial sectors, Charlotte is a passionate advocate of positive HR assistance.
Her belief that effective people management strategies are required by all businesses – not a luxury afforded only by the larger organisation – led her to establish P3 People Management Ltd in 2004.
What can you do for a company or firm in the construction industry?
“Many of the issues facing the construction industry are reflected in other sectors in the UK, and the theme at the moment seems to be ‘doing more with less”.
Business in construction face challenges in cost control, profit margins, productivity etc. and one headache they can do without is the ‘necessary evil’ that is people management. This can take up considerable management time, better spent on other tasks, and yet expose the business to risk if not managed correctly”.
We take away the headache: the day to day admin can be outsourced to us completely if they do not have someone in-house to manage this. We provide access to an employment advice service for their managers so that they have an expert at the end of the phone or email for any and all employment matters. We then take them through the process smoothly and confidently so that they achieve the desired outcome with minimal impact on their time”.
“Typical issues are managing disciplinary issues, long-term sickness absence, accidents at work, or managing time off i.e. holidays”.
“Aside from the day-to-day issues we focus on their 12-24 month plans so that we can ensure the right frameworks are in place to enable them to maximise their future business success. We do this by way of a diagnostic (affectionately known as a ‘deep dig’!) into their people management practices, from contracts of employment and policies, to training and development strategies”.
What makes you different to other HR Consultancies?
“We focus on what companies can do, not on what they can’t. Our clients appreciate how we translate the intricacies of employment law into easy to understand English, and, more importantly, apply processes and procedures that are suitable for their business needs”.
“When providing advice, we take into account a number of factors, including the clients’ attitude to risk, their business culture, their budget, and the sector in which they work. Because we work with clients on an ongoing basis, we build strong relationships with them so we get to know them as colleagues, understand them and their communication and leadership style, and their preferences for managing their workforce”.
“No two clients or businesses are the same, therefore a personal and bespoke approach critical in order to achieve maximum success”.