What Clients Say

At Kea HR, we believe the best measure of our service is what our clients say. Over the years we’ve supported businesses of all sizes with everything from day-to-day HR advice and employee handbooks to recruitment and complex employee relations issues.

The testimonials below are genuine comments from employers who have trusted Kea HR to support their business. We hope they give you a feel for how we work and the practical, responsive service you can expect from us.

Helping With Every Day HR

Sarah-Jane Hepplestone, Managing Director, Little Freddies Day Nursery, Penistone

Kea HR were recommended to us recently to support a particularly complex and sensitive situation that was happening in our business. Kathryn quickly understood the business, our culture and the consequences of dealing with this matter appropriately. Her approach was professional and her advice was based on common sense as well as employment legislation. I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone requiring reliable, practical and sound HR advice.

Jamie Ollivant, Ops Director, Regional Media

Kathryn’s knowledge, expertise and professionalism have been absolutely vital to our business. She has become a trusted adviser to our directors, providing practical HR guidance that has helped us navigate significant business changes with confidence.

Michael Thorpe, Director, Acorn Brewery, Barnsley

We have found Kathryn to be quick to respond and professional in the way she carries out her business. Kathryn demonstrates real loyalty to our company, especially when attending client meetings with us, and is a strong part of my senior management team. It is easy to forget that we are not the only company she works for!

Robert Johnsons, Director, Johnsons Estates , Doncaster

Kathryn makes herself available for even the smallest of queries, and provides helpful support and assistance in the ever-changing area of employment regulations. Given that HR can be complicated, Kathryn presents her advice in a concise and understandable manner and I have no hesitation in recommending her.

Linda Gornall, Operations Director, Direct Trade (Yorkshire), Doncaster

Direct Trade has been associated with Kathryn since Kea HR was launched in April 2006. Kathryn’s up to date knowledge of employment law legislation and sound, simple advice have enabled Direct Trade to concentrate on running our business knowing that we will always get the best advice in any personnel issues from her.

Sharron Wood, Director, Goldglaze Limited, Barnsley

Kathryn has provided my Company with practical, helpful and friendly advice on various employment issues over the last few years. When I contact her for advice she always provides the employment documents I need and they are always easy to understand and implement. Even in a small business like ours issues crop up that we are not sure how to resolve and when they do it’s reassuring to know that Kathryn is just a phone call away. I have no hesitation in recommending Kathryn to any company requiring expert Human Resources help and advice.

Matthew Young, Managing Director, Integrity Property Management, London

I endorse Kathryn for HR consulting and HR support. When I required her help, the advice she provided was spot on, delivered within time and on budget.

Janet Clayton, Senior HR Adviser, CPS

Kathryn worked with the CPS on a Consultancy basis while the HR team went through a period of change. Kathryn is reliable and knowledgeable, and her customers spoke highly of the level of support she provided to them. She is a good team player and was always willing to assist the other HR Advisors with their cases and workload.

Employee Handbooks & Contracts

Helping businesses create practical employment documentation that protects the business and supports managers.

Stuart McClarnan, Managing Director, SJM Fresh Produce, Sheffield

I recently had an HR situation develop which I didn’t know how to handle, and Kathryn provided practical advice which resolved the situation quickly. I also realised through talking to Kathryn that I needed employment contracts for my staff, and she implemented a solution that met with current legislation and protected my business. Kathryn also provided us with a simple Employee Handbook, which means that my employees now know where to look for information, rather than asking me, and it gives me peace of mind that they all receive exactly the same information, avoiding confusion. The service I have received has been efficient and friendly, and I would certainly recommend Kathryn to guide you in the right direction or for reviews of your current contracts of employment.

Kenny Leah, Ops Director, Smok’d

Kathryn was an absolute pleasure to deal with we are a small company with two sites and we are looking at expansion which is the reason we brought Kathryn and her expertise onboard.

Kathryn made the experience coming on board really easy for us along with the great advice we now feel protected with the advice and knowledge of Kathryn we will have a motivated and happy team in both pubs, we now have the handbooks that we have always wanted along with great advice.
Would defiantly recommend.

Chris Lambert, Finance Director, Roy Hatfield

We were struggling to keep up with HR legislation and were worried we were not always making the right decisions regarding staff issues. We have found Kathryn to be very professional, and she always provides fast and reliable answers to our questions. She has updated our employee handbook and staff contracts so they are an accurate reflection of our working practices and expectations. We highly recommend her.

Recruitment

Finding the right people and supporting employers through the recruitment process.

Ralph Walker, MD, The Journey Centre

We had reached a point in our well-established but small business, which to date was only operating with the founding two partners, that to grow it further and take advantage of the many opportunities we were regularly having to put aside, we needed to recruit someone to assist us.

The person we were looking for needed to have a variety of experience and an ability to switch between the many roles that a small business such as ours often demands. The main skill we required, however, was the capability to move our IT and web involvement forward, as this area was very weak, as both partners had only self-taught experience.

From the initial discussions with Kathryn outlining our thoughts just prior to Christmas 2015, we now, in early February 2016, have that person working with us who has already started to develop the weak areas of our business. The person Kathryn has found from the many applicants we had for the job appears to have all the right credentials and also comes with experience in our industry, which was a huge bonus, as it means he has ‘hit the ground running’ without the need for extensive initial training.

Well done Kathryn…., we never thought it could all have happened so quickly, which is really good as it gives us all the necessary time to get things in place before we reach our peak season. Thanks also for guiding us through the complications of employing someone and the contract you produced.

Toolkit Resource Centre

Catherine Potter, Director, Potters of Barnsley, Barnsley

I have subscribed to Kathryn’s Online HR Department for a few years now and have always found the website clear and easy to navigate and the supporting documents are simple and straightforward to download and implement. When I have contacted Kathryn to ask about certain documents or situations that are happening in my business I have always received a quick turn-around time on my emails or phone calls. I have recommended this service to my network of contacts that run small to medium size companies.

John Sherburn, Operations Manager, Dearne Valley Leisure Trust, Mexborough

The HR Toolkit provides an excellent reference point with practical guidance on all aspects of employment practice in an easily accessible format and the support materials have been easy to adapt to suit our own needs.

Debra and Denise, Directors, Leslie Frances Hair Design, Barnsley

We find the KEA online HR Toolkit excellent for instant access to template documents for recruitment, maternity and disciplinary procedures. The newsletters keep us at the forefront of any changes to current legislation and Kathryn’s prompt response to e-mail enquiries is great when we need a quick solution to a situation.

Lynn Martin, Director, Lynnies Lunch Stop

I have been using the Online HR Department for a few years and have been very pleased with the results! The information and content are always relevant and up to date, and Kathryn is very proactive in developing new documents that align with the ever-changing employment legislation. Additionally, Kathryn responds quickly to my queries and always provides sound and reliable advice. I would highly recommend the service.

Richard Redfearn, Director, Autoways (1931) Limited, Sheffield

Kathryn’s Online HR Department is a great service. I receive regular updates on pending legislative changes which assist me with keeping up to date, and the well-written documents ensure we are prepared before new legislation is implemented. The documents are easy to complete and modify to allow for our own branding and some personalisation. I would recommend the service to any owner of a small business.

Dane Briddock, MD, Stuart’s Fruit & Veg

We have been using the HR Support Centre for a few years now and have found the content very helpful and it has saved us a huge amount of time. If we cannot find what we are looking for on the website, we simply contact Kathryn and she sends us an email containing whatever we need. We have also compared the cost of this service with other providers and find it is very reasonable.

Wendy Collins, Accountant, Leap Design

As a small business, we did not have the time, experience or resources to allocate to employing a human resource professional but were occasionally faced with issues that, if left unchecked, could have had serious repercussions on the future performance of our business. We became members of the Kea HR Support Centre in 2013, and the resource materials have helped us focus on our key operational areas and core business by removing the problems associated with human resources legislation compliance. Our employees are also happy in the knowledge that these areas are dealt with professionally and with a certain level of integrity. I have no reservations in recommending Kea HR as a professional and reliable company for human resource services.

Jan Frith, Practice Manager, Pearce Buckle (Design Engineers) Limited,

As the wearer of the Human Resources hat in a small business, I find the Online HR Department is the best “HR Tool” I have used. If I’m unfamiliar with a piece of legislation, need to update a policy or write to an employee – it’s all there at my fingertips. And Kathryn is always just a phone call or an email away. The service certainly makes my job easier!

Occupational Health

Complex HR Cases

Support through disciplinary, grievance, TUPE, redundancy and other sensitive employment matters.

Allan Milburn, Managing Director, IT Network Solutions, Sheffield

We recently went through a TUPE situation on a BT contract and found Kathryn a great help in something that was very new to us. Kathryn also provides ongoing support to our HR Manager, and I would recommend any company to use her.

Reg Dhirman, Managing Director, Ashtec Consulting, Oadby, Leicestershire

Kathryn has been excellent, her support to deal with a recent disciplinary matter has been detailed and purely brilliant. I will definitely be using her services again.

Sarah Hazeldine, HR Manager, Barnsley Hospice, Barnsley

We are tied in to an employment protection insurance policy but in one particularly complex case we did not feel we were receiving the answers we wanted to hear so we asked Kathryn for a second opinion. She met with us and reviewed the case, the next day she provided a report which explained the financial risks to the business if we went ahead without the backing of the insurance company. This enabled us to make a fully informed decision that was right for our business.

Richard Graham, Director, Sebbin, Amersham, Buckinghamshire

Kathryn recently supported me through a complicated disciplinary matter that resulted in the dismissal of an employee. She provided a great service and was very supportive throughout. I thoroughly recommend her.

Andrew Niker, Operations Manager, Nupark

I worked with Kathryn when she was providing consultancy support to one of my clients. During this time we were both working on a complex project which required someone with a good knowledge of HR practice and employment/TUPE expertise in particular. Kathryn soon became the focal point for all HR related activity on the project and her knowledge and hard work allowed issues to be resolved in a timely fashion. Kathryn’s tremendous organizational skills along with the ability to prioritise issues ensured that the project was completed on time and within budget.

Pepe Tozzo, Director, Capex Health, Barnsley

Kathryn provided me with HR consultancy during a particularly difficult time. We were hiring and firing at an intense rate so our HR policy had to be solid, defensible and swift to operate. Without Kathryn we would have come unstuck on many occasions and I was very impressed with the swiftness with which we received responses and dependable advice.

Working with Kathryn

Mark Ferguson. Secretary, Brinsworth Social Club

Kathryn is always professional and has proven her competence time and time again. We had been using a provider who included tribunal insurance in their package and I was hesitant about moving to an independent provider, but Kathryn was local and very friendly. I have been working with her for around a year now and she has exceeded my expectations. She is thorough, well researched and well connected giving us peace of mind that we have been provided with accurate guidance to allow us to make decisions or take actions confidently. No matter how many times I contact Kathryn for guidance she goes out of their way to provide a clear and concise answer to me quickly, so I’m never sitting around for days waiting for a response. I am happy to recommend Kathryn to any small business who needs HR support.

Irene Moran, Company Secretary, Towing Centres (UK), Rotherham

We began working with Kathryn in 2011 on a pay-as-you-go basis. At that point we wanted a second opinion on our contract of employment and weren’t really sure, with 20 staff, that we needed a HR Manager. Since then her knowledge and speedy response to situations has proved invaluable and we now have an annual agreement with her. That means for an agreed monthly fee she takes control of everything HR related for us from ensuring our contracts and HR policies protect our business and remain legally compliant and supporting us with recruiting new members of staff to providing expert professional legal advice with disciplinary matters, absence management and much more. Our staff describe Kathryn as friendly, efficient and fair. Kathryn makes herself available when we need her and doesn’t let us sit on information that needs a decision from us.

The service offers good value for money, is high quality and is proving effective at addressing and resolving HR issues and improving routine processes. We would be pleased to recommend Kathryn to other employers.

Carrie Goodwin, Group Communications Manager, CPS

Kathryn is everything you need in a HR adviser. She is approachable, accessible, incredibly knowledgeable, and when things get tough, she is indestructible. Definitely the woman to have on hand to provide proactive HR direction and reactive HR guidance.

Annabel Stonehouse-Davis, Senior Recruitment Consultant, A for Appointments

I feel fortunate enough to have known Kathryn for many years (10 years + ?!), and within that time I have witnessed her career change and develop into who she is now, a successful self-employed businesswoman. Yet Kathryn always remains a kind, approachable and warm person. She is incredibly knowledgeable and an expert in the field of HR, a role which she delivers with the utmost professionalism. I would recommend her services to anyone who seeks a friendly, high-calibre individual in whom they can put 100% trust. I hope to continue to work with Kathryn well into the next 10 years!

Mel Broadhurst, Director, Boutique Spa, Doncaster

Running a small business is challenging but Kathryn’s no jargon explanations and practical advice means that I always understand the the answers to my questions fully, efficiently and clearly. I fully trust her expertise.

Ready to Discuss Your HR Requirements?

These testimonials represent only a small selection of the businesses Kea HR has supported over the years.

Whether you need practical HR advice, updated employment documentation, recruitment support or assistance with a complex employee issue, Kea HR provides straightforward, commercially focused support tailored to your business.

If you’d like to discuss how we can help, we’d be pleased to arrange a free, no-obligation initial consultation. Speak directly with our CIPD-qualified HR expert with 30+ years’ experience.

Book Your Free Intro Call