Wishing 2017 a fond farewell!

As 2017 draws to a close, it is natural to reflect on the year that has passed and what potentially 2018 holds in store. Having personally introduced a ‘stop, start, continue’ mantra to continue my own journey of self-development, it’s a great way to review the past year.

In the final HR blog of the year, we reflect on 2017.

Stop: The UK Government has reduced significantly its public sector spend; borrowing £3.1bn less than last year. Is this a result of improved efficiency drives or simply a harsh austerity policy?  Either way, the figure is now at its lowest for the past 10-years.

Start: Interest rates began to rise this year, following a long period of stagnation and investors showed their delight as the FTSE shifted slightly north. The announcement of a royal wedding, breaking tradition as it is to be held on a Saturday, also ignited a much-needed sense of joy across the UK.

Continue: The Brexit negotiations continue to dominate both UK politics and the UK economy. Uncertainty, particularly in the financial sector as to how the banks will operate in the UK in the following year continues to dominate many discussions.  Contingency plans are being made but until the EU and UK agree on the ‘divorce’, businesses seem very reluctant to implement significant policies.

Looking closer to home, HR Heads has experienced significant business success, formed relationships with some unique and brilliant new clients whilst continuing to work with customers that we have long established, collaborative partnerships with.  We have placed a record number of high calibre, talented HR professionals in their perfect roles across Hampshire and Dorset and continue to develop the HR Heads offering across Surrey and Berkshire.

 

The HR Heads Breakfast Forums of 2017

The HR Heads Breakfast Forums are one of our specialities and throughout 2017 we hosted six hugely successful events covering a multitude of interesting topics: Cracking the culture code, The Power of Authentic Leadership and Strengths Based Development to name but a few.  Bringing HR professionals together in a room to share with and learn from each other, never fails to bring a smile to my face and the feedback we receive is testament to their value-add proposition.

To read more about our Breakfast Forums, visit our HR blog section or click on any of the images below:

HR blog, Cracking the Culture Code. HR blog: The Power of Authentic Leadership  

 

2017 also saw the launch of our career profiling series, The Big Interview.

HR blog. The Big Interview series with HR influencers

Each month, we speak with a leading HR Professional – discussing everything from their proudest career moment, to the essential skills required for their role. Designed to inspire HR professionals who are still developing along their personal career paths, these interviews give a fresh insight into the lives of the most senior and influential HR professionals in our network.

To read any of our Big Interviews, click on any of the images below:

 

Our partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support continues to be central to our business and personal activities. We operate business services such as CV AID and the “Heads Up” scheme with all proceeds going to Macmillan as well as business focused events throughout the year such as the Hobbs Fashion Evening and the Macmillan Coffee Networking Morning.  Our sporting endeavours have included the Pedal, Paddle, Pace Triathlon (in which the team came 3rd) and team participation in Nelson’s Tour de Test Valley in which 10 ladies rode 50 miles across the Wiltshire countryside.

Our cumulative total raised for Macmillan now tops £13,000.  Thank you for the amazing support you have shown us throughout these activities; Macmillan continues to provide incredible services to help people living with cancer.

As we swap our recruitment tools for mince pies and mulled wine and take some time out with our families, we can look forward to what 2018 might bring.  Top of my wish-list are:

  • Continued partnerships with amazing HR teams and professionals,
  • To recruit new members to join the HR Heads team (let me know if you are interested!),
  • To continue loving what we do and exceeding your expectations along the way.

Let’s hope 2018 delivers all that we hope for.

In the meantime, we wish all of you the very happiest of Christmases and every success for the New Year!

 

A quick look back on some of our favourite moments of 2017…