You’ve got a gap in the HR Director role, or you need some senior HR capability. History says you need an interim. We believe there is a better way to outsource your HR services. We believe there is a better way to outsource your HR Services At People Puzzles we provide part-time, strategic, short and long-term People Directors who are hand-picked to hit the ground running. You may also have heard them referred to as fractional HR Directors. Chosen for their commercial acumen, people expertise and business focus, they take the time to understand the big picture, then quickly get started on solving problems and moving your organisation forward. The beauty of People Puzzles is that you aren’t just getting a lone practitioner. You’re getting one expert, chosen for background, fit, skills, and personality, reinforced by our wider team resource and the collective experience of our extensive network of People experts. Before you write this off as simply marketing noise, consider: Is a career interim HR Director REALLY best for your business? Career interims specialise in moving around from one project to the next. On some occasions they are involved in a whole project, end to end. In other cases, they just do a slice of the work, but are often not there long enough to measure, or oversee – the long-term impact of their work. They are not really incentivised to deliver your long-term growth, profit, or cost savings. They typically earn a day rate for a project, regardless of the success or failure of that project. Additionally, you are reliant on a single person, rather than having a more comprehensive framework and proven methodology to help your businesses succeed. How does a strategic HR Consultancy work? Our People Directors are selected from the top 1% of senior HR experts across the UK, and all have elected to work with a portfolio of clients, rather than full time with one employer, to most effectively share their considerable experience. Working anything from a couple of days per month, up to three or four days per week with our clients. Each client gets exactly what they need, without paying for time they don’t want, or can’t afford. We love getting stuck in with the leadership team to help develop the future plan and then build an aligned People Strategy. Equally, we love getting our sleeves rolled up to deliver a change programme to get you through a business challenge. Adrian Bates joined People Puzzles in 2022 after several years as an interim HR Director. One of the key differences from being an interim is working on more than just the short term. Adrian says, “I am passionate about helping companies scale, in the medium to long term, not just the short term, as is often the case on an interim assignment. I want to go on the journey with the client.” The People Puzzles Model The People Puzzles model enables Adrian to use his strategic planning skills and experience, which are not often required on an interim people assignment. Adrian adds, “I joined People Puzzles because I want to work with businesses, as an integral member of the leadership team, helping the business achieve its long-term strategic objectives. I want to be part of the success and feel I have made a real impact to that business. When I first engage with a client, I know I can hit the ground running and make an immediate difference, quickly assessing a company’s problems and issues and putting into place immediate solutions that have an impact.” One of the other differences that Adrian highlights on an interim capacity is the complexity of organisational politics. “I prefer to keep things simple,” he says, “I just want to design and implement solutions to organisational and people issues. That gives me a real buzz.” The People Puzzles model also enables our part-time HR Directors to utilise their best-in-class business and people experience, supplemented by our team of over 85 People Directors. As Adrian says, “What I don’t know, I can call upon the help and advice from my colleagues because collectively we have more than likely faced every conceivable business and people challenge.” It’s that powerful collective of experience and resource that sits behind every individual People Director, giving your business a huge competitive advantage. Find out how we can help If you have been considering an interim HR Director, it’s worth setting up a no-pressure, exploratory conversation with your local Regional Director to see whether a part-time or fractional HR Director could be a better option for your business. You can also check out the team bios here. With people pressures at the root of many organisational challenges in today’s business world, you need to be confident you have the best possible toolkit at your disposal. Why not take 5 minutes to complete our free HR Healthcheck? In return, we’ll send you a detailed report which helps you to gauge your current people strategy and identify where you might benefit from some expert support. Or call 020 3633 6830 or email [email protected] for a chat. Image provided by People Puzzles
