Paragon People
Our vision is to provide exceptional people and HR solutions that help you to attract, retain and develop the brightest and best talent.
We believe that every organisation deserves access to expert advice, and we are committed to providing you with practical support to build strong and thriving teams.
We understand that your organisation will face unique challenges when it comes to managing your team members, whether that’s developing a diverse and inclusive culture, building accountability for performance, or complying with employment laws, we’re here to help.
At Paragon People we try to redefine excellence through every project we complete. We believe that excellence is a journey of continuous improvement and we are fuelled by a passion for learning and growth that we use to deliver outstanding results for our clients.
Get in touch today to find out how we can develop excellent people solutions for your organisation.
Who We Are
Our name is important to us. It represents our commitment to delivering excellent HR and people management support of the highest quality.
We believe in the power of collaboration and partnership and we strive to build strong, long-lasting relationships with our clients based on trust and integrity. This approach underlines our values, which characterise the way we will work with you to drive innovation and excellence in your organisation.
Our values:
Excellence
We are committed to continuous learning and improvement so we can deliver the highest quality services.
Integrity
We are committed to honesty, transparency and the highest standards of ethical and inclusive practice.
Empathy
We strive to understand the unique challenges and opportunities faced by our clients.
Collaboration
We believe in the power of teamwork and will work closely with our clients to meet their specific needs and goals.
Innovation
We constantly seek new and better ways to deliver value to our clients and encourage creative-thinking and problem-solving in all of our work.
Vicky Hossack
Vicky has over 20 years’ experience in the Education and Voluntary Sector, holding several Senior Leadership and HR positions. She was the CEO of the University of Derby Students’ Union, a position she held for 7 years, and is an experienced HR Consultant, having worked with clients from across the charity sector. Vicky is passionate about social justice and has held several non-executive roles that support these aims, acting as a trustee for many charitable organisations and as an Academy Councillor for a Multi-Academy Trust.
Vicky holds an MBA from De Montfort University and has completed her Level 7 CIPD qualification in HR Management. She is a member of the CIPD and is also a Mental Health First Aider.
Nicola Walton
Nicola is a highly experienced Head of People and Culture and HR leader, having held senior business partnering roles for the NHS and in Further Education. She was the Head of HR for Wiltshire College and University Centre before becoming a Consultant in 2022. Nicola has continued to work within the education and charity sector since becoming a consultant, specialising in employee relations, policy development and organisational design.
Nicola holds an MA in Personnel and Development and is a chartered member of CIPD.
Jamie Stratton
Jamie has over fifteen years experience within Students’ Unions in the UK. Jamie has held several senior leadership positions across four different organisations. Jamie has been Chief Executive Officer at Union of Kingston Students and University for the Creative Arts Students’ Union for seven years. Jamie is now working as a consultant in Students’ Unions for the past three years and works to provide regular support and guidance to student leaders across the UK. His interests include pay and reward, learning and development and change management. Jamie also works as a visiting lecturer at the Cyprus Institute of Marketing, teaching across multiple modules within the BA Business Studies course accredited by University of West London.
Jamie holds a Level 7 CIPD qualification in Human Resource Management from Kingston University and has worked as an associate tutor for ICS Learn, providing support and guidance on teaching and assessment across CIPD courses.
Jane Gilchrist
Jane has over 20 years' experience of working in HR generalist roles in education, public sector and not for profit organisations. Jane is qualified with a PG Diploma in Human Resources Management (CIPD Level 7) and dedicated to continuing professional development, completing a range of qualifications and training in areas related to HR. Jane’s main areas of interest are HR strategy development, HR policy development, employee engagement, management development, performance management, LEDI and employee wellbeing. Jane also comes with significant experience of complex employee relations issues and organisational change projects.
Jane is an experienced coach and is currently studying for her Level 5 ILM Coaching and Mentoring Certificate.
Our Services
At Paragon People we take a tailored approach to each organisation we work with, taking time to understand your specific needs and goals before developing bespoke solutions. We bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to the table and we’re committed to delivering high-quality, cost effective solutions that help to unlock the potential of your people.
Conflict Resolution
Whether you are dealing with a dispute between colleagues, a conflict between teams or a complex organisational issue, we can help. We use a collaborative and inclusive approach to resolving conflict, empowering all parties to have a voice in the process and to work towards a solution that is acceptable to everyone involved. We can help you to:
- Improve communication and understanding between parties
- Resolve conflicts in a timely and cost-effective manner
- Reduce the negative impact of conflicts on morale and productivity
- Build a positive, harmonious workplace culture based on trust and respect
- Prevent conflicts from escalating into formal grievances or legal disputes.
Strategic HR Planning
We have a great understanding of HR best practice, current industry trends and legal requirements which we can use to carry out a diagnostic assessment of your HR function. Working with you to evaluate your employee journey, we will consult with key stakeholders to design a new People and Culture strategy that aligns to your future goals. We can also take a more detailed look at a particular area of people management practice to provide solutions and tools that can shape an inclusive approach to:
- Organisational Design
- Performance Management
- Values and Behaviours
- Employee Engagement
Employee Relations
We understand that having confidence in your contracts of employment is important so we can provide a contract check and refresh to ensure they are up-to-date and legally compliant. We can also support a wider review of your staff policies to identify any areas of risk or improvement and provide recommendations to ensure your policies and procedures are effective, robust and reflect your values.
Larger projects including TUPE processes and organisational restructures can also be facilitated. We specialise in providing practical support with investigations and casework. We know that employee relations issues can be complex and challenging and we are here to help you navigate issues that include:
- Disciplinary and grievance investigations
- Harassment or discrimination allegations
- Customer complaints
- Performance management concerns
- Sickness absence management
- Redundancy and redeployment
Learning and Development
We offer a range of training programs to help you to develop the skills and knowledge of your managers and employees to unlock their potential. We can work with you to design, deliver and evaluate training programmes that include:
- Leadership and management development
- Coaching and mentoring skills
- Team building and communication
- Performance management and feedback techniques
Retained Services
We understand that small and developing organisations need access to trusted HR support and advice too, but that it can sometimes be difficult to know when to invest in internal HR capacity. We have created two retained services for small businesses that will equip you with the confidence and practical tools to support your employees. All services are delivered by our team of CIPD qualified, experienced HR Consultants who will work with you to understand your requirements and provide practical support when you need it.
All of our HR Essential and HR Enhanced clients receive a 20% discount on our standard day rate for any additional services required.
If you have more than 30 employees we can tailor a regular monthly package to suit your needs. Please get in touch for more details on how we can help.
HR Essentials
Ideal for up to 15 employees
- Casework advice and support (up to 4 hours per month)
- Full access to HR Policy templates, letters and forms
- Updates to contracts of employment.
- Advice on family leave and holiday entitlements
- Employment law quarterly news bulletin
- Phone / Email support when you need it
£250
per month
+VAT
HR Enhanced
Ideal for up to 30 employees
All HR Essential services PLUS
- Bespoke HR policies and Employee Handbook
- HR health check (covering GDPR, compliance, EDI, Recruitment & more)
- Annual appraisal documents and implementation support
- Annual employee engagement survey with action plan
- Line Manager guidance and resources on HR processes
£500
per month
+VAT
Contact Us
If there is any aspect of HR or people management you need support with, please get in touch.