Who we are

Albert Keeshan, Nicole Fox, Alison Tinsley, Melinda Nyics, Marisa Sciannaca, Sean Bright, Helen Carne and Lucy Neal provide comprehensive HR services in The East Chilterns, at a fraction of the cost of an in-house HR professional that the larger corporate enjoys.

With over 20 years HR experience in a range of business sectors from small to medium sized companies through to the NHS, Albert (Director) has worked at a senior level gaining a wealth of knowledge and experience in recruitment, employee relations, change management, acquisitions and mergers (including TUPE) and HR policy. Albert also has experience of international HR including the USA.

Albert and the team are passionate about assisting SME’s to navigate through the welter of employment legislation, rules and regulations and finding solutions to enable them to achieve their business goals whilst also enabling their staff to be happier and better motivated. They believe that by providing employers with support, information and guidance on people issues they can contribute to a company’s continued success and prevent time and resources being wasted wrestling with complex employment issues.

What The HR Dept does is offer a very personalised service, so you feel as though you are contacting “your own” HR department whenever you have an issue you are not sure how to deal with.

“Many owners of small businesses tell me that they are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with employment legislation and are spending more of their valuable time on HR issues” says Albert.

“By working closely with you, we develop an understanding of your business and can support you by offering a personal, flexible and cost effective service that meets your needs.

Your advice and support is provided locally so you are not talking to a stranger in a call centre. Provided you follow our advice from the onset of any issue, our telephone advice service is backed by tribunal indemnity insurance which saves you money on expensive legal advice.

Our national network of HR professionals widens our pool of expertise and ensures that we can support you on longer-term strategic projects as required.

Our aim is to free you from the worry of legal compliance, help you to get the most from your staff and leave you with more time to focus on your core business.”

So whether you require:

a review of your contracts of employment and handbook
a telephone advice service (8.30 am to 6.00 pm) Monday to Friday, to deal with HR issues as they arise
or a one-off project such as recruitment, disciplinary and grievance, absence management, or training and development

Contact Albert Keeshan to arrange a free consultation on the support that The HR Dept can offer your business.

Press Releases

With up to 150,000 new ACAS applications expected in the coming year, meet the local HR experts helping businesses across East Chilterns during lockdown and beyond.

In the current landscape of lockdowns, furlough schemes, mass redundancies and businesses closing their doors, it has never been more important for employers and employees to have processes in place, open communication and be informed. Peter McDonald and Albert Keeshan are two local HR experts who have teamed up to help businesses in the East Chilterns area to deliver cost-effective employment law advice and HR solutions that leave you free to concentrate on growing your business in a tough economic climate.

Peter McDonald says “Over the last few months we have noticed a definite shift in the HR advice we are providing and now 60-70% of the work we deal with currently is grievances and complaints. With the average employment tribunal costing an employer 7-8K in legal fees alone, we are trying to help as many businesses as possible ensure they have the correct processes and procedures in place to avoid it ever getting to that point. In the coming year we still expect to see at least 150,000 new ACAS applications, which is an average of 650 every working day therefore the earlier we begin to work with businesses, the more problems we can help them avoid”

Our advice to employers is that the only way to keep the cost of tribunal disputes from hitting their balance sheet is with effective advice and employment protection insurance – aka Advice Line!”

Albert Keeshan added “Between March, when lockdown one began, and August, the number of people claiming unemployment benefits rose 120% to 2.7 million. Even with the furlough scheme being extended until March 2021, employers and employees face a minefield of conflicting information, trying to get their heads around all the changes and what they can and
can’t apply for under the government schemes.”

He continued “ Employers are having to make tough decisions, release staff and or close down
whole operations/businesses. They need to know who they can turn to and what are the right steps in these difficult situations. From an employee standpoint many feel employers are
seemingly unable to support them in this process and they feel very much in limbo which has effects on their family and mental well being.”

Peter said “Almost a million fewer people are employed than in Feb 2020 according to official data. The unemployment claimant count has jumped by 1.5 million to 2.7 million (unemployed and on benefits). This next round of redundancies will hit the older and middle-class employees the most .Its viewed that the recovery will be tech savvy intensive so it’s this group of employees that are not Tech savvy that could face redundancies and therefore need to be as informed as possible now, working with their employers to understand their options”

Albert and Peter of The HR Department are passionate about assisting SME’s to navigate through the welter of employment legislation, rules and regulations and find solutions to enable them to achieve their business goals whilst also enabling their staff to be happier and better motivated. They believe that by providing employers with support, information and guidance on people issues they can contribute to a company’s continued success and prevent time and resources being wasted wrestling with complex employment issues. Their services cover everything to do with employing people and will help you prevent people problems or resolve problems when they do occur. Advice and support is provided locally so you are not talking to a stranger in a call centre. Albert and Peter are two local experts helping businesses across Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Beaconsfield, Gerrard’s Cross, Hazelmere, Loudwater, Amersham and Chesham

If you are a small or medium sized business or perhaps you are employed by one that is struggling right now then please contact Albert and Peter who will be on hand to help you with friendly local professional HR advice.

Meet the team

Albert Keeshan

Director

A “hands on” Senior Human Resources Practitioner/Consultant with expertise in a wide variety of business sectors including the public sector, industrial services, financial services, IT and latterly running an outsourced HR/HR consultancy business providing support to SME’s.

Specialties: Key skills are in employee relations, handling complex disciplinary and grievance investigations, handling redundancies, change management and TUPE transfers/acquisitions.

Nicole Fox

Head of HR Consulting

Nicole is MCIPD qualified in Strategic Human Resource Management and has extensive HR and line management experience in a range of working environments including retail, manufacturing, professional association, charity, education, catering, entertainment, healthcare sectors within Trustee Boards and SME’s. Nicole has worked integrally within a senior management team, and was actively involved with developing business plans, reorganisations, performance management, employee benefits, payroll and pensions, developing company policies, staff training and development and high-volume recruitment. Nicole has a thorough understanding of the commercial and charitable working environments and is able to advise clients from an HR and business perspective.

Alison Tinsley

Senior HR Advisor

Alison (Senior HR Advisor ) is CIPD qualified and has 20 years’ generalist HR experience gained in a range of environments including an IT Consultancy and Software house, a recruitment agency, national retail chains as well as providing outsourced HR services to SME’s. Alison is familiar with the issues facing small businesses and has a good understanding of both the employment law framework and the commercial considerations facing organisations when providing advice.

Melinda Nyics

HR Advisor

Melinda is CIPD L5 qualified with over 5 years of experience in Human Resource Management after studying Economics and Business Management at university. She has gained experience in performance management, employee relations, training and development and recruitment from aviation and retail management sectors. Melinda is keen to provide insightful HR support and advice as an HR Advisor.

Marisa Sciannaca

HR Advisor

Marisa is CIPD qualified and has 20 years’ Recruitment and HR Generalist expertise, working for high profile organisations in the Charity, Media, Hospitality and Retail sectors. Marisa is highly skilled in Recruitment, Employee Relations and Training and has developed her skills working in stand-alone, in house and consultancy roles. Marisa spent 4 years in a stand-alone HR Manager role for a fast growing, multi-site SME and understands the key considerations of SME’s from an HR and business perspective to add value and insightful advice to clients.

Sean Bright

HR Advisor

Sean is a Graduate HR Advisor currently studying for CIPD 5 qualification after graduating in Business Management (BA) and Human Resource Management (MSc). He has experience in the reviewing of employee contracts, handbooks, drafting of HR policies and the role of notetaker at grievances and redundancies. Having previously worked as a Team Leader in the retail sector, this provided Sean with an insight in employee relations and line management whilst providing excellent customer service. Sean is keen to support our diverse range of clients whilst developing his HR skills within our experienced team.

Helen Carne

Business Manager

Helen strives to provide excellent customer service to our clients and suppliers, ensuring smooth running of the office, the business, and its systems. She manages an administration team offering a full range of HR administrative services including contract variations and annual salary reviews, offer letters, contracts and bespoke onboarding including references, Digital DBS and RTW checks. Highly proficient user of HRIS including My HR Toolkit and Breathe, maintaining the systems on behalf of our clients. She is also a processor of Belbin and SHL candidate testing.

A proven history of working in all areas of School Business Management including financial administration, human resources, health & safety, and property management. She also has 20 years customer service experience in the retail banking industry including roles as a Personal Banker, Mortgage Arranger, General Insurance provider and Customer Service Officer.

Lucy Neal

HR Administrator

Lucy is an enthusiastic and highly organised HR Administrator, currently working to obtain a CIPD Level 3 qualification. Aims to provide excellent customer service and bespoke HR administration support to our numerous SME clients and team of HR Advisors. A skilled user of HR Information Systems including My HR Toolkit and Breathe.

Looking for expert HR support?

We can help you focus on your business by taking care of all your human resources needs.

Let us know how we can help or ask about our free initial HR review.

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Office Address: High Wycombe Cressex Enterprise Centre, Cressex Business Park, Lincoln Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP12 3RL | VAT Number: 887155579 | Registration Number: 5792895