The Personnel Awards 2024 judges recognised that Vero HR had fully demonstrated its value through impactful case studies and applauded the depth of Vero’s contributions, particularly in managing critical situations for clients. We look at their winning entry and those of our other highly regarded finalists.
WINNER
Vero HR
Founded in 2005 by Mike and Shirley Kealey, Vero HR was created to offer a personalised alternative to existing HR consultancy and outsourcing services. Vero HR provides a comprehensive range of HR services, including recruitment, payroll, technology, health and safety, and learning and development.
In November 2023, a UK-based manufacturer with more than 100 employees faced a difficult period after its head of HR unexpectedly left. Vero HR stepped in, supplying two HR professionals: one to manage day-to-day tasks and the other to handle more complex employee relations issues. This arrangement allowed the client to continue operations smoothly and led them to rethink their HR needs. Instead of hiring another senior HR professional, they opted for a part-time HR adviser, supported by Vero HR’s extensive resources. This change halved their HR costs, saving them over £30,000 annually.
In another case, Vero HR assisted a large UK manufacturer relocating its operations overseas, which required making 270 redundancies. Vero HR provided a team to manage the redundancies, ensuring compliance and offering emotional support to affected employees. The project was successful, with minimal disruption and reduced reputational risk. The client later engaged Vero HR for additional services, including payroll processing. Vero HR boasts a 96% client retention rate and high satisfaction levels, with all surveyed clients expressing satisfaction with their services.
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Eleve HR
Eleve HR, a small consultancy, was hired by Peterborough City Council in 2022 to develop a people strategy that supported the council’s new corporate direction, which aimed to transform the organisation after it went into special measures. Eleve HR worked closely with the council’s HR team, conducting diagnostic exercises on culture, recruitment, and career development to create a comprehensive two-year change programme. This programme was designed to align the workforce with the council’s purpose, ensuring that every aspect of people management was addressed.
Key to the programme’s success was engaging staff in defining shared values and linking their roles to the council’s broader mission. Eleve HR’s approach included developing a new employer value proposition, pay and benefits system, and career pathways. A workforce survey conducted in late 2023 confirmed the programme’s effectiveness, showing high levels of pride and alignment with the council’s values.
The programme significantly improved employee engagement, which reached the 82nd percentile, placing it among the best in local government. The Independent Improvement and Advisory Panel praised the programme as the best of its kind, recognising its role in enhancing the council’s effectiveness. Ultimately, the improvements enabled the council to provide better services to the public, demonstrating the success of Eleve HR’s collaborative and integrated approach to transformation.
Ena HR & Training
Ena HR and Training was founded by Kate Coulson in 2022 after over 20 years in corporate HR and management roles. The company offers leadership and management training, HR audits, and policy creation across various industries. Since its inception, Ena HR has grown steadily, increasing turnover, gaining 25 clients, and winning awards such as Best New Business at the 2023 Northamptonshire Business Awards. Kate recruited Caroline McDonald, an experienced HR professional, who has had a major influence on the business, particularly in recruitment and employee engagement.
With Thrive Occupational Therapy, Ena HR helped transition 10 associates to employees and introduced policies such as Enhanced Maternity Pay. This led to improved employee relations and teamwork, with a high percentage of staff reporting job satisfaction and mental health support. The company’s efforts contributed to Thrive OT winning awards for positive impact and enterprise. For Silverstone Composites, Ena HR implemented a time-tracking system that improved payroll accuracy and managed staff absence effectively. Leadership training also resulted in better performance management and employee development.
Finally, Ena HR introduced a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) for Telent, which streamlined HR processes and reduced query volumes by 50%. Kate’s expertise ensured successful project delivery and strong collaboration with senior stakeholders at Telent.
Innecto Reward Consulting
AQA, with its roots in the university sector, faced challenges in attracting and retaining talent due to outdated reward and recognition structures. The existing system lacked flexibility, had limited progression opportunities, and caused inconsistencies in pay decisions. To address this, AQA sought Innecto Reward Consulting’s help in 2015 to overhaul its approach to rewards.
Innecto conducted a thorough analysis of AQA’s current practices, engaging staff through interviews and workshops to ensure broad buy-in. Together, they created a three-year reward and recognition roadmap aligned with AQA’s vision and business strategy. A key aspect of the project was implementing Innecto’s job levelling framework, Evaluate, which provided clear distinctions between roles and aligned with market benchmarking.
The new pay framework was rigorously tested for fairness and equality, with staff focus groups involved in developing the pay policy. Despite delays due to changes in leadership, union negotiations, Covid-19, and other organisational shifts, the new structure was successfully implemented in April 2023. Throughout the project, Innecto continued to support AQA, providing coaching and access to pay insights tools.
The result was a more competitive, transparent and fair reward system that improved employee satisfaction and understanding of pay progression, enabling AQA to better compete for talent in a challenging market.
Let’s Talk Talent
The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult is an independent innovation organisation dedicated to advancing cell and gene therapies. With over 400 experts, it collaborates with academia, industry, and healthcare to develop new technology and innovations. In 2021, the organisation recognised the need for a structured talent development programme to remain relevant and support its stakeholders.
To address this, the organisation partnered with Let’s Talk Talent to create a competency and skills-building initiative. The project focused on developing a competency framework and career maps to ensure internal development and talent fluidity. Challenges included the varied roles within the organisation and the need to maintain momentum over several years.
A pilot programme was implemented, covering 20% of the organisation’s headcount. The project successfully launched a Playbook with a competency framework and career map, linking directly to talent management approaches. The initiative led to a significant reduction in attrition rates, improved career progression opportunities, and enhanced employee satisfaction.
Following the pilot’s success, the methodology was rolled out across all business units. The initiative is now embedded in the company’s cultural DNA, promoting diversity and inclusion, and ensuring a positive employee experience. Let’s Talk Talent worked closely with the team to create a programme that drives retention, growth, and transformational change for current and future employees.
The Affable Partnership
A UK-based company faced a critical situation involving potential redundancies due to a pay increase dispute. This threatened the company’s future and could have had nationwide implications. The Affable Partnership was approached to resolve the issue. By collaborating with management, meeting with the employee and trade union, and negotiating effectively, the issue was resolved, avoiding redundancies and closure. This success allowed the company to continue operating and positioned it for potential sale.
In another case, a client faced severe conflict between two senior managers, causing division and demotivation within the staff. Despite board-level interventions and involvement from ACAS, the conflict remained unresolved. Through neutral meetings and creating a safe environment, the root cause of the conflict was addressed, leading to a resolution that prevented dismissals and restored workplace harmony.
In a third situation, a large corporate entity was dealing with a toxic work environment and team segregation. New senior management worsened the situation, prompting the company’s chair to seek external help. After a thorough assessment, mediation sessions, and strategic discussions, the toxic environment was transformed into a cohesive workspace with improved morale. The intervention also reduced the risk of employment tribunal claims and strengthened the HR function, ensuring long-term stability and success for the company.
The TCM Group
The TCM Group has led in conflict resolution, culture change, and leadership development for more than 20 years. It collaborates with clients to create person-centred management practices and transformational workplace cultures. TCM works with FTSE100 and Fortune 500 companies, public bodies, and government departments. Led by CEO and chief consultant David Liddle, TCM addresses the evolving world of work, where traditional HR processes are increasingly seen as contributing to toxic cultures. Reports from bodies such as Acas and CIPD highlight issues such as bullying, harassment, and poor job satisfaction.
In response, TCM has developed tools such as the Resolution Framework, which blends procedural and restorative justice to resolve workplace conflicts. This framework, now available on an open-source basis, has been embraced by numerous organisations, including Bath University and retailer Next. These organisations have seen significant improvements in conflict resolution and workplace culture.
TCM has also launched the International People and Culture Week, attracting more than 3,000 participants, and the Culture Catalysts programme, which supports workplace cultural transformation. Other initiatives include the UK Resolution brand for SMEs and charities, and leadership development programmes for various high-profile clients. TCM continues to strengthen its own practices, achieving IIP Silver and enhancing employee wellbeing through training and wellbeing days.
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