Leading HR specialist Lisa Ironside expands the reach of her Aberdeenshire consultancy to meet the growing demand for HR and employment support in the region.
Building on over 24 years of experience in HR, Lisa Ironside launched The HR Dept Aberdeenshire in May last year and has since seen her client list steadily expand as businesses in the region find themselves increasingly in need of expert guidance.
The expansion that took place on 1st Feb 2025 enables Lisa’s consultancy to reach more businesses in Aberdeenshire, including those in the centre of Aberdeen City who can benefit from the comprehensive and bespoke range of services that the consultancy offers. As an Aberdeenshire local, Lisa has an intimate understanding of the market and this, combined with a deep passion for giving back to the community in which she lives, has led many to seek out her support.
Lisa said: “Small businesses in the region are extremely resilient – many have worked hard to make it through the pandemic and are determined to retain their hardworking staff. However, external pressures such as upcoming employer National Insurance (NI) contribution changes, are making it a challenging environment for businesses of all sizes to operate in. Having a trusted partner who can provide guidance, and reassurance during this time can be a real lifeline to employers.”
The HR Dept Aberdeenshire supports businesses with a broad range of functions, from employment contracts and handbooks, through to employee benefit schemes, and even dismissals and tribunals. As a small business owner herself, Lisa understands the juggling act that employers are often forced to maintain, and the pressures that they face, and is therefore eager to ensure that compassion and empathy is the focus in all HR support she provides.
Lisa reports that many are already struggling with rising operational costs and this, combined with upcoming employer NI contribution hikes, is causing businesses to be concerned about the potential for redundancies this year. As such, they’re particularly eager to find alternative ways to reduce costs, as well as attract and retain top quality talent.
She says: “Redundancies are a last resort for businesses – no employer wants to be losing valuable members of the workforce. Fortunately, there are other options to exhaust before getting to this point, so I will be helping businesses to make decisions that will cause minimal disruption to their daily operations.
“Small businesses are also facing a looming war for talent against larger firms, so it’s more important than ever to work on fostering strong company culture and encouraging employee engagement. Those able to protect jobs and support their employees during this testing time will find themselves in a stronger position to take advantage of trading conditions when they improve.”
Some of Lisa’s clients do not have an in-house HR function and those who do may already be at capacity and would benefit from an additional resource from time to time. Lisa says: “Being able to access flexible support from someone that has a comprehensive understanding of the local market, and at an affordable rate, is critical. Particularly for those unable to have this function in house.
“The support I provide is tailored to each businesses’ individual needs. For some, this may mean help with a particular project, for others I simply act as an extension of their team when resources are stretched.
“This can be particularly invaluable when managing difficult scenarios such as dismissals, redundancies or employee grievances. It can be a lot for HR teams to handle on an emotional level as well as logistically. After all, many of these workforces are close-knit. By acting as an independent impartial entity, I am able to shoulder some of the load, uphold fairness and add weight and transparency to the process. This can benefit employees too, as they may feel more comfortable raising issues to someone sitting outside of the organisation.
“Ultimately, my aim to is to provide employers peace of mind, so that they can focus on the important part: running their business.”
The HR Dept Ltd is the UK’s largest network of HR professionals providing outsourced HR support, with a network of franchises across 120 locations in the UK, Ireland and Australia.