Who are you?
I have worked in HR all of my career bar a short stint working as a receptionist in a solicitors and a chartered surveyors for a couple of years. That’s 21 years HR experience (gulp!). I am CIPD qualified with a masters top up in Employment Law, and whilst I understand the necessity of qualifications in HR, you can’t beat hands on experience.
My experience has been in a number of industries; construction, hospitality, insurance, engineering and even though I think I have seen and heard it all in HR, sometimes a situation will arise and I will think WOW before putting on my HR hat and working through the solution.
I have lots of hands on HR experience at all levels and have worked my way up to board level, therefore able to provide a commercially focused HR support to my clients.
How did the business come about?
After 11 years in HR and having reached HR Director level, I wanted a challenge. I had personally seen the challenges presented to new start ups and SME’s without dedicated HR support and wanted to be in a position to help.
How long has your business been in existence?
I set up Spire HR in August 2010 – where have the last 10 years gone!
How many people do you employ?
4 of us in total.
Why Warrington?
I have lived in the Warrington area since 2005 and worked in Warrington for 14 years now and I could see that the SME market was the perfect clientele to provide outsourced HR to.
What job or achievement makes you most proud?
Sounds a cliché but everyday is an achievement. No two days are ever the same working with a multitude of clients in various industries. Receiving positive feedback and feeling like you are really serving a purpose and helping someone is the greatest motivation to keep doing what I am doing.
Tell us one interesting thing about you that people might not know?
From a professional point of view, I completed my masters, had a baby and set up Spire HR all within 18 months. 2010/11 was a crazy, challenging year! Personally, I can tongue roll. Not the greatest talent but a party trick to pull out of the bag none the less.
Who are the people most important in life to you?
Absolutely my family! I have been with my husband for 23 years and we have two girls aged 10 and 8 with another baby due in June 2020 – as if things weren’t busy enough.
What is your ‘get through lockdown tip’?
Take each day at a time and each day that passes, we are one step closer to getting through the madness.
Like a 1:1 with Ellen?
Email: ellen.parkin@spirehr.co.uk
