Goodwin HR

26/11/2025

Padel - teamwork, focus & rallies that feel like mini battles 🤣…..mixed doubles game anyone?

24/11/2025

Monday challenges. Returning home after a days work to find 4 new pets in the garden…….😬.

And thats the thing about HR, every time you think you’ve dealt with a scenario before, a new one comes along left field…..

Safely reunited with their owner but not before doing a great job of keeping the lawn short. 🐏

24/11/2025

Some employee cases this year have been really tricky and serious.

Education has continued throughout 2025 on how employers can support employees with addiction and mental health. Understanding where an employers duty of care should extend to has been an important part of the discussion.

Check out www.stellarmind.co.uk for Mental Health first aid training and more to follow on this shortly……

It was refreshing to see our local high school raising awareness on underage drinking and va**ng in the recent newsletter. One client has demonstrated tremendous care and generosity to support alcohol addiction. The stats between underage drinking and adult disorders are real.

https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice-and-support/underage-drinking/teenage-drinking/

Get the advice and information you need on teenage drinking and what to do if you are worried about underage drinking.

22/11/2025

Sublime happiness is a monstera albo! What a joyous thank you gift 😍. I’ve wanted this rare beauty for soooooooo long.

05/11/2025

🧨Remember, Remember the fifth of November, the gunpowder, treason & plot!

Challenging employee scenarios are certainly creating a noise for some Business Owners. September, October and November continue to be very HR heavy and reactive. Sparks have been flying and I’ve been leading, coaching & supporting Directors to put out fires 🔥…….

Businesses may need to plot, review people policies and resources to avoid spiralling.🔥

Please do call to arrange a HR review. A review enables you to understand if your policies and procedures are meeting standards or whether more action is required so that when people challenges occur you can manage robustly and extinguish !🧨

01562 885918

Claire.goodwin@goodwinhr.co.uk

01/11/2025

Half term was delightful but HR work continues to be frightful…….an extremely tough employee relations climate continues….November is critical for some to keep moving situations forward.

This week the boys enjoyed cinema, golf & treating. I found myself at WBA today- game & another pie.

Let’s get the focus back on HR and people management for the final few weeks of 2025.

Taking action this month to avoid carrying problems into 2026 is sensible.

01562 885918

Please do call or arrange an appointment

26/10/2025

Autumn vibes 🍁

22/10/2025

🎃TRICK OR TREAT?🎃

It certainly feels like there are more tricks than treats for the small employer trying to manage people in the current climate.

A theme of discontent ran throughout September and continues through October with disciplinaries, grievances, unrealistic expectations, and non conformity.

Business owners and Line Management must place a greater emphasis and focus on HR, policies and procedures, nip issues in the bud before they fester and eradicate unwanted behaviours and conduct quickly.

How?

🎃By being prepared to hold difficult conversations and tackle situations that are not sustainable.
🎃Saying NO to requests that legitimately are unworkable for a business.
🎃Reflect on the balance of power. Regain control. The tail should not be wagging the dog….

Common themes

🎃employees failing/ refusing to follow basic work instructions e.g filling in a timesheet, clocking in, phoning in person to report absences
🎃Unsatisfactory attendance
🎃Underperforming employees - missed deadlines/ targets /budgets
🎃Work patterns that no longer work for the business - businesses change and evolve and so do resource needs
🎃 Work from home days killing culture, teamwork and productivity
🎃Long term sick cases kicked into the long grass / no management
🎃Over promotion. Lack of first line supervisor skills at middle manager level
🎃managing probation periods robustly
🎃consistently inconsistent communication and performance management by leaders


If you have too much double double toil and trouble in your work place, let’s talk about HR fixes, solutions and expertise to restore the good.

I’ll travel to you for a HR consultation and discuss bespoke HR solutions for your business

01562 885918

Claire.goodwin@goodwinhr.co.uk

18/10/2025

Unbelievably busy week at work. Great to finish on a positive with a career coaching session for a year 10 superstar. 🚀⭐️

My boys have gone to Bayern 🇩🇪✈️ ⚽️so I’m on a solo trip to the Baggies. Driving to the ground is always full of anticipation and hope. The drive back …let’s see! ⚽️

⏳❤️

01/10/2025

September has certainly had a sting in its tail for many ….including myself with an allergic reaction to a wasp sting!🐝

On a serious note the feeling is heavy on the people management front. The volume of employee cases and scenarios amongst the SME is noticeable.

‼️No longer can the SME place HR as low priority.‼️

Having the basics in place is NOT enough. ACTION, training and regular management is the only way forward.

Common pitfalls:
- a lack of desire to manage unsatisfactory performers in a consistent, regular and robust way - no one is going to do it for you……
- over promoting good workers to Manager level
- out dated policies and procedures….all Business Owners should review contracts and handbooks in light of the incoming changes to employment
- kicking long term absence into the long grass rather than moving situations forward more effectively
- Business Owners struggling to educate themselves on statutory requirements and national standards for employing. Ask me 👋

I’m here, providing advice and ACTION on all aspects of HR. Book a visit for a review of HR in your business to see if you are meeting required standards.

Email Claire.goodwin@goodwinhr.co.uk

www.goodwinhr.co.uk

19/09/2025

Another great cricket season closing in at Hagley Cricket Club.

It takes an army of volunteers to ensure all age groups have the best experience.

It was a pleasure for Goodwin HR to sponsor this season and the club move a step closer to their fundraising goals and targets 🙌💙🏏

Watch this space…giving serious consideration to joining Hagley Hurricanes women’s team. I think my beach practice and play is ready for next level 🤣.

18/09/2025

It was an informative morning at the Higgs LLP annual employment law seminar yesterday. I was super happy to see so many clients in attendance and what a delight it was to bump into a treasured colleague from my corporate days.

Topics on the agenda were neurodiversity in the workplace, the expected changes to the Employment Rights Bill and recent case law.

⚠️If you employee people, the changes are significant ⬇️

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implementing-the-employment-rights-bill