July member spotlight goes to Theresa Cooper from CooperativeHR. Theresa loves a challenge and making a difference in the lives of business owners.

Theresa likes to work with ambitious business owners with dreams. To relight the fire and passion they once had for the business they started and free up their time to realise their dreams.

 

About Theresa

Theresa joined HRi in November 2020 and has been a member since. Not only because of the support she receives from HRi.  But also, to demonstrate her commitment to maintaining the highest standards of up-to-date knowledge and expertise.

 

How long have you been a member of HRi?
Since November 2020.

 

Why did you join HRi?
Because I felt I needed more support. I value the CIPD but I don’t believe they have the same focus for independents as I now receive from HRi. I also wanted to show, via the accreditation system that I have professional credibility and recognition and I maintain the highest standards of up-to-date HR knowledge and expertise which will always benefit my clients.

 

What’s your favourite part of being a member of HRi?
I love the fact that the Senior Management Team always remember you and recognises you – showing the commitment they have to us all. I love the community on Facebook and the help from other professionals that everyone is always willing to share.

 

What is your specialism?
I’m a generalist HR Professional. I have been in HR for over 21 years and working in and running consultancies for nearly 10 years. There isn’t a lot I haven’t come across so am well versed to support clients with many issues. With the support of the network I surround myself with if I need further in-depth support or guidance (or my clients do,) I have a pool of amazing people to call upon.

 

What do you love most about HR? and being independent?
The variety of work and the ability to make a difference to Business Owners lives. The flexibility I have to get the right work/life balance whilst still achieving a lot in my working life.

 

How do you define success?

For me my success is based on making that difference to the business owners – and actually the employees I work with. Business Owners see the light and make changes that benefit them and their businesses. Employees see that they are treated fairly in the business they work with.

I suppose ultimately making good, positive changes in businesses (even if sometimes they are hard decisions) makes me feel successful and I am achieving what we should be achieving in partnership.

 

 

 

What is your most memorable win, achievement or celebration?

One of the clients I’m most proud of was a Managing Director who was drowning in work that he shouldn’t have been doing.

He was doing everything from making tea to sorting out the strategy and finances. He didn’t have a structure or plan in place and was struggling to even think about the future and how to evolve.

Working together we put plans, processes and structures in place. Over time this led to him feeling confident leaning on others in the business, wasn’t as stressed and gave him more renewed direction.

After a couple of weeks, he said to his finance manager ‘right can you sort this and this and I’m going to finish this project tomorrow so that I can start my new job on Monday’.

You can imagine my shock! The finance manager and I looked at each other and wondered what on earth he was talking about. So we asked. And his response made me soooooo happy: ‘Well, now this is all sorted, on Monday I am going to be a proper MD’!!

He’d felt such support, relief and progress, he knew what he could focus on…who wouldn’t love the ability to make this difference?

 

Fun Facts

What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?
I have spent the night at The Tower of London….
You’ll have to arrange a one-to-one to find out why!!

 

Are you currently binge-watching any shows?

I don’t actually watch TV. I have started series before, but I get bored/distracted easily so I tend to read or watch the odd A Place in the Sun or Homes Under the Hammer if I need an escape!!

 

If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Steak and a freshly prepared, mixed salad!

 

What’s one item you can’t live without?
It is very sad to say but I’d probably have to say my mobile phone! It has many ways to communicate, my work emails, my social networks and of course many, many photos of great memories.

 

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