“People are the most valuable asset any business has”
GFHR Consulting LTD is a successful HR business, founded by Gemma Farina over 15 years ago and based here in Tunbridge Wells. It is built on strong relationships, trust and integrity and offers flexible HR solutions for its many clients. Eileen Leahy talks to Gemma about what makes GFHR stand out in a crowded industry and why being proactive rather than reactive is so important to help grow a business and promote a positive workforce
Gemma Farina is on a mission to change people’s perception of Human Resources – or HR as it’s more commonly known. As we sit chatting in the stylish surroundings of Lonsdale Gate, the luxury serviced offices she and her associates often use for meetings, she tells me that she has always been determined to put the ‘human’ element into HR.
“So many people associate the profession with negative news and think of it as being faceless but at GFHR we couldn’t be more different. HR is about people – they are the most valuable asset your business has. We are all about the individual and ensuring that both the employer and the employee are getting the most out of their working relationship. When you choose to invest in your people you are showing you value them – and that’s when you’ll see the best results.”
Gemma’s approach is flexible which for lots of small businesses, who make up the majority of GFHR’s professional portfolio is very important.
“Every business is different so it makes sense that we adapt to the individual needs of each of our clients. There is no one size fits all with us; it’s about finding the balance between what’s right for your business and your employees.”
Gemma founded GFHR, which offers a full range of HR support services and bespoke packaged solutions, just over 15 years ago after leaving her salaried job in the capital.
“The company I was working for offered me voluntary redundancy. A friend said ‘Why don’t you set up on your own?’ And I thought, well I have no idea how to run a business but then I realised I had nothing to lose.”
Gemma underwent some business training, built a website and started networking.
“I was working around my young daughter’s nap times and eventually got my first client – so it kind of started from there. I then discovered I was pregnant with my second child so thought to myself well I’ll keep on going with this. My family and my business have always been aligned. That is very important to me.”
Gemma started out small but over the years has grown her team which now consists of two employees and five associates. The plan, she says, is to grow the team further but only when it feels right.
“From day one I have grown my business organically and slowly so I could also be present as a mother.”
This means that Gemma is acutely aware of the struggle so many have to balance the needs of work with home life – not just as parents but as employees given the seismic changes that have happened to the traditional 9-5 office culture due to the pandemic.
“At GFHR there is a real focus on promoting employee wellbeing, particularly since the rise of hybrid working due to Covid. This has resulted in extra pressure on employees as boundaries between work and home are blurred. Then add to that increasing financial pressures in the current economic climate; increasing understanding of neurological differences; menopause awareness, and that means there are a lot of elements for businesses to navigate when it comes to supporting their employees.”
Whilst the last 12 months have been busy with new branding, a revamped website, being awarded Tunbridge Wells Business Person of the Year and the launch of the company’s clever HR Service Stack – more on that later – Gemma says that her sights are firmly focused on the future.
“It’s good to look back and see how far the business has come but there’s also lots more I want to do,” she smiles.
“I want to establish GFHR in the market as one of the go-to businesses for personalised and flexible HR services. I think our offering is different to others because we are very proactive, not just reactive. We always want to put that human approach into everything we do. We are pragmatic, yet down to earth. We’re fun, but we also take what we do very seriously,” Gemma adds.
GFHR offers a huge range of services covering everything from contracts to performance appraisals and to sorting out any disputes. The business can also manage the whole of your HR function for you – or alongside you.
Gemma explains that two of the biggest hurdles on the horizon for the HR industry are the seismic changes coming into employment legislation and also the unstoppable rise of Artificial Intelligence.
“Both those are going to impact us all. The Employment Rights Bill, currently going through Parliament will bring changes to unfair dismissal, day one rights, the inability to fire and rehire on different terms and also rights for zero hours workers. There have been other recent changes to employer duties, around the Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the workplace and rights to request flexible working.
“As HR professionals, we are keeping abreast of legal changes as they develop and ensuring that our clients are kept up to date and planning for their implementation. I think one of the biggest concerns is probably around the restrictions on how businesses do things. People are going to be more reluctant to hire because it’s going to be harder to remove someone if they are not doing their job properly. Gone are the days of hiring someone over a cup of coffee, the necessary framework has got to be there to ensure fairness and transparency, and that’s going to need more time to implement from the likes of specialist HR consultants such as ourselves.
“We work with people to ensure they’re clear on what their expectations are and what they should be doing, so that they’re not then falling foul of the law. But at the same time our guidance is also about ensuring particular processes for clients are relevant for them and also commercially viable.
“Our business is built on strong relationships, trust and integrity. We know that honest, open communication will always help you get ahead of a problem. And that is something that AI can definitely not replace.”
However Gemma acknowledges that it is something that everyone will have to embrace in some form or other but the trick is to not let it take complete control.
“We always want to provide personal and dynamic services and that is something a computer just can’t do. Every situation is different and everything comes back to how we communicate: as teams, with line managers and as individuals. So instead of fearing the assault of AI it is seeing how we can use it to enable us – as opposed to replacing us.
“One of the things we’ve worked on in the last year is how we make sure that clients have that consistency from us and know who is going to be dealing with them. All of them have one key point of contact which will either be me or one of my associates. And there is also the GFHR email support inbox they can use too.
“I’m really lucky that the team are all really dedicated and focused on client service and client delivery. My role is slightly shifting now and I am spending more time overseeing the business and its development but having said, that I do really still like to be hands on – that for me is really important.”
Gemma and her team offer both remote and in-person support, retainer contracts and pay-as-you-go projects as having that ability to adapt is also key.
Gemma’s genius idea of breaking down their services into easy-to-understand building blocks, collectively known as the HR Service Stack, has further helped elevate the business.
There is far more information on the company’s website but in brief they are broken down into genres such as HR Onsite, which is a fractional HR function at a fraction of the cost of an in-house team whilst HR Everyday gives you advice and guidance when you need it, that’s tailored to your business. HR Projects are designed for those firms that may need HR advice as and when but not necessarily every month. Also included in the GFHR’s Service Stack are HR Micro, HR HealthCheck and HR Foundations.
“The great thing is by breaking down what we do you can pick the bits that apply to your business,” explains Gemma.
“Some might just want assistance with recruitment so that’s when the HR Projects solution suits them. Many people might just want to review their contracts and handbooks if they are just starting out and once those HR Foundations come into place and they might not need anything else after that.
“So having these new HR Service Stack or building blocks has enabled us to talk about the services we offer in a more transparent and tangible way.”
One thing that Gemma and her team don’t wish to be known for is simply being an HR tick box service.
“I really want to work with businesses who are growing and who are really thinking about their employees and how they can support them. We thrive on having that positive and proactive focus. Community, communication and connection are so important to what we do at GFHR.”
Does Gemma think her approach to HR is a fairly unique one?
“I would like to think so. I think there are a lot of HR people who are reacting to situations rather than future forecasting and building frameworks which is what we as a team try to do. That gives us the ability to add real value – not just when there are problems to be dealt with. Being part of a company’s journey is really important to me.
“A lot are micro businesses, where there are no more than five employees, are reliant on the professional HR expertise we provide to help them grow. Knowing you’ve got a confidential platform courtesy of us can make such a difference. We provide that vital sounding board for companies to come to us and say ‘Look, I’ve got this situation. What do you think I should do? What are the implications for my team?’ And it’s people that are thinking like that who we want to work with and support.”
The majority of GFHR’s customers are based locally, here in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks but Gemma tells me they have a few across the South East and also in London.
The advancements in technology since the pandemic on platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom have also helped Gemma and her colleagues keep that human ‘face-to-face’ element to doing business if they can’t be in the same room.
“Again, it all comes down to good, consistent communication and connection,” she says.
And after a successful 15-year career running her own business does Gemma have ambitious plans to grow it further?
“Yes that is definitely on the cards – as well as promoting our services and partnerships more. For the last year it’s been about bringing everything together and now the future is looking at what is needed – especially with the new Employment Rights Bill and AI on the horizon – and delivering on that.
“When I started GFHR I never imagined that it would be as successful as this. I have an absolute passion for what I do and love working with people. Yes of course there will always be difficult conversations to be had in HR but it’s about delivering them in the right way and doing the right thing which makes all the difference.
“I feel really fortunate to do what I do, and I don’t take it for granted. It’s a privilege for people to let me and my colleagues into their business. And I hope to continue to do it for many more years to come.”
GET IN TOUCH
Website: www.gfhr.co.uk
Email: info@gfhr.co.uk
Call: 01892 300 360
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Instagram: @gfhr_consulting
Facebook: gemmafhr
