Colleague Spotlight
Sharon Gibson, HR Consultant
Hi, I’m Sharon. I joined British Airways a few years back – and that’s where my HR career started! I have since worked for several large companies working in Construction, Facilities Management and Rail infrastructure. During this time, I was mostly an operational HR Manager and have specialised in TUPE/mobilisations. I also spent two years in the Commercial Bid Team to experience the full cycle.
I then decided it was time for a change and joined WorkNest (formerly HR Services Partnership) in March 2020 (two weeks before lockdown…) as an HR Consultant and now enjoy working with smaller charities and not for profit organisations.
Every day varies considerably – in a typical week, I can support clients with restructuring, Occupational Health support with complex/long-term absences, disciplinaries and grievances, drafting HR policies, Strategic Board Away Days, joint meetings between clients and Trade Unions, hybrid/flexible working – the list goes on! I very much relish the variety and the challenges this brings.
I have recently become the Subject Matter Expert in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, which I’m very much enjoying, and I have in-depth knowledge of Collective Redundancies, which I’m able to share with the team when required.
As for challenges – or in my eyes, opportunities – the main one has been adapting to working with smaller clients who have very different needs to a large private sector organisation. However, this has been a very positive and rewarding experience as I enjoy getting to know my clients and learning about their individual businesses and what their needs are, whilst working with much smaller budgets. This has also allowed me to tap into lots of different ideas whilst seeking solutions or solving problems.
My proudest moment was also a challenge – I am more of a plodder than a runner, but I made it to the start and finish lines of my first marathon in the run up to a special birthday. I would still like to beat that time, so I’m returning again next Spring!
Who you’ll be working with
Greg Guilford
Director of HR Consulting
Client stories
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Gus Hosein
Executive Director, Privacy International
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WorkNest supports our 280 staff members with Employment Law and Health & Safety and has provided quality management training too.”
Lisa Best
Head of Service Delivery, Catalyst Choice
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We get a great deal of comfort and satisfaction knowing that we have support as and when we need it, in a decisive and responsive way.”
Richard Berry
Group HR Director, Culina Group
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We moved our legal support to WorkNest (formerly Law at Work) having previously used a time and line law firm. It was important, though, that an all-inclusive fee structure did not come at the expense of quality. Thankfully we’ve been delighted with the service we’ve received from WorkNest.”
Chief Executive
Waverley Care
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What we recognised in WorkNest is the background that they have. They are able to supply knowledge and experience in a number of disciplines, which enables us to develop our business in a way that’s safe, to do it on time and with a quality to it.”
Debbie Rainbow
Director of Human Resources and Health & Safety,
Bluestone National Park Resort
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Celia McKeon
Chief Executive, The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT)
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As the company started to get larger, we knew we had to protect our employees and our contractors both onsite and in the offices. WorkNest is exactly what we needed to move the company forward.”
Joanne Beaver
Operations Director, Beaverfit
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Pineapple have worked with the team at WorkNest (formerly Law at Work) since 2003, and we have built a trusted partnership together. We particularly like WorkNest’s concise and practical advice concerning employment law/HR issues and also appreciate their totally supportive approach in all areas of health and safety.”
General Manager
Pineapple Dance Studios
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I’ve taken WorkNest into every organisation that I’ve worked with. I’ve introduced them to many teams and many colleagues and referred them with absolute pleasure because I genuinely trust in the service that we get.”
People Director, The Works
