What we do

---

Pragmatic support with complex people issues, so you never feel you are managing them alone.

Every organisation has people-related challenges that are sensitive, high-risk, or just difficult to navigate. Whether it is a capability concern, a long-term absence, a grievance, or a strain in a working relationship, these moments call for thoughtful and careful attention.

People Relations provides a calm, experienced partner to talk things through with, plan the right approach, and support your leaders step by step. We work with you to understand what is truly happening, weigh up the options, and navigate an objectively justifiable process that respects both your policies and values.

What this covers

• Conduct and capability cases
• Sickness, absence and attendance management
• Flexible working requests
• Grievances and relationship breakdowns
• Restructuring, redundancy and managing change
• Preparing for and attending hearings or formal meetings
• Drafting key letters and documents

How it works

We begin by understanding your situation, your policies, the timeline, and any risks. From there, we help you identify the best way forward and stay alongside you throughout the process. You can decide how involved you want us to be, whether it is a quick steer on a call or being with you at hearings and meetings.

Available ad-hoc for individual cases, or as part of a fractional consultancy package, for whenever your leaders need a sounding board.

Turning complex employment requirements into documents people will actually read and use.

Effective policies and processes do more than merely tick a compliance box. They empower managers to act confidently, objectively, and in accordance with the organisation’s values. The issue is that many policies are unclear, difficult to follow, and lack the practical guidance managers need to put them into practice.

We review, design, and update your people policies, procedures, and toolkits to ensure they align with current legislation, ACAS guidance, and statutory requirements, whilst staying true to your organisation’s core values and culture, all in clear and accessible language.

What this covers

• Reviewing and improving your existing policies
• Creating new people policies as needs arise
• Developing management toolkits with step-by-step template documentation and forms.
• Training and coaching managers to use them effectively.

How it works

We start by reviewing what you already have, identifying gaps, inconsistencies, or areas of risk. Then, we agree priorities together and produce tailored policies and toolkits that are legally compliant, easy to follow, and suited to your organisation’s size, sector, and approach. You will receive everything in editable formats, with guidance on implementation.

Delivered as a one-off project or spread across a fractional package, so policies stay current as your organisation evolves.

Independent, objectively justifiable and thorough, protecting everyone involved while reducing your risk.

When a serious workplace issue occurs, such as a grievance, an allegation of misconduct, a bullying complaint, or a safeguarding concern, you need an investigation that is thorough, impartial, and well-documented. Getting it wrong can damage trust, expose the organisation to legal challenge, and leave those involved feeling the process was unfair.

We act as your independent Investigating Officer or support and quality-assure an internal colleague conducting the investigation. Either way, the process follows the ACAS Code, your own policies, and the principles of natural justice.

What this covers

• Grievances requiring formal fact-finding
• Allegations of misconduct, harassment, discrimination or bullying
• Whistleblowing and safeguarding-related concerns
• Complex employee relations cases and/or those involving senior leaders

How it works

We begin by agreeing on terms of reference, scope, timescales and what a good outcome looks like. We then gather evidence, interview witnesses and review relevant documents to produce a full, balanced report with findings, analysis and recommendations for your next steps. Where needed, we can attend hearings to present findings or coach an internal manager through the process.

Investigations can be commissioned on a standalone, fixed-fee basis, or funded from your fractional hours for greater flexibility.

A safe, structured space for people in conflict to find a way forward before things get worse.

When a working relationship breaks down, the ripple effects spread outwards, affecting teams, morale, and performance. Formal procedures often entrench positions rather than resolve them. Mediation offers a different route through a confidential, voluntary conversation facilitated by an impartial mediator, focused not on blame but on the future.

When mediation helps

• Disagreements between colleagues that have become stuck
• Tension between a manager and a team member
• Communication breakdowns within or across teams
• Conflict arising from changes in roles, workload or ways of working
• Rebuilding trust after a grievance or investigation

How it works

The process begins with individual meetings to understand each person’s perspective. followed by a joint, facilitated conversation focused on future behaviours, boundaries and practical agreements.

The aim is not to decide who is right or wrong, but to help people understand each other better and agree on a professional way of working together that feels reasonable and sustainable. Outcomes often include clearer communication, agreed ground rules and specific actions to rebuild trust. Even where colleagues do not become close, they can usually find a way forward that reduces tension and avoids escalation.

Book mediation as a one-off intervention or build it into your fractional package for rapid access when issues first surface.

Objectively justifiable, consistent grading that gives you confidence in your pay and structure decisions.

Getting roles graded consistently and correctly matters, for recruitment, retention, morale and legal compliance. Job evaluation provides an objective, structured method for comparing roles across your organisation by assessing factors such as knowledge, problem-solving, and decision-making.

The result is a clear, defensible basis for pay and grading decisions that minimises the risk of equal pay claims and supports open organisational design and career development.

What this covers

• Whole-structure reviews or evaluation of individual new posts
• Assessment against your chosen pay framework and evaluation scheme
• Evaluation scores, recommended grade or band, and a clear rationale
• Support where disputes or equal pay risks are emerging

How it works

We agree on an evaluation scheme with you, then assess each role methodically. You will receive the overall evaluation score and grade or band, along with a rationale for the factor score, that you can share as appropriate.

Available as a defined project or as part of a fractional relationship, where Flourishing Conversations acts as your ongoing partner for new roles and restructures.

Practical, scenario-based development that builds people-confident leaders.

Managers sit at the heart of most people issues. When they have the right skills and confidence, small problems stay small and challenging conversations happen earlier and better. When they do not, situations escalate, relationships suffer, and it then becomes an organisational problem to resolve.

We design and deliver interactive workshops and coaching sessions tailored to your context, not off-the-shelf content, but sessions built around real scenarios your leaders will recognise.

Topics include

• Managing performance and capability
• Sickness and absence management
• Handling complaints and grievances
• Managing organisational change
• Holding flourishing conversations

How it works

Sessions range from short briefings to half-day or full-day workshops, with follow-up coaching available where it would add value. The emphasis throughout is on simple, practical tools and on building the confidence to use them, so your leaders can handle people issues early, well, and in line with your policies.

Training can be purchased as standalone events or delivered across the year as part of your fractional package, aligned with your people priorities and calendar.

A fresh and objective look at how your people function is working and where it can get better

Sometimes you need someone from outside to take a clear-eyed look at your HR arrangements and tell you what is working, what is not and where the quick wins are. A People Function Review does exactly that, examining your structures, roles, policies, systems, data, culture and the day-to-day experience of leaders and employees when they need people support.

What this covers

• Recruitment and employee integration
• Performance management
• Employee relations processes
• Policies and compliance
• HR data and systems
• Leadership development
• Overall people strategy alignment

What you receive

A full report with practical recommendations and a clear roadmap for improvement. It will identify strengths and risks alongside quick wins and longer-term priorities, giving you a people plan to strengthen your people function. For smaller organisations, this is often the bridge between “admin HR” and a more strategic, culture-shaping people function.

Reviews can be a one-off piece of work or the starting point for a fractional arrangement in which we help you implement the recommendations.

Your part-time Head of People – strategic HR leadership without a full-time post.

Many organisations reach a point where they need senior-level people leadership but not a full-time HR Director. People Function Management fills that gap, giving you a trusted, experienced partner who sets direction, oversees casework, supports your leaders and keeps a steady eye on risk, culture and longer-term strategy.

Because the role sits across everything Flourishing Conversations offers, your fractional Head of People draws on whichever service is needed at any given moment, advice, policy work, investigations, mediation, training or strategic planning, without you having to commission each one separately.

What this looks like in practice

• Setting the strategic direction for your people function and keeping it aligned with your organisation’s priorities
• Acting as a trusted sounding board for senior leaders on sensitive or high-stakes people matters
• Providing day-to-day oversight of employee relations casework, ensuring consistency and managing risk
• Reviewing and evolving your policies, processes and practices so they stay joined up and fit for purpose
• Building capability in your managers and people team through coaching, support and targeted development
• Bringing an external perspective to culture, engagement and retention challenges
• Coordinating and prioritising across all Flourishing Conversations services so your investment is focused where it matters most

How it works

We start with a short discovery phase to understand your organisation’s priorities, existing capacity and the areas where senior people leadership will add the most value. From there, we agree on a scope, a rhythm of contact and a guaranteed number of hours for the year.

In practice, that might mean a regular weekly or fortnightly check-in alongside on-call availability for urgent matters, with the flexibility to increase involvement around key moments such as restructures, growth phases or inspections. As your needs evolve, we adjust the focus together, so the time is always spent where it matters most.

People Function Management is delivered exclusively through a fractional consultancy package.