2021 Influential Businesswoman Awards

60 Acquisition International - Influential Businesswoman Awards 2021 HR Consulting MD of the Year 2021 (UK): Helen Astill hen it comes to the technical, professional, scientific sectors, Cherington HR Limited has made itself the helping hand to encourage the growth of businesses in these industries. Knowing first-hand how difficult it can be to achieve enterprise growth when dealing with the details of managing a company, Cherington HR grants its clients peace of mind by giving them practical HR support, advice, and support whilst solving their critical people problems and overcoming challenges. Fundamentally, this has proven pivotal over the past 18 months. Having helped a myriad of businesses cope with the hurdles that the Covid-19 pandemic presented to them, it has been throwing its support behind its clients to help employers treat employees ethically and with empathy whilst taking a pragmatic approach. Moreover, by promoting this idea that happy employees make for a successful business, and operating in the realm of bespoke HR advice, it fits itself around its client. In essence, this allows it to work with them by email, telephone, video conference, or face-to-face, all depending on what the client would find most helpful to offer the development of tailored employment documents, management of complex issues, training and coaching for management, and use of psychometric testing for recruitment and wellbeing. It also provides an online HR system with backup support, as a partner of Breathe HR, allowing clients access to a new and innovative technological solution to their HR needs. Having founded the business in 2006, Helen Astill has been the MD for the last 15 years. Firstly, she started her career as a physics teacher, moving from there to the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and then from there to a more organisational and consulting role, becoming the training and development manager for the UKAEA, before being appointed the personnel manager for the Fusion Research Centre and JET Project in Culham. With such an extensive amount of experience behind her and a dedication to helping other women in HR thrive, she has been working hard to fight against the paradigm of women taking on high stress and low paid roles whilst their male counterparts often get promotions to senior roles. The added pressure on HR practitioners is something Helen has been keeping an eye on. Thanks to the pandemic pushing everything online, the HR industry has had to adapt, but much of this has fallen on the heads of those who have also been struggling to deal with home schooling and providing care to elderly relatives. This, to Helen, is indicative of a wider problem W of society still expecting women to take on the majority of care roles, and therefore she is working hard to promote the acceptance of men also taking on these roles, and to get HR professionals the credit they deserve for their work. Cherington HR, due to Helen’s hard work and tenacity, has therefore enjoyed a 95% client retention rate as she consistently takes the business and its clients to bigger and better heights of success. Lastly, with such a depth of experience and a bright future ahead, Helen promises to keep working to empower fellow women in male dominated industries, and support women in their chosen roles. She has created a business that looks for skills, not gender, and is looking forward to the broadening and robustness of services offered thanks to the recent move of Cherington HR to become one of HR Solutions’ group companies. Cherington HR Limited, a company originally founded on the principles of exemplary service delivery by “solopreneur” and founder, Helen Astill, is an HR consultancy firm that has made itself an invaluable voice in the industry. Adjusting to a new strategic partnership with a larger HR consultancy, and adapting her goals accordingly, Helen is now working with the directors of HR Solutions as she joins the new parent company to ensure that her clients continue to receive excellent service. Aug21117 Company: Cherington HR Limited Contact: Helen Astill Websites: cheringtonhr.com / www.hrsolutions-uk.com