2021 Influential Businesswoman Awards

Acquisition International - Influential Businesswoman Awards 2021 Contact: Christine Pratt Company: HR & Diversity Management Ltd Web Address: https://hrdiversity.co.uk Best Employment Law& Development Director (UK): Christine Pratt R & Diversity Management Limited is an award-winning conflict resolution company. The company provides a full range of HR solutions to businesses as well as helplines for both employers and employees. The team at HR & Diversity are experts in resolving issues involving workplace bullying and cyberbullying. Services on offer to employers include independent workplace investigations, absence management and mediation. HR & Diversity provides a one-stop-shop to enable employers to navigate the complex and ever-changing area of employment law. Employees who may not have access to a trade union or employment law solicitor are encouraged to contact the firm via their free helpline if they experience issues such as bullying, grievance, constructive dismissal or redundancy. The supportive team provide help and advice on employment law and they stress: “Do not resign. Call us first”. Christine Pratt is the founder and director of HR & Diversity. She tells us: “Primarily we negotiate and mediate amicable resolutions where there is conflict in the workplace. This is extremely important work. Not only does it require focus, a knowledge of the law and influencing skills, but where successful, this service enables employers to resolve cases without the need for the ongoing cost and risk of Employment Tribunal claims. Our Government’s objective is to keep tribunal cases to a minimum, so this service is vital in today’s ever-changing world that we work in.” Prior to establishing the firm, Christine held posts as HR Director in both the public and private sectors. She had often been called upon to investigate bullying cases and attended employment tribunal cases as an expert witness. In her career, Christine has written numerous management and leadership articles published by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) of which she is a fellow member. Back in 1996, Christine wrote the first Management Guide on Workplace Harassment. Almost 10 years later, ACAS, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, produced its own official guide, much of it based on Christine’s original work. H After the formation of HR & Diversity in 2002, and seeing all the attention that the firm attracted, Christine turned her attention to the wider question of bullying. It became apparent that there was a need for a dedicated helpline to provide help and advice to anyone that needed it. Christine set up the National Bullying Helpline as an independent service to help adults and children who experienced bullying at home, in the community, at school or in the workplace. The Helpline charity was officially launched in 2007. Today the National Bullying Helpline website provides a vast amount of up-to-date help and advice. It currently receives over 4000 “clicks” per day. For many years, bullying in the workplace was generally accepted as the norm and was seen as a quick and effective management technique by many. Thankfully a handful of committed individuals, some of whom had experienced bullying first-hand, decided to speak out for change. One such person is Christine Pratt, founder of the National Bullying Helpline and Director of HR & Diversity Management Limited. Jul21184