The HR Dept West Kent provides employment law and human resources services to small and medium-sized businesses. The business is led by Managing Director, Sandhya Iyer, who is a fully qualified Chartered Member of the CIPD, UK.
Sandhya comes with over 20 years’ experience in the corporate and SME sector. Having worked across Asia, Europe and the US, and with trade unions in London, she brings a well-rounded perspective on leadership, culture and the challenges in the workplace. This helps small business clients make sound decisions in difficult circumstances.
The West Kent office serves SMEs across Maidstone, Tonbridge, Malling, Mereworth, King’s Hill, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells. Typical work includes devising a tailor made framework in the form of contracts and handbooks, complex employee relations and change management, undertaking sensitive grievance and disciplinary investigations, performance, sickness and conduct issues, restructuring, and aligning HR metrics with operations and your business strategy.
Most small business owners will say ‘let’s cross that bridge when we get to it’ when they are advised to seek professional advice for their people matters. Usually, when business owners get to that ‘bridge’ on their own, the situation tends to be far more stressful, too far gone and costly to fix, than they were prepared for.
Our approach is calm, practical and people centred. We combine clear processes and documentation with an ability to listen, assess risks, understand patterns and communicate with empathy, even when emotions are high. Thereby we don’t just focus on compliance but also the organisation’s culture and typical pain points.
Sandhya is also committed to improving how workplaces support women, whose careers are impacted by family pressures, personal relationships, health or mental wellbeing. We collaborate with charities in West Kent and Rights of Women, London to shape practices that help organisations retain and develop high performing female talent. Diversity is not a slogan for us. It is a daily practice in how we hire, support, promote and listen, and strive to achieve the same for our clients.
Sandhya’s favourite quote is by Maya Angelou:
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better”
If you want HR and employment law support that is commercially aware, people focused and quietly robust, then we are here to help you know better and do better, with protection for both your business and your people matters.
During her free time Sandhya enjoys trekking in the countryside, cycling and gardening with her girls and labradoodle, Truffle! If you want to catch up with Sandhya, drop her a line and she will probably suggest coffee with a dog walk.
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The HR Dept began in 2002, when Founder and Executive Director Sue Tumelty identified a gap in the market to offer personalised expert HR advice to local businesses. The company went from strength to strength, with new branches opening all over the UK, Ireland and Australia.
Each branch of The HR Dept is headed up by a highly qualified and experienced HR Director who is committed to serving their local business community.
