What key challenges are you currently facing in your role?

First seven months in pure HR completed & I think I've covered everything that is expected in this kind of role.  As a stand-alone I've been massively grateful to all sorts of outside assistance, notably things I've learned by reading threads on here.

What key activities are you currently completing in your role?

Final round of recruiting, largely for maternity cover but also a last-minute resignation of a member of staff on probation. 

Sorting out my filing after the other recruiting I've been doing.

What key challenges are you currently facing in your role?

Trying to find good quality candidates for the recruitment bearing in mind the vacancies are all for teachers.  Those available for September would have had to give notice before the end of the Easter holidays.

Supporting our Head with employee engagement and getting the team firing on all cylinders from September after a bruising time since January.

What challenges can you see coming around the corner in the next few months?

Change of political landscape.  Thankfully I'm no longer in a position where I need to balance the books, but the potential 20% VAT on fees will make all sorts of HR processes and expectations pretty difficult.

Not a challenge but an opportunity, we are doing a deep dive into our culture and values over the summer.  We think we know them but we're trying to quantify & see if we live up to them!  This started with the pupils being asked what they thought.  When that's done I can then start revamping all our JDs with the values at heart.

What is keeping you up at night?

Strangely enough not something at work, but in my voluntary work where someone is making life very difficult for the rest of the team.  The behaviours exhibited, had it happened at work, would have led to a PIP at the least and quite likely summary termination!

First seven months in pure HR completed & I think I've covered everything that is expected in this kind of role.  As a stand-alone I've been massively grateful to all sorts of outside assistance, notably things I've learned by reading threads on here.

What key activities are you currently completing in your role?

Final round of recruiting, largely for maternity cover but also a last-minute resignation of a member of staff on probation. 

Sorting out my filing after the other recruiting I've been doing.

What key challenges are you currently facing in your role?

Trying to find good quality candidates for the recruitment bearing in mind the vacancies are all for teachers.  Those available for September would have had to give notice before the end of the Easter holidays.

Supporting our Head with employee engagement and getting the team firing on all cylinders from September after a bruising time since January.

What challenges can you see coming around the corner in the next few months?

Change of political landscape.  Thankfully I'm no longer in a position where I need to balance the books, but the potential 20% VAT on fees will make all sorts of HR processes and expectations pretty difficult.

Not a challenge but an opportunity, we are doing a deep dive into our culture and values over the summer.  We think we know them but we're trying to quantify & see if we live up to them!  This started with the pupils being asked what they thought.  When that's done I can then start revamping all our JDs with the values at heart.

What is keeping you up at night?

Strangely enough not something at work, but in my voluntary work where someone is making life very difficult for the rest of the team.  The behaviours exhibited, had it happened at work, would have led to a PIP at the least and quite likely summary termination!

Really good to have you as a member of our Community, Matthew.

very insightful comment

Hi Matthew I've been standalone HR too. It can be a lot!!
Happy to chat about it. I'm most active on LI. www.linkedin.com/.../