ABOUT ME
Well hello there!
I'm Shona: HR Consultant, mum to my cat, horse & 2 dogs, wife to a cowboy, wine lover and all round country bumpkin.
Pleased to meet you!
The story of Lilac HR began back in 2018 over a glass of red wine after a stressful day in Employee Relations.
After a long career in HR roles where I felt constantly held back and unhappy, I reached a point where I knew I was going to have to make a drastic change.
I was tired, stressed, commuted 30 miles to work, never had time to ride or walk the dogs and I just thought...there must be more to life!
My wonderful husband said, "why don't you just set up on your own?" And I did!
BUT
We were busy saving for our wedding! There was no way I could leap into self employment with the big day coming up.
And then something amazing happened. A job came up for a HR Manager 1 mile from my house, door to door! It was a contract for 1 year to cover maternity leave. PERFECT.
That gave me the time outside of work to get my life balanced and work on the business! The contract was due to end in May 2020, I had plenty of time.
Little did I know a global pandemic was just around the corner!
Luckily, the ground work I had been putting in meant that in June 2020, despite being in lockdown, I was ready to take the business full time.
It has been the most amazing journey since then.
I have worked with some incredible people who have helped my business and I have supported the most dreamy clients!
I love that I have found my purpose that combines my passion for horses and HR.
I want to change the face of employment in the equestrian industry so that employees are given the rights afforded to them by law and enable their employers to see them as an investment rather than an expense. We can revolutionise our equestrian and rural businesses by understanding and utilising the talent employees bring to the table.
But underneath my big why, I simply love being able to take the stress out of managing people for you. I love making the tough times feel a little easier for you.
Whether you just want someone on hand in the background, or whether you want to be the best you can possibly be, I can't wait to help you get there.
Speak soon
Shona
HOW I DO BUSINESS
I run my business the same way I do my HR...by embedding my values in everything I do.
Making HR Easy
HR can be complicated, but that's what I'm here for. I help you develop your skills in basic HR procedures and people management and I handle the complicated stuff. I help you understand the levels of risk involved with employment decisions and guide you all the way.
Building Partnerships
It's really important to me that you feel you have a partner in this employment malarkey. I want you to feel that you have someone you can be open and honest with, where there is no fear of judgement and we work together to create your dream business.
Supporting Rural Businesses
Being a country bumpkin, I am all about shopping local and supporting rural and country businesses in my spare time. So it makes sense that this is important to me in my work too! Just because your business is based in your country cottage on questionable Wi-Fi, doesn't mean you can't have top notch HR support.