Our Story

A positive story – why I created the forum:

My intention was never to create just another HR forum. There are already lots of groups out there who do a fantastic job of supporting HR people in dealing with the many policy and procedural challenges faced each day.

As someone passionate about employee engagement, my vision was to create a group where the ‘positive’ elements of HR sat firmly at the top of the agenda (hence the name 😊). Dealing with the topics which would help businesses better engage with their people and improve the wellbeing of their teams.

A group that would come together to answer questions like “What can we do to ensure our people always feel supported and happy?” or “How can we adapt our ways of working to meet the needs of our people?”.

With engagement and wellbeing as the primary focus for the group, it was also important to me that we created the right environment.  A place of trust, where HR professionals are comfortable to share their experiences and learn from each other.

Bringing together specialists and service providers to grow strong support networks helping HR deliver the people strategies of today.

Kaye 😊

It’s been a fantastic journey so far…

From the very first meeting I have been overwhelmed by the support and appetite for this forum. Seeing this group develop and grow is something I am immensely proud to be part of.

The drive to improve people engagement and wellbeing by the different businesses who attend is fantastic and the primary reason for our success. From larger national businesses to the smaller SMEs, we are all committed to doing what is right by our people.

That’s got to be a great thing for everyone right!

A word about COVID!

In March 2020 COVID-19 came along and changed the world of HR with no warning. Overnight HR Leaders were required to react to situations that they could never have imagined.

As a forum, our initial response was to stand back and give HR leaders the space needed to react quickly to this very changing world.

After a couple of months’ break, we realised that as a forum focused on employee wellbeing, we had an obligation to do what we could to support our HR leaders.

Under the new social distancing guidelines, our forums have restarted in an online capacity responding to any current COVID specific topics and moving forward with our planned 2020 agenda.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our members we will continue to provide online meetings until it is safe and appropriate to meet face to face once again. A day we will all very much look forward to.

  • "The forum gives members the opportunity to gain knowledge of the ways of working and insights from different business sectors as well as networking opportunities. The forum is a friendly and relaxed group where suggested topics or current topics of interest are discussed. I personally feel that my requests are listened to and support is given where possible. It’s a forum for the members and has the local business community and charities at its heart."

    Heather Kennedy - HR Specialist - Fiskars Group

  • "The HR Forum is a great group to be part of. Group members are encouraged to suggest meeting topics, this ensures that meetings are relevant to the HR profession. Many of the speakers have really challenged the way I think and this has helped me in my role as Head of HR at Blakemans. The group is also very welcoming and there is a clear ‘no selling’ message. Overall I would encourage anyone involved in HR or training to join the forum."

    Jane Selman - Head of H.R. Blakemans

  • "The Positive HR Forum is a great opportunity to network with like minded people. I've made some excellent contacts and learned a lot through sharing knowledge and good practice."

    Louise Warrillow, HR Manager - Staffordshire & Merseyside Hub Co-op Academies Trust

  • "Spending time to reflect and discuss important topics, as well as just having a chat over a coffee, is what the Positive HR Forum does so well. We all know that talking things through makes for better decision making and gives you little nuggets of ‘I never thought of it like that’! Kaye is a great host and always ensures that it’s entertaining as well as thought-provoking and informative. It’s always time well spent."

    Tracey Johnson, HR Director, Leek United Building Society

  • "The Positive HR Forum is an extremely supportive and insightful group to be involved with. The broad range of sometimes difficult topics explored is consistently informative and motivational and it’s very helpful indeed to discuss them together in the open forum setting. I really value being a member and sharing ideas and responses with others and would recommend joining to HR colleagues in whatever sector you work."

    Anita Sherratt – Head of HR, Emma Bridgewater Ltd

  • "The forum is an asset to the profession, it is wonderful to have such a fabulous group that are so invested in their people."

    Sarah Mockridge - The Dove Service