NEWS
A NEW WORLD
Emma Barugh – Director of
Middlesbrough-based MB Human
Resources Consulting Ltd.
The backbone of a successful company is
a happy and loyal workforce and with the
continuing spectre of Covid-19, it’s vitally
important that employers treat their staff fairly.
Middlesbrough-based MB Human
Resources Consulting Ltd offer
employee relations support,
leadership development and individual
development in addition to the basic HR
needs that keep employers out of court.
Since Covid-19, however, their services
have seen a landslide increase in demand
of employment related matters linked to
the pandemic.
Director Emma Barugh, a Chartered
Fellow of the CIPD who formed MBHR in
2012 and has 20 years of experience in all
facets of human resource management
and organisational development in both
public and private sectors, found her
days filling with calls about furlough and
redundancy.
“The pandemic really changed the way
we were used to working,” Emma admits.
“While our ad-hoc work tailed off it was
replaced with cases of people being made
redundant far too
early, others being
forced back to the
workplace or risk
losing their job, or
directors wanting to know just what
they could and couldn’t do legally.”
Emma has a lot of sympathy for
company owners who may have to make
unpleasant staff decisions but insists that
these must be made fairly.
“Legality comes from a place of
morality,” she says. “Legal is a minimum
standard, it’s not a standard to aspire to.
“MBHR takes a balanced and pragmatic
view, but be warned that any tribunal
would take a very dim view of people
being made redundant, thrown into
an economy with very limited job
opportunities, whilst the job retention
scheme is in place and not costing the
employer anything.”
With many staff now returning to work,
Emma is also beginning to see enquires
about safety procedures.
“Bringing people back to work safely is
caring not only about hygiene and social
distancing but also about psychological
health and work flexibility. Staff can feel
pressured to go into an office where they
fear catching coronavirus or anxious about
their work-life balance, managing family
dynamics, or lack of childcare.
“We all need to grow and learn from
this, and above all retain a loyal workforce,
so we are here to take your calls and
guide you through it.”
mbhrconsulting.com
0330 333 0356
Blooming good news
for local charity
Middlesbrough charity Recovery
Connections's social enterprise
arm has gone from strength
to strength already this year with the
official launch of four businesses, the
latest being Bloom Florists.
Bloom Florists launched online in
May amid the Covid-19 pandemic, after
original plans to open the physical
shop were postponed.
It offers a range of services from
the purchase of individual bouquets to
corporate gifts, weddings and funeral
flowers.
All orders can be made in line with
specific budgets, so there is something
to suit every customer. Bloom was due
to open in Middlesbrough’s Fork in the
Road restaurant in July.
131 The Venue, formerly Bar Zero, is
an ideal choice for corporate events
offering a full catering service, licensed
bar, training and conferencing facilities
within a beautiful space.
Situated above Fork on Linthorpe
Road, the venue is also popular for
weddings and other celebrations.
Fork in the Road – Stage One is
a cafe situated within the Stages
Academy on Bridge Street West,
Middlesbrough. Stages is a supported
accommodation service and the
cafe offers that first step into work
experience for vulnerable residents.
As a social enterprise, the hope
is that the business community on
Teesside will get behind all four
enterprises and help invest in the
futures of people who need an
opportunity to achieve their potential.
The Fork in the Road has already
had great success before Recovery
Connections took over and it will
continue to provide high-quality food in
a beautiful space.
Bloom takes Recovery Connections
Enterprises a step further with an
exciting proposition and opportunities
for training in another industry.
For more information on any of the businesses, follow them on
social media or email [email protected].
80 | Tees Business