Whether you’re looking for an HR consultant, outsourced HR support, or employment law advice, choosing the right HR professional can have a significant impact on your business.
From employment contracts and disciplinary processes to absence management, workplace investigations and performance management, poor HR advice can be costly.
Yet, unlike solicitors, accountants or financial advisers, HR remains an unregulated profession in the UK.
That means anyone can set up a website, call themselves an HR consultant and start offering advice to businesses.
As a business owner, that should concern you.
Should HR Be a Regulated Profession?
In my humble opinion, yes.
Not because qualifications automatically make someone a great HR practitioner, but because businesses and employees deserve a minimum standard of competence, ethics and professional accountability.
HR professionals advise on matters that affect livelihoods, careers, business performance and legal compliance. A poorly handled disciplinary, an unfair dismissal, a flawed redundancy process or an incorrectly drafted employment contract can have significant consequences for everyone involved.
Regulation would help ensure that those providing HR advice have demonstrated an appropriate level of knowledge, maintain their professional competence, and operate in accordance with recognised professional standards.
Ultimately, it would provide greater protection for both employers and employees.
Until that happens, the responsibility falls on business owners to conduct their own due diligence and ensure that the person providing their HR support has the qualifications, experience, and credibility to do so.
The Cost of Poor HR Advice
I regularly speak to business owners who have received HR advice that is:
- Out of date.
- Legally incorrect.
- Based on opinion rather than evidence.
- Copied from generic templates.
- Focused on what the business wants to hear rather than what it needs to know.
The consequences can be significant.
I’ve seen businesses:
- Use employment contracts that don’t reflect current legislation.
- Follow disciplinary procedures that are fundamentally flawed.
- Dismiss employees without following a fair process.
- Implement policies that contradict employment law.
- Face costly employee disputes that could have been avoided entirely.
Sometimes it isn’t even the big decisions that create problems. Something as simple as getting a contract, policy or letter wrong can expose a business to unnecessary risk.
One Employee Issue Can Cost Thousands
One employee issue, or even a paperwork error, can cost your business thousands.
Your reputation matters. In today’s competitive market, you can’t afford to risk it.
A badly drafted employment contract, an unlawful dismissal, a poorly managed grievance or incorrect HR advice can quickly escalate into a costly and time-consuming problem.
The risks aren’t limited to legal costs or compensation. Poor HR decisions can also result in:
- Damage to your business reputation.
- Reduced employee engagement and morale.
- Loss of trust in management.
- Increased absence levels.
- Higher staff turnover.
- The loss of talented employees who choose to work elsewhere.
- Recruitment and training costs to replace experienced team members.
- Lost productivity and disruption to customers and operations.
Often, the cost of losing a valued employee far exceeds the cost of investing in quality HR support in the first place.
Good HR isn’t about creating paperwork for the sake of it. It’s about protecting your business, supporting your people and helping your organisation grow.
What Qualifications Should You Look For in an HR Consultant?
If you’re engaging an HR consultant or looking for outsourced HR support, it’s worth asking a few important questions.
Do They Hold a Recognised HR Qualification?
A recognised HR qualification demonstrates that the individual has undertaken formal study and assessment in people management, employment law and organisational practice.
The most widely recognised professional body in the UK is the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
CIPD qualifications are recognised across the profession and are frequently required for senior HR roles.
A practitioner who has invested in formal qualifications has demonstrated a commitment to learning the fundamentals of:
- Employment law.
- Employee relations.
- Organisational development.
- Leadership and management.
- Ethical HR practice.
Do They Have Practical Experience?
Qualifications matter, but so does real-world experience.
HR is rarely black and white.
Managing employee relations issues, disciplinary matters, restructures, redundancies, capability concerns and workplace conflict requires judgement that can only be developed through experience.
Ideally, your HR consultant should have both qualifications and practical experience.
Are They Professionally Accredited?
Professional accreditation demonstrates a commitment to continuing professional development, ethics and professional standards.
Within the CIPD, there are different membership levels that reflect both qualifications and professional experience.
What Does Chartered Fellow CIPD Mean?
I am proud to hold Chartered Fellow status with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD).
Chartered Fellow is the highest level of CIPD membership and is awarded to HR professionals who can demonstrate significant strategic impact, professional expertise and leadership within the profession.
Achieving Chartered Fellow status isn’t simply about passing an exam. It requires evidence of:
- Extensive HR knowledge.
- Significant practical experience.
- Professional credibility.
- Strategic impact.
- Ongoing professional development.
Importantly, Chartered Fellows are recognised as professionals who not only practise HR at a senior level but also help shape the profession’s future.
By influencing best practice, driving professional standards, and contributing to the development of people management, Chartered Fellows help raise standards across the HR industry.
For me, becoming a Chartered Fellow was recognition of more than 20 years of experience working across manufacturing, automotive, chemical, retail, care and public sector organisations.
It reflects years of study, professional development and practical application in real businesses facing real challenges.
It’s not a badge I was given overnight. It’s the result of a career spent helping businesses navigate complex people issues, develop leaders and create stronger organisations.
Qualifications Matter, But So Does Integrity
A qualification doesn’t automatically make someone a great HR practitioner.
Likewise, there are experienced professionals who may not hold the highest-level qualifications.
However, qualifications provide reassurance that the individual has been trained to recognised standards and understands the principles that underpin effective HR practice.
As a business owner, you have every right to ask:
- What qualifications do you hold? Are you CIPD qualified?
- What level of membership do you have?
- What experience do you have in businesses like mine?
- How do you keep your knowledge up to date?
Any credible HR consultant should be happy to answer those questions and give you their CV.
Choosing the Right HR Support for Your Business
When selecting an HR consultant, don’t be afraid to look beyond the sales pitch.
- Ask about qualifications. CIPD, a degree in HR, or qualified by lots of experience
- Ask about experience. This is really important!
- Ask how they keep their knowledge up to date.
Most importantly, choose someone who is willing to challenge you when necessary, not simply tell you what you want to hear.
A Simple Question Worth Asking
When you’re trusting someone with your employees, your reputation and potentially your exposure to legal claims, it’s reasonable to ask what qualifies them to advise you. In an unregulated industry, credentials matter. They won’t guarantee good advice, but they do demonstrate a commitment to professional standards, ethics and continuous learning.
Down-to-Earth HR Support for Growing Businesses
At ECL People Solutions, we provide outsourced HR support to businesses across Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Hinckley, Coventry and the wider Midlands.
Whether you need support with:
- Employee relations.
- Employment contracts.
- Disciplinary and grievance procedures.
- Performance management.
- HR policies and handbooks.
- Absence management.
- Workplace investigations.
- Employment law guidance.
You’ll be working with a professional with over 20 years of HR experience.
Practical advice. Commercial solutions. Professional standards.
Because getting HR right isn’t just about compliance. It’s about protecting your business, supporting your people and creating the foundations for growth.
Louise Binning FCIPD
Founder, ECL People Solutions Ltd
People First. Performance Follows.
