Welcome
Employee Relations Solutions Today
Specialist Employee Relations consulting services to solve your people problems fast.
About Thorburn HR
Who I am
I am Alan Thorburn, a highly experienced HR Director working across a range of sectors, from high volume manufacturing in automotive and aerospace, through newspapers, broadcast media and educational publishing.
As a senior HR leader and as a consultant, I have led organisations through large scale changes in contentious, mostly unionised environments, and delivered lasting transformation.
As a consultant I bring those board level skills and expertise to client organisations of all sizes to help you navigate complex and high risk Employee Relations situations and deliver the right solutions for your business.
What I do
HR teams have long (and rightly) focussed on talent, engagement and culture as the key drivers of competitive advantage. But people are human and businesses need to change. Sometimes your business also needs access to a different set of skills to solve people-related problems.
Whether it is a sensitive individual case or a complex collective one, I can provide the Employee Relations resource and expertise you need, when you need it.
From immediate hands-on help in a difficult situation, through to longer term help to define your ER strategy and develop your HR and leadership team's capabilities, my hallmark is marrying high level vision with the practicality to roll up my sleeves and deliver the solution on the ground.
Above all, I partner with you.
How I do it
Engage and listen.
Seek the root cause.
Think the unthinkable.
Speak truth and build trust.
Negotiate with integrity.
Find ground that is common.
Stand ground that needs to be stood.
Deliver the solutions you need, in a practical, sustainable way.
my core Services
Investigations
Formal workplace investigations into grievances, conduct issues or other potential policy breaches require time and expertise to do well.
The risk profile is often directly affected by the quality of the investigation process, but in the modern workplace, not all leaders or HR colleagues have had the exposure to these matters to be confident in doing this, nor have the time to devote to them in a busy schedule.
I have over 30 years of experience of managing complex and confidential cases from shop floor to C-suite.
As a focussed external resource, I can conduct swift, thorough, impartial and confidential investigations that deliver the facts, insights and recommendations that you need. I am clear, concise and always deliver.
Transformation
Most businesses need to transform at times to remain competitive. Restructures, downsizing, transfers of undertaking and changes to terms and conditions can be technically complex and legally challenging.
But even more importantly, for colleagues these are moments that really matter, and how well your organisation handles them is a huge driver of ongoing colleague engagement. Clarity, equity, compliance and efficiency are key to doing this with good outcomes.
I have successfully led organizations large and small through difficult changes. Working in partnership with your leadership and HR teams I can define the strategy, develop the project plan and collateral, manage the consultation and lead the delivery to achieve the best outcome for your business.
Collective Engagement
Engaging with colleagues on a collective level has been climbing the leadership agenda again in recent years. With a potential change of UK government this year that trend seems set to continue.
Done well, collective relationships can be a constructive channel for employee engagement, but done poorly can have quite the opposite effect. Whether it is with in-house consultation bodies or external trade unions, many leaders and HR colleagues have not faced those situations in their careers to date.
If you are considering introducing a collective channel, or responding to calls for one from your colleagues, I can provide the expertise you need and help your team develop the skills to engage constructively with representatives and build relationships that work for your business.