VeroHR

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the financial controller of SPI, a manufacturing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeroHR?

We hired VeroHR to support our HR requirements. For context, our company didn’t have an HR department on site, so we used their services to help with our needs. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VeroHR supports and advises us on our HR requirements. 

What is the team composition?

I work with around four teammates from VeroHR, including Mike (Managing Director), Claire (HR Director), and Aranka (Technology Consultant). 

How did you come to work with VeroHR?

Our company solicitor recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around £3,000 (approximately $3,700 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started in October 2023, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

VeroHR’s work has been great. Their support during the absence of our HR staff has helped us recruit a new permanent HR advisor. Their ongoing support has also helped us get things in line. Overall, they’ve exceeded our expectations.

How did VeroHR perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve delivered work on time and budget. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Mike, Claire, and Aranka have all been great. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with their flexibility and speed of response.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be straightforward to VeroHR and tell them what you need. Understand your goals before you speak to them. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the CEO and Clinical Director of a healthcare company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're a registered charity, providing therapy and other services for people of all ages who have communication and/or swallowing difficulties.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire VeroHR to accomplish?

• To ensure appropriate management of employee requiring long term absence due to ill health, given that our organization has no in house HR department.
• To achieve successful return to work of employee following 7 month's absence due to ill health.
• Complete and update our Employee Handbook

SOLUTION

How did you find VeroHR?

Personal recommendation

Why did you select VeroHR over others?

Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from VeroHR were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Key deliverables:

• Effective HR consultancy incorporating consistent and continuing communication
• compliance assurance with care and compassion in line with the character, culture and size of our organization
• rapid response to immediate issues and going forward
• contribution to the establishment of HR policies, processes, and practices.
• Retained annual contract for agreed monthly fee, with option to purchase increased HR consultancy as required.

Immediate issues:

• Discussion with our CEO re employee's situation including current employment law, implications of long term sick leave, and best practice.
• Remote and face-to-face meetings with employee, their spouse and our CEO.
• Sustained facilitation by VERO of pro-active and positive maintenance of communication between the workplace and absent employee + appropriate support for employee including referral to Occupation Health company.
• Provision by VERO of written notes on meetings and record of decisions.
• Written confirmation to all parties of arrangements for phased return to work.
• Support from VERO for all parties during employee's phased return to work with appropriate adjustments including flexible working.
• Subsequently, continued HR guidance including provision of appropriate employment contract template with changed contracted working hours (from full time to part-time).

Longer Term:

•  contribution to the establishment of HR policies, processes, and practices: VERO provided a Handbook template and Factsheets on policy and procedures. These have been incorporated in  our updated Handbook..

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Successful return to work of valued employee
• Increased knowledge and understanding of current HR policy, processes ,and procedures reflected in business planning.
• Retention of VERO due to positive experience of their approach

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Project management and delivery was excellent. Appraisal of the situation and relevant factors was comprehensive with insightful anticipation of possible outcomes. Communication was effective and timely, with a summary of important points from conversations provided promptly in emails. VERO’s approach to problem solving was well coordinated and collaborative. Our needs were well met .

What was your primary form of communication with VeroHR?

In-Person Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Excellent leadership. VERO consultants are experienced and skilled. They are good communicators with listening power and they are usually readily available for personal, direct human communication including via telephone. They instill confidence that they are providing a bespoke service, dealing with YOUR needs, rather than rolling out a one size fits all remedy.

Are there any areas for improvement or something VeroHR could have done differently?

Not in our experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Lees of a home furniture retailer

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Home furniture retailer

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire VeroHR to accomplish?

• To provide advice and support regarding HR matters

SOLUTION

How did you find VeroHR?

Referral

Why did you select VeroHR over others?

• Pricing fits our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from VeroHR were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

VERO HR have provided us with a range of HR services including support with documentation for new starters, employment contracts, employee handbook, HR software to manage holidays and absences, bespoke advice on how to deal with performance and other related issues. 

They have provided us with a robust HR framework along with bespoke one to one advice which means we feel fully meets the businesses HR requirements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Provision of employee handbook Revision and implementation of new employment contracts HR system for tracking absences, holidays and other information Bespoke one to one advice on certain employee issues

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

All areas were delivered on time and in full. Our needs were fully met with Vero HR able to adapt all aspects to fit what we required as a business.

What was your primary form of communication with VeroHR?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I was particularly pleased with their team and the quality of the service provided. I was always able to reach someone who could support me. Nothing was and continues to be too much trouble. There is a proactive and sensible approach taken with all HR issues which ensures that the process is handled in the best possible way.

Are there any areas for improvement or something VeroHR could have done differently?

None

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the global HR manager for a construction company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeroHR?

I have various responsibilities as an HR manager for a global team and needed support implementing an HR system. I was looking for a trustworthy HR consultancy that could align with my work process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VeroHR has provided us with HR outsourcing services. First, I met with Mike (Managing Director) and explained my challenges. After discussing our organizational structure and the difficulties resulting from our various service locations, he booked a meeting with Alex (Technology Manager), who ran us through a software demo. I asked several questions and determined their software had the potential to meet our requirements, and the team put together a proposal. 

Then, we had a follow-up meeting to discuss the project schedule, and after approving the details with my leadership team, we organized a kick-off meeting. Now, the team is implementing an HR software system. They manage the project, but I provide background information and work with them to sort out workflows. 

The team has also helped us orchestrate an employee engagement survey, where they’ve been responsible for collating the results and sharing them with us. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Alex and Mike.

How did you come to work with VeroHR?

I’d worked closely with them at my previous company. We evaluated various systems before choosing to partner with VeroHR, and their system was among the top five. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about £200 (approximately $240 USD) on a monthly retainer, £1,300 (approximately $1,562 USD) for two modules of the software, and we pay a fixed licensing fee per person and module. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in April 2022. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Other HR outsourcing companies refused to work with us because we had under 100 employees; VeroHR was willing to accommodate us. They’ve implemented an HR system that meets our requirements and has all the requested features. 

We’re going live next week, and our finance manager has predicted that the system will significantly decrease our administrative work. We’re a small company with a big reach, so it’s important for us to run as efficiently as possible from an administrative standpoint. We need our team members who travel to submit expenses and holiday requests as quickly and easily as possible. VeroHR is helping us automate manual, time-consuming processes, which will be a huge help. 

How did VeroHR perform from a project management standpoint?

VeroHR has respected deadlines and budgets. I send them data sheets through their secure portal, which is really user-friendly. We also communicate via Microsoft Teams; they’ve used the screen-sharing feature to run through demos. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Mike is very personable and has gotten to know us and our business. Alex has great insight into IT, HR systems and processes, and how they all fit together, which has been helpful. Overall, the staff is willing to assist with our ad hoc needs, which we appreciate.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them as much information as possible about your business, culture, and organizational structure. This will help VeroHR effectively work with you to achieve your goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager for an insulation company, and we deal with fire security, access control, and anything security-related for corporate and domestic clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeroHR?

We had an online health and safety program but unfortunately, the HR company we were working with wasn’t really helping us as they were lacking support. I knew VeroHR from my previous organization, so we got them on board to resolve our HR issues quickly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VeroHR is providing us with their full HR services on an ad hoc basis. We pay them an account per year for a certain amount of hours, and we tap off those hours as required — they charge differently for managerial and administrative level services. Moreover, they also review our annual policies, update us with changes within the European legislation, and provide us with technical advice.

What is the team composition?

I mainly deal with Michael (Managing Director) and two senior managers.

How did you come to work with VeroHR?

I worked with VeroHR in my previous company, so I’ve known them for around 10 years now. I developed a good relationship with the administrator and the managers and found them very professional.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in March 2021. We’re planning to keep them on board for the next few years for our company-wide expansion.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

VeroHR performs their duties exceptionally well. We’re obviously qualified to deal with matters as managers, but there are certain areas we have no expertise in. there was one instance when they dealt with a situation professionally and productively — we might’ve gotten entangled with the law had we been left to deal with it ourselves. 

How did VeroHR perform from a project management standpoint?

I previously sent VeroHR around 15 documents on policies and asked to finish them in a month. They were able to accomplish this task while providing us with constant feedback. Apart from that, everything is done in a timely manner so we’re happy with their overall approach to project management.

We typically communicate through email and have face-to-face meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re very impressed with their professional service and support. It’s been a pleasure working with them, especially since they provide us with work that’s outside of their usual spectrum. The deliverables we receive are far superior to that of our previous provider, and I feel very confident we now have their timely support as we move the business forward.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They don’t need to improve on anything as they give us what we require with promptness. Their customer service is excellent and they keep us well-informed regarding changes in legislation and laws.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s all about working up a personal relationship with VeroHR, so I would suggest keeping regular communications with them to get the best out of their services.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief executive of a community-based charity. We cover the eastern part of England, and we currently have 400 people on our staff.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeroHR?

We were growing in size, and we wanted high-level support on HR.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VeroHR has done three key pieces of work for us; one of them is ongoing, and the other two are on a needed basis. Firstly, they give us high-level, strategic support on our internal HR department and help us with complex personnel issues. Secondly, they’ve done several mergers and acquisitions, helping us work around some of the legislation in the UK to transfer stuff from one organization to another. Finally, they help us with restructures and changes to our staff.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with 5–6 people from VeroHR’s team. In particular, we deal with Mike (Managing Director).

How did you come to work with VeroHR?

A third party recommended them to us. They’d been doing some local work on one of our bases. We contacted them, and we found them to be really solution-focused. Rather than telling us what we couldn’t do, they tried to find a solution to the problems we faced.

How much have you invested with them?

We pay a retainer depending on our staff size, which keeps increasing. We spend about £10,000 (approximately $14,000 USD) per year, so over 13 years, we’ve spent around £130,000 (approximately $181,000 USD).

Moreover, they’ve done one-off pieces of work. Some were in the hundreds of pounds, and some were as much as £5,000–£6,000 (approximately $7,000–$8,000 USD) per project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve had an ongoing relationship since November 2008, and it continues today.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We have some quantitative metrics. For example, we measure the number of times that we’ve had an employment tribunal where a staff member has taken us to court after a process. On the other hand, we also have qualitative satisfaction metrics.

Since we started working with VeroHR, our staff satisfaction has increased. From an HR point of view, our employees are more satisfied with us, and we’ve been able to plot that over the 13 years we’ve been in contact with them.

Moreover, they give us excellent advice, and the additional expertise they provide to our team is absolutely astounding. It’s excellent value for our money.

How did VeroHR perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re wonderful with time management; we’ve never had an issue with them. They work ahead of their timeline, meet their deadlines, and often come in sooner with the work. Also, the team responds quickly to phone calls and emails, so their responsiveness is excellent.

At a staff level, we speak at least 2–3 times a month. We’re in contact with VeroHR on various topics. Additionally, I meet with Mike once every quarter as a minimum.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They don’t give us a list of problems; they try to find a workable solution that supports our staff and us. Also, they have a great sense of additionality. Sometimes the outcomes are quite complex, and they can help us plug some of those gaps. They offer other wraparound services, so we can almost go to them as a one-stop-shop, which is really helpful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

First, let them get to know your business in detail, not just your HR or personnel functions. We’ve built a high level of trust throughout the years, and I think they appreciate our business. That’s been helpful to us because they have a great understanding of what we do and what we’re trying to achieve.

Secondly, go in with VeroHR because you want to start a partnership with them. While they’re excellent at one-off projects, we’ve actually benefitted more from the long-term relationship. They’ve helped us develop our HR function and kept us up to date with all the changes in legislation and guidance.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a young deep tech scale-up business, spun out of the University of Cambridge, and our purpose is to revolutionize electronics by delivering graphene technologies to the world, creating a brighter, better future for everyone.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with the vendor?

We had no in-house HR expertise and we wanted easy access to knowledgeable HR professionals who could support our growing company.
 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, Vero assigned an HR Advisor to support the day-to-day management of HR, covering ad hoc queries, reviewing contracts, and implementing the staff handbook. As our headcount continued to increase, we choose to outsource our payroll to Vero, as well as set up and utilize their recommended HR Software, Cezanne.

We use Vero for several different ongoing areas including:

• HR consultancy & advice
• HR software set up and support
• Payroll outsourcing

What is the team composition?

We work with an HR Advisor, payroll manager, and technology consultant.

How did you come to work with the vendor?

Recommendation from another supplier.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost is between $10,000–$50,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Having gone live with Cezanne, staff data is now stored in a central database where the staff maintains their own details. This enables a direct flow of information from Cezanne through to our Payroll Manager, this automates the flow of information. The staff has also been very engaged with the introduction of Cezanne as it has made authorization of annual leave and completion of sickness documentation more efficient.

The ongoing advice around COVID-19 was particularly helpful while we were managing staff during the early stages of lockdown.

How did the vendor perform from a project management standpoint?

The one-off project to set up Cezanne was excellent. There was a clear plan and expectations for both sides. The project manager was incredibly knowledgeable and patient with us as we collected all the data for upload — Go-live was very straightforward with no issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We liked their personal approach. They always have time for us, and they’re always willing to give us the time we need.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The invoices should be sent closer to the month’s end or dated closer to the date sent out.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the UK and Ireland HR director for a legal software firm. We’re a global company with offices in Australia, Canada, the UK, and Ireland.

We provide software and service solutions to legal professionals. We predominantly support the conveyancing process, but we also offer other business support services such as company formation and data support for local authorities.

Our organization grows through acquisition, so we don’t tend to go and market ourselves to win singular customers; we tend to buy companies. We recently bought five in the last 12 months, so we’re growing rapidly.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeroHR?

For the HR team, recruitment was something that took up a lot of time. On average, we had 15–20 hires running at any point, which was basically up to two of my team all the time. We wanted a recruitment specialist that wasn’t a recruitment agent to provide us with a cost-effective service that integrated into our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Basically, it was recruitment. We had worked with Vero before. The company had split into VeroHR and Vero Recruit, and we came to find the company through VeroHR. They gave us the opportunity to scale up our team.

First, we did a large-scale redundancy at Christmas. We couldn’t get through everybody in one go, so we pulled in some of their team to help interview several people. We found out about Vero Recruit through that process, and they filled that gap for us. They found individuals in a cost-effective way without us having to screen a million and one CVs.

In the end, the deliverable was the candidates. They hired 3–4 people, and they’re currently working across maybe 10 other hires for us. They also created the candidate pool and a pipeline. VeroHR is working solely for us, and the CVs are exclusively coming in for our jobs.

Moreover, we have multiple contacts that we can then transfer into other roles. For example, we successfully hired a commercial business analyst through Vero. Then, we viewed the same pool of candidates to sort out an operational analyst because there were some relevant CVs. That cut down the amount of time they had to work and the hours we had to pay. It was cost-effective and more efficient, and it gave us access to better candidates.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Mike (Managing Director) on a few things. We also worked with Bea (Talent Acquisition Manager), the main contact point for all of our recruitment hires.

Bea did all the work. She spoke to the candidates, did the pre-interviews, liaised with our hiring manager, kept us updated, and managed the whole process from end to end. However, I believe she had apprentices or someone supporting her to sift through CVs and do the initial telephone screening.

How did you come to work with VeroHR?

Our business grows through acquisition, so my team came in with one in September 2020. A former VeroHR employee did an administrative hire within one of our legal entities. Up until that point, there was no HR coverage in the UK. It was solely based in Canada, so the Canadian HR team had engaged with VeroHR for any process in the UK. However, there was an obvious knowledge gap in the UK legislation.

When I arrived, VeroHR was available to do work when required, but they weren’t well integrated into the business. I had never seen that service as an outsourced agent rather than a recruitment agent or consultant. I was really impressed with it and almost desperate to use it and test the process.

How much have you invested in them?

I would say it was over £10,000 (approximately $14,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from June–December 2020. We’ve upscaled our HR team, so we don’t use VeroHR now. However, we use Bea on the Vero Recruit side on an ongoing basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We measured the success of our partnership by the quality of the candidates and their fit in the business. The ones that we had so far were good, quality people that matched our job description and business culture. In fact, a lot of it was about cultural fit. That’s how we measured the success of the candidates, some of which already passed the probation and are now in permanent roles.

HR professionals tend to get on with HR professionals because we all work towards the same cause. It’s always an easy conversation because we understand one another’s frustrations and challenges. Bea was super bubbly and friendly, and she wanted to understand the business, ask the right questions, and be really conscientious. She worked extremely hard to make sure that she understood what was required to place suitable candidates.

How did VeroHR perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m not sure if there were any actual project management-type elements. When it came to hitting key milestones, Bea always did what she said she would do and delivered it on time. Otherwise, there wasn’t any specific form of project management.

To check-in, Bea called us regularly. We usually emailed her to tell her what we wanted and what the vacancy was. We sent her a job description and any outline information that we had on it. Then, we connected her to the relevant hiring manager and had a kickoff meeting where they could relay some of the key elements of the role, what it feels like to work in the company, what the first 30 days would look like, the expectations that the manager has, and what the candidate would be expected to deliver within the first three months. Bea went away and followed that up in writing for the manager to confirm. She returned to adjust any edits to salary if necessary, looking at the market or the job description and then setting out what she would do in an email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were really personable. I‘m very open and honest, and I liked that they didn’t try to be something they weren’t. Bea was very real about our expectations. She didn’t overpromise anything if she thought that we would struggle to get someone in that market. Software development is challenging at the moment, and she gave us examples for some of the customers.

That openness and honesty helped to build the right relationship with VeroHR. Overall, it was great to address issues or provide feedback where we needed it without feeling it would make us feel uncomfortable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They need to clone Bea, but unfortunately, it’s impossible. She’s obviously really good at what she does because she’s getting swamped. Although it hasn’t happened yet, when you end up with a single-person dependency, it could arise issues because the service levels depend on one person. Therefore, I think they need to start bringing in some people behind Bea and have her share her knowledge and expertise with those people so they can replicate what she does.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on what you want and articulate your business and its requirements in general. Have a clear job description, understand your timelines and expectations, and be willing to discuss them and take advice.

We go to Bea because she’s a recruitment professional, and we don’t have one in our business. We’re not going to tell her what to do and expect her to deliver it. Instead, we tell her what we’re looking for and then take her advice and guidance.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of a tech startup company that focuses on AI and image processing services for the healthcare, life sciences and manufacturing industry

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire VeroHR?

We don't have an internal HR function and we needed advise on how to best handle staffing matters and to ensure we are fully covered with regard to UK employment law. More recently we've used their recruitment services for two roles.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

I was recommended VeroHR from another business owner who had successfully completed outsourcing all of their HR function to VeroHR.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

We were onboarded onto their HR platform Cezanne, which serves as a portal for all staff to access everything HR and pay related. The VeroHR team then assisted with creating a tailored employee handbook and policies specific for our needs. Ongoing we use them on an ad-hoc basis for support with staff training, personal development plans, disciplinary actions and employees residing outside the UK, among other things.

We've used their recruitment services to hire an Operations Manager and a Marketing Manager. This was facilitated via their recruitment platform JazzHR, which made the process of managing the influx of CV's and shortlisting candidates significantly easier.

VeroHR took the initial screening calls, based on our criteria, and performed background checks. Once the interview process was complete and we made an offer, the contractual and onboarding process was seamlessly handed over to the HR function.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We have a dedicated HR Advisor, Payroll Manager and Talent Acquisition Manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

We now have a HR portal as well as a dedicated HR point of contact that all staff can use for any question they may have. As a business owner I now have peace of mind that our staff are fully supported and that we are fully compliant with all statutory obligrations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

VeroHR are extremely responsive to any query either via email, phone, or video call. Because all staff can access VeroHR directly, they feel like just another member of the team.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The VeroHR team have an extremely impressive level of knowledge and experience in all things HR, and are able to clearly and simply distil complex concepts into actionable advice. Since engaging with VeroHR they have assisted with a number of tricky issues which they consistently handle professionally and with integrity.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We've been extremely impressed with VeroHR and have had no issues.