What we do

From exploring your organisation’s strategy, canvassing employee opinion, undertaking competitor analysis and summarising your ‘as is’ position; Cinnamon HR  then work with you to propose ‘stop, start and continue’ recommendations in a user-friendly way.  Then implement the right fit solutions for you.

'As growing company, we wanted to implement the right HR structure that would accommodate future growth and structural development. Vicky helped us develop our HR strategy while aligning it with our business philosophy and strategies.'

Paul O’Reilly, B S Supplies

'Her accessible and professional approach has been invaluable in moving our business forwards and in supporting our leadership team in decision making and whole school development.'

Tracy Wilson, Head of St Johns Priory School

We provide legally sound up to date and CIPD approved contracts of employment, template letters, forms, handbooks, policies and procedures for the whole employee lifecycle aligned to your organisation’s culture.  We then work with you to implement and bring the processes to life in a clear and consistent way.

The quality service and first-class advice, guidance and support over the Coronavirus Pandemic has been invaluable, leading to a restructure and modernizing our working methods.

Sue Barker, Barker & Evans Ltd

Cinnamon HR has worked with Xpress for two years and in that time has introduced streamlined people processes; in particular for recruitment, on-boarding (including online criminal record compliance checks), performance management and HR policies and procedures. They have introduced straightforward processes that are easy to follow and branded templates for us to use.  

Craig O’Shaunessy, Director, Xpress Centres

Cinnamon HR are proud to be a certified accredited Breathe HR Partner. Breathe is an easy to use HR Database, specially designed to support SMEs.

It streamlines the people process to allow you to focus on what matters most – your people. Many of our clients are enjoying the benefits of Breathe HR keeping on top of their HR admin, centralising data and enhancing employee engagement.

In addition, there are great other features like online expenses management, recruitment and training modules.

Breathe HR is affordable, user friendly and will certainly save you time.

Breathe HR provides us with a cost effective method to manage and distribute our HR documentation. The holiday and absence reporting I so smooth. It’s improved the way we communicate with our team and an added bonus – it’s streamlined our expenses process. We’re excited about what else the platform can provide us.’ – Mike Whelan, MD Digital Garage Group

“a fantastic bit of kit – a no brainer & I look forward to it becoming more prevalent as the business develops” – Banbury Based Architect

‘’Breathe HR is just brilliant! Administering holidays, sickness, Covid test reporting, staff announcements and much more…. Its SO easy. The team love it and so do I – its saving the business so much time and it is totally idiot proof!’ Steve O’Reilly, Director Beyond Surface Solutions

We offer a bespoke search and selection service fully aligned with your business needs; from creating the initial role profile, agreeing the right attraction methods for you, thorough selection through to onboarding - a positive candidate experience is guaranteed.We utilise a user friendly Applicant Tracking System [ATS] to streamline the recruitment process and guarantee a positive candidate experience.

‘Through rigorous recruitment and screening processes, and an active listening approach, Vicky is highly skilled in forming a complete picture of the ideal candidate and in presenting to us, high quality candidates for final interview. Vicky's support at the interviewing stage and during induction planning and probation served us extremely well and has impacted directly on our team and its continued success.'

Tracy Wilson – Head of St Johns Priory School

Vicky Smith has a wealth of knowledge and expertise of recruitment and selection at every level.  She told me she used to be a Recruitment Consultant and I can tell why.  She recruited a senior role for us that attracted over 100 applications.  Vicky initially got into the ‘nitty gritty’ of the role; not only interviewing me about what skills and experience were required but also got under the skin of the perfect person characteristics – what type of person, what attributes and personality type we needed as well as what type of person would not fit the spec.  I have never known such a thorough process; it worked though and our new colleague has worked out to be a perfect fit.

AV - Name supplied

A performance management process aligned to your business drivers is key to any organisation’s success.  We can offer objective setting process, regular feedback and review tools to ensure that your employee’s work is aligned to your overall goals, so they stay on the right track and you get value from them.

'We embarked on a detailed project to hone our business values, and to set up proper performance management and regular employee/ manager reviews.  What was great was that Vicky was actively engaged with not only the Board of Directors but all of the staff as well.  Really taking the time to get to know us and our amazing team too.'

Mike Whelan, MD Digital Garage Group

We can work with you to help you articulate your Mission, Vision and Values.  We can bring these to life in collaboration with your team and implement tried and tested initiatives to help you engage your most valuable assets – your people.

'She kept us on track and helped us see that process through to the creation of detailed and successful Mission, Vision and Values documentation'

Mike Whelan, MD Digital Garage Group

Our Accredited Coach  offers a six-month 1:1 coaching programme tailored to you and your needs.   This includes an initial coaching assessment to establish goals, outcomes and measures of success, 6 x 60-minute coaching sessions (online or in-person, depending on location) and heaps of tools, hints, tips and real tangible tools for your tool box to take away and implement in your daily life.  Our Coach works uses a proven methodology to support your personal and professional development.  You will be amazed at how powerful and transformational coaching can be.

We help you identify your talent, develop and retain to ensure your future business success.

We worked with Cinnamon HR to analyse what skills our team had and where the gaps were that were necessary to achieve our strategic plans.  What Vicky did next was help each employee devise their own PDP and coached them to present it to their managers.  The results have been tangible; empowered employees engaged in their own development.

GM, name supplied

We provide bite-sized training and development programmes to help your employees to learn new skills. We offer the following 'bite sized' programmes:

• Developing new managers
• Introduction to performance management
• Recruitment and selection
• Effective line management
• Managing team dynamics
• How to communicate effectively, avoid conflict and manage difficult conversations 

All training and development programmes will be delivered in-person or virtually by our qualified and accredited Coach, Trainer and Consultant and can be tailored to suit your needs. Each programme is designed to show a measurable impact.

If you have a training and development need in mind and would like to discuss the best approach to meet this need, then please get in touch.

There are a wide variety of reward and recognition tools that we can implement aligned to your culture and business drivers.  Leading to the creation of a total reward offering - that have, for some organisations, been transformational and recognised at National Award level.

An in-house bonus scheme linked to performance, an employee lead recognition initiative and implementation of job families – these would never have happened without the expertise and tenacity of Vicky and her team at Cinnamon HR.  We have never looked back since engaging with them on a retained basis.

SW, name supplied 

Sometimes things don’t always go according to plan; at Cinnamon HR we have years of experience of managing restructures and employee exits.  We can take the emotion out of these processes for you and pride ourselves on handling everything.  Our clients comment on our approach in dealing with these situations in a considerate and professional way.

'Vicky played an invaluable role in supporting management across all levels with difficult decisions and implementation of the restructure process throughout the company. I definitely recommend Cinnamon HR; Vicky is professional, and her services always go the extra mile’.

Llewellyn Mulder,  Previous MD, International Applications ltd

Vicky was so calm and collected, she walked us through the restructure process in such a professional and humane way.  She was knowledgeable and practical at the same time.  We couldn’t have achieved the results from the restructure we did without her! 

AB, name supplied 

Cinnamon HR provided a much needed professional and impartial input into our recent disciplinary process. The HR Consultant took time to get to know us and the complex case, provided an investigation script and supported our Team Leader to conduct the investigation. She acted as Minute Taker and typed up the notes. She gave my colleague the confidence to go into the meeting fully equipped and prepared, and feeling confident in what was a completely alien situation for our business. The Trade Union Representative involved commented that they wished that all workplace investigations had been so thorough. I can't thank Vicky enough. Name supplied, Banbury based manufacturer. 

Our expert team have proven experience following project management methodologies to lead your HR projects to success.  These services are available to retained clients as well as bespoke project management assignments.  Previous projects include:

• Creating a bespoke employer brand to harness an organisation’s USP
• Implementing a global performance management process
• Job evaluation project
• TUPE transfers
• Company restructure including collective consultation 

To name but a few.

We give you sensible and practical HR advice and guidance in a legally compliant and no-nonsense approach.  We support you every step of the way.  You have the peace of my that our advice is CIPD approved and insured.

‘Vicky has advised managers ensuring we have the right people in the right place and has helped them with a number of tricky people issues. Her advice always achieves the right balance of ‘doing the right thing’ to be legally compliant and what is right for our business in the unique fast paced environment that we work in.'

Craig O’Shaunessy, Director, Xpress Centres.

We offer CV consultation, job search strategies and interview preparation to individuals as well as groups.

Thank you Vicky, for all your support in helping me enhance my CV and have faith and confidence in my skill set.  I felt so much better after our sessions and honestly don’t think I would have secured the job I am now in without your help, advice and encouragement.

BD, Name supplied