Leading HR specialist expands into Wimbledon to fulfil growing demand in North Surrey
Leading HR consultancy The HR Dept North East Surrey and Kingston, has strengthened its position in North Surrey by expanding into Wimbledon to meet the growing demand for pragmatic HR and employment law advice to support local businesses.
Sandra Porter, Director and Owner, has been successfully running the business for nine years and by expanding into Wimbledon, hopes to build on these foundations by reaching the 11,000 enterprises that currently operate there. To meet the needs of this new region, Sandra is adding two new full-time HR professionals to her team of five.
Speaking of the expansion, Sandra said, “Wimbledon is an area that I have long been eager to support, and it fits perfectly alongside my current location. Not only is the area full of well-established businesses, but it also includes many organisations operating in professional services, which is our area of specialism. This region is full of brilliant, exciting organisations and I am looking forward to meeting even more of them through this move.”
Sandra is Chartered FCIPD qualified and has over 22 years of experience in senior HR roles across financial services, telecommunications and retail, with her last corporate role sitting on the Board for Starbucks UK & Ireland. As a West Londoner, Sandra’s intimate understanding of the local market, combined with a deep passion for helping businesses, has led many to seek out the dedicated, personal support that she and her team provide.
The HR Dept North East Surrey, Kingston & Wimbledon supports small to medium-sized businesses with a broad range of functions, from ensuring compliance with employment law policies, through to performance and productivity strategies, and even tribunals, including offering comprehensive Tribunal Indemnity Insurance. The team of qualified and experienced HR consultants look to offer everything that a large corporate HR team can, but at a fraction of the cost.
In the last six months, the firm has noted an increased demand from businesses for support in two key areas. One is in providing grounded advice around the Employment Rights Bill (ERB) that isn’t leaning into hyperbole. “The ERB is definitely front of mind” Sandra says, “Businesses keep being told that they need to prepare for it, but they don’t know how to, which isn’t helped by the constant negative news cycle. As a result, some business owners are being panicked into signing up to three- or five-year contracts with large call centre style employment law providers. I think this practice completely unethical, particularly as many businesses are already under financial pressure.
“Oftentimes, businesses will just need some practical guidance around how the employment law changes will impact their business specifically and then hands-on support to prepare them for the future. For the majority, any necessary amendments will be straightforward to implement and will not require an entire overhaul.”
With businesses facing rising operational costs, cost management and efficiency is another key area of focus. Sandra says: “Small businesses in the region are extremely resilient and are determined to retain their hardworking teams. However, external pressures are making it a challenging environment for businesses of all sizes to operate in. As a result, we are supporting many businesses with a focus on improving productivity by addressing people management issues such as underperformance, sickness issues and considering restructuring where it is necessary.”
In the face of potentially tough decisions, many are looking for someone who they can pick up the phone to, who understands their business and its specific pressure points and can provide expert and personalised advice when they need it most. Rather than clients contacting an impersonal call centre and then having to wait for a response, the team at The HR Dept North East Surrey, Kingston & Wimbledon prides itself on having dedicated HR Consultants who are reachable by mobile and in person and in offering pragmatic, personal support and peace of mind. “What people need most,” Sandra continues, “is reassurance in the form of a clear plan of action, and confident advice that they can trust.”
“Changes such as the ERB will impact businesses uniquely and therefore the support we provide is tailored specifically to how they operate. During this time, we also know how important it is for business owners to have a trusted partner at their side who understands their business inside out, has their best interests at heart and can relieve some of the pressure on their shoulders. We truly care about helping our clients to reach their goals, and we believe that’s what keeps them coming back.”
As part of the expansion, Sandra has launched a ‘Wimbledon Employers Series’ – a series of free webinars available to all Wimbledon employers, covering topics such as budgeting for 2026, preparing for the Employment Rights Bill and driving employee productivity. Those interested can reserve their spot via Eventbrite.
