The daughter of the founder of Bristol-based The HR Dept – one of the UK’s most successful outsourced human resources companies – has become its managing director.
Gemma Tumelty has taken overall responsibility at the firm and will lead the support of a network of highly qualified HR experts operating in 80 areas around the UK and Ireland.
She is daughter of The HR Dept’s founder and former managing director Sue Tumelty, who set up the business in 2002. Sue is stepping back from the day-to-day running of the business but will continue as chair.
Aimed at providing top level HR advice and support to SMEs, without the requirement to employ an HR director full time, The HR Dept took on its first licensee at the end of 2004.
Since then it has grown to cover most of the UK, recently launching in Ireland and also announcing plans to expand further afield including in Australia.
Last year The HR Dept set a coverage target of 100 territories before the end of 2016 and it is well on track to meet its goal.
Together, the licensees offer affordable outsourced HR advice support to thousands of small businesses, bringing experience and high levels of service to companies which have neither the need nor the budget to employ an HR director full time.
Weston-super-Mare born Gemma was formerly president of the National Union of Students. She moved on to communications and stakeholder management roles at the TUC and later worked in the office of the former Labour leader Ed Miliband.
She left that job in early 2014 to move back to Bristol join The HR Dept.
Previously a director at The HR Dept’s head office in Winterbourne Down, near Bristol, in her new role she will be in charge of a team of four and assumes overall responsibility for the growth of the business nationwide and beyond.
She said: “The HR Dept’s services have never been more relevant, with small businesses in the UK and Ireland facing complex employment legislation and needing maximum performance from their staff in order to drive their businesses forward after a tough recession.
“So, we have exciting plans for this company as we continue to expand our network. We are well on track to achieve the target of 100 territories around the two countries before the end of this year.
“It is over a decade since our first licensees started operating and since then our levels of customer satisfaction have remained extremely high. I am determined that this indicator of the quality of services that our licensees offer will continue as we develop their offering and continue to grow.
“It is an exciting time for this company and I look forward to working with my colleagues to develop it further.”
Sue Tumelty added: “It really is great to be able to put the future of this company in the hands of my daughter and someone in whom I have such confidence.
“I have no doubts at all about her ability to move the company forward with great strength and prosperity.”
Pictured: Gemma and Sue Tumelty
