Outsourced HR support for small businesses across the North East.

I'm Alice, an HR consultant based in Darlington. When something goes wrong with a member of staff, the person least well-placed to deal with it is usually the one who hired them. I come in, look at the facts, keep things calm and sort it properly, so you can stop carrying it around with you.

Book a Free Consultation
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No long-term lock-in

All support packages run on a rolling monthly basis. Your first month is higher because it covers your contracts of employment and employee handbook. After that, 30 days' notice on either side.
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Me, not a call centre

Every call and every email comes to me. I know your business, I know your people, and when something comes up you get a straight answer from someone who knows your situation.
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Prices on this page

No competitor in this area shows what they charge. I do. Monthly support starts from £75. One-off work starts from £100. You know what you're getting before you pick up the phone.
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I'm not a call centre.
I'm an HR consultant

The big HR providers will tie you to a five-year contract and promise a 24/7 phone line. It sounds good until you're locked in, calling on a Tuesday morning, and speaking to someone who has no idea who you are or what your business does. I've had clients come to me after exactly that.

I work differently. My support runs month to month with no minimum term. If you come on board and after a couple of months it isn't right, 30 days' notice and that's it. No penalties, no awkward conversations, nothing to explain. You should stay because it works for you, not because you signed something you can't get out of.

Every call comes to me. I've been working in HR for 10 years and I hold a CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management. Before I moved into HR I spent 10 years as a primary school teacher, and it turns out that keeping things calm, dealing with difficult situations, and having the conversations nobody else wants to have are exactly the same job.

I work Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. Nothing in HR needs a 24/7 response. What it needs is someone who picks up and knows what to say.

Four ways to work with me

Whether you're getting started or dealing with something specific, there's an option that fits where your business is right now.

I don't do recruitment. It's often assumed to be part of HR, but it's not something I offer. Everything that happens once someone's been hired is what I do.

What clients say

Excellent

5.0 Google Average 5 star review for Alice Potter HR

Based on 8 reviews

10 years in HR. CIPD Level 5 qualified.
5 stars from every client who's reviewed.

I've been working in HR and people management since 2016. Before that, 10 years as a primary school teacher. I hold a CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management, based near Darlington, and I've helped businesses across the North East: from first-time employers getting the basics right to organisations with management layers and complex employee relations work.

Excellent

5.0 Google Average 5 star review for Alice Potter HR

Based on 8 reviews

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Based near Darlington.

Working across the North East.

I work with businesses across the North East: Darlington, Durham, Bishop Auckland, Stockton-on-Tees, Newcastle and the surrounding areas. For the right client I'll travel further. For businesses that work remotely, I can do that too. If you're within an hour of Barnard Castle, I can be with you in person when it counts.

Common questions about working with me

Do you do recruitment?
No. I know it's often assumed to be part of HR, but I don't do any recruitment work. What I do is everything that happens once someone's been hired, from the paperwork to the conversations that are hard to have.
Am I tied in to a contract?
No. All my support packages run on a rolling monthly basis. Your first month is higher because it covers drafting your contracts of employment and employee handbook, which are yours to keep whatever happens after. From month two, it’s 30 days’ notice on either side. That’s all.
Do you offer 24/7 support?
No, and that’s a deliberate choice. I work Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.30. Everything in HR can be handled in those hours. Providers who offer 24/7 are putting you through to a call centre. That’s not something I’m willing to do.
How much does it cost?
Monthly support starts from £75 a month. One-off work starts from £100, with a fixed fee agreed before anything starts. Specific processes (disciplinaries, grievances, redundancy) start from £250.
How long does it take to get started?
The first step is a conversation, about an hour, where I get to understand your business, your team, and what you actually need. From there I put a proposal together. If it’s right for you, the paperwork is signed digitally and you’re up and running. Most clients are underway within a week of that first call.
What if I’m already in the middle of something?
Get in touch and tell me what’s happening. I’ll tell you what I can do and what it’ll cost before any work starts. That’s what Back Up is for.
What happens if I just try to deal with it myself?
You might be fine. Or you might handle it incorrectly and find yourself looking at an employment tribunal claim, solicitor fees of £20,000 to £40,000, and months of disruption, even if the outcome goes in your favour. I’m not saying that to scare you. I’m saying it because I’ve seen it, and it’s much cheaper to get it right first time.

Stop carrying it. Let's sort it.

Whether you're in the middle of something or you just want to get the basics right before something goes wrong, I'm available for a free, no-pressure call. You'll leave knowing what your options are.

Book a Free Consultation