Stockport business prepares for the future

The future looks bright for a local electrical firm thanks to some expert advice from The HR Dept Wilmslow.

Addison Electrical Contracting is a Stockport-based family business. The firm provides electrical maintenance and contracting services for the housing and commercial property market.

Working across the country, Addison Electrical Contracting specialises in electrical maintenance, installations, inspections, testing and repairs. The firm’s customer base includes property developers, construction companies, property management firms, letting agents, private landlords and domestic homeowners.

As part of a business growth strategy, Addison Electrical Contracting was recently looking to restructure to form a new Ltd company. The firm’s Directors contacted local Human Resources (HR) expert Emma Fay-Touhey to seek advice on making changes to the structure of the business.

Emma Fay-Touhey, Director of the HR Dept Wilmslow says: “I guided Addison Electrical Contracting through the process of changing the legal entity of the business. Following the formation of a new Ltd company, existing staff technically have a new employer, so this raises a number of HR issues.”

The HR Dept Wilmslow provided Addison Electrical Contracting with bespoke contracts of employment for current team members and a new agreement to be used for subcontractors. A consultation period was organised to answer any queries from existing permanent staff in relation to their new employment contracts and the change in the business structure.

Emma Fay-Touhey says: “A contract of employment should be carefully tailored in order to reflect a firm’s unique working practices and fully explain its procedures. The contract should clearly set out the obligations and entitlements for the employer and employee, to ensure both parties are protected.”

Director of Addison Electrical Contracting, Sandra Addison, says: “Changing the structure of the business and complying with all the legal regulations seemed like a minefield, so it was great to have The HR Dept to help us. Emma was very knowledgeable and recommended a lot of changes to our existing contracts of employment to protect the family business and our staff.”

Sandra Addison adds: “A lot of SMEs like ours don’t have a requirement for a permanent in-house HR role, but getting the right professional advice is important. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the services of The HR Dept Wilmslow to other local firms. Emma is fantastic to work with and nothing is ever too much trouble.”

Following on from the recent company restructure, The HR Dept Wilmslow has provided Addison Electrical Contracting with a range of ad hoc HR services. This includes support and advice on disciplinary matters and occupational health issues.