As luxury watchmaker Geckota has grown, HR People Support has provided flexible and scalable HR guidance to support their expanding team. By implementing a secure HR management platform and aligning benefits and processes with Geckota’s collaborative culture, HRPS has allowed Geckota’s leaders to focus on strategic growth with the peace of mind that their HR needs are expertly managed.
Founded in 2012 by entrepreneur Jon Quinn, Geckota is a trusted and much-loved provider of luxury watches and accessories. Their unique products are available on-line through an innovative, respected, and ‘watch focused’ portal. Geckota’s watches are elegant, vibrant, and meticulously designed – perfect for enthusiasts and first-time buyers alike, and the company has full control over design, marketing, and despatch. The company employs approximately 20 full-time members of staff.
As an ever-growing and successful company, Geckota take employment procedures and employee welfare very seriously, and the managed HR partnership started in 2019 with Charlton HR who merged with HR People Support (HRPS) in 2022. Says Jon Quinn, Geckota’s Founder and Managing Director:
“As our business started to scale and require employees, we wanted to ensure everything was built correctly from the start. The team at HRPS worked with us to set up a HR management platform that handles secure employee personal data, leave and attendance management, contracts, procedures, documentation, and an appraisal process. They also worked with us to introduce an employee benefit scheme and a culture of collaborative working that matched our business objectives.”
Having a level of HR support that meets the size and requirements of a company is a positive attribute for successful business growth. In general, SME start-ups cannot afford to employ a full time HR manager, and as business increases, many continue to work with a third-party HR partner in preference to hiring in-house HR management.
It’s a fact of business life that there will be times when companies need additional HR help to deal with unforeseen circumstances – usually linked to growth, change, or day-to-day workforce issues that have become challenging. Being able to increase and decrease support to meet those peaks and troughs in demand is highly advantageous.
Continues Jon Quinn:
“Our commercial relationship with HRPS enables us to increase and decrease the level of support we need to suit the demands of the business. The core service is based around an agreed number of hours for each month, and at times we have increased the number of hours required to include weekly on-site support. They’ve helped us with team leader development, appraisal meetings, and formal HR guidance advice.”
The reassurance of knowing that all HR processes and procedures are fully compliant and up to date removes an enormous burden from senior management. Business leaders are free to focus on more productive company priorities in the knowledge that all HR policies and procedures are in place and fully compliant with UK employment law.
Working with professionals on a regular retained basis for an agreed number of hours each month is a great way to secure HR expertise, safe in the knowledge that should the need arise, increased levels of support are immediately available. Concludes Jon Quin:
“I’m a great believer in the division of labour that allows people to focus on their areas of expertise whilst working towards a common goal. We see HRPS as our human resources department, and Helen as our dedicated HR Consultant. It’s an excellent arrangement.”