Kate Booth recently made the career move from employment law solicitor to HR advisor and is working with New Dawn Resources in Holmfirth to support local businesses.

Kate has over a decade of experience in employment law and has provided expert advice and guidance to local, national and international businesses on a wide range of staff related issues. She has developed particular expertise in defending Employment Tribunal claims and was invited to give evidence to the House of Commons’ Justice Committee inquiry into Tribunal fees.

What is your business motto?

Our goal is to make working life better for our clients, it’s why we get up in the morning.

How do you make contacts which are useful for business?

Most of our work comes from word of mouth recommendations, delivering great service to our existing clients leads to introductions to new contacts.

What makes your business different?

We spend time getting to know our clients so that we can deliver a personalised service, tailored to their management style and business needs. We have a relaxed, non-judgmental approach and we’re happy to get directly involved in the on-site HR work our clients need.

What do you always have with you?

My Filofax! I know it’s a bit 1980s, but I like having a paper diary and am a bit of a stationary geek so treated myself to a Filofax a couple of years ago.

Do you dress-up or dress-down for business?

I dress for my day. If I’m going out to clients, I dress for their workplace whether that is smart officewear or safety boots and a hi-vis! If I’m in the office with no meetings, I’ll probably be in jeans.

Which person has inspired you most in your business life and in what way?

My dad. He also went into HR management through a non-traditional route and was very successful in his career. He has a very calm, balanced approach to things and earned the trust of fellow directors, senior management teams, staff and trade unions alike. He taught me that you must always treat people with respect and no matter what the situation, even in a disciplinary hearing which results in a dismissal, you must work to maintain the other person’s self-esteem.

What is your proudest achievement in business?

When I was working as a solicitor I submitted a written argument to the House of Commons’ Justice Committee Inquiry into Employment Tribunal fees and as a result I was one of ten legal experts called to give evidence to the committee on whether or not the fees represented a barrier to justice. It was a fantastic experience from a professional perspective and also a very proud moment for me (and my dad who came along to watch!)

What is your company’s greatest asset?

That’s a tough one but probably the knowledge and experience of our team, closely followed by our ability to see both sides of a situation as independent professionals. This often means we can achieve a mutually agreeable outcome, which is often the desired outcome of any HR scenario.

Do you use social media and, if so, with how much success?

Yes, although I’m sure I could be better at it!

If you hadn’t gone down your chosen career path, what would you be doing?

Writing. If I hadn’t qualified as a solicitor, I think I would have liked to be a journalist. I’ve done some articles for various publications and spend a lot of my free time writing fiction.

Give us one tip for a successful business

Few business leaders can be successful on their own. Employers need their staff to be engaged in the business and motivated to work. Good morale boosts productivity and reduces absenteeism. Having a clear and transparent business strategy that is communicated to staff so that they know what is going on and what role they play is a key factor in securing staff engagement.

At what time of the day are you most creative or inspired?

It probably varies from day to day, just whenever there is a quiet patch without the phone ringing and I can do some thinking.

How do you relax away from work?

When I’m not at work, I’m studying or writing. I think it’s important to keep learning and developing, both for my own sense of self-worth and also to boost the skills and service that I can offer to my clients.

When do you take your coffee break?

I don’t have a fixed time, I tend to work through the day and grab drinks as I go. I have a bad Diet Coke habit and quite often have a cold can of that on the go.

Who would you most like to have a coffee with?

My girlfriends. We all used to work in central Huddersfield and had a regular weekly coffee date, but most of us have now moved further out of town and so we can’t grab a lunchtime coffee as often as we used to.

What is your coffee break favourite?

You can’t beat a good bit of Rocky Road.