Narrow Quay HR Consultancy

NQHR Club: Developing a reward strategy
2024-09-19 09:00 - 10:00 UTC | Virtual Online Event
Why do employees choose to work for you and what can you do to recruit and retain the best?
Salaries and benefits are critical in attracting and retaining the people you need, and by aligning your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to your organisation goals you can demonstrate that you are taking visible action to support its success. Key to this is your reward strategy; having a plan, aligning it to the future and engaging your people.
In this HR Club, we’ll introduce you to the key principles of developing a reward strategy that is strategic and ensures your EVP supports your organisation goals. This session will help you identify what to include in your reward strategy, and the stakeholders you need to engage with to ensure that your strategy delivers what your organisation needs. If your EVP needs an overhaul, then now is the time to ensure that you are taking a strategic approach to the future.
We’ll focus on the key principles you need to develop and also introduce the different types of pay structure and why they do and don’t work in different scenarios.
Join Sarah Martin and Jane Baalam from Narrow Quay HR to find out how a reward strategy could support your organisation.

NQHR Club: Taking reasonable steps to prevent workplace sexual harassment
2024-12-05 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Online Event
Join us for an HR Club session on the new duty to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent workplace sexual harassment, effective from 26 October.
All employers need to be aware of this important change in the law. This session will provide a high-level summary of the legal requirements, led by Jessica Scott-Dye, an expert professional support lawyer from VWV.
Jessica and Sarah Martin, HR consultant and director of Narrow Quay HR, will also provide insights on the practical steps organisations can take to mitigate risks and foster a more positive workplace culture, such as:

Employee listening
Strategic planning
Risk assessments
Workforce learning and development

There will also be an opportunity for questions. Don’t miss this essential update – We look forward to seeing you there.
Who should attend this session?
This webinar is aimed at Business leaders, HR teams and anyone responsible for people and culture within their organisations.

NQHR Club: Navigating Consultations
2025-02-13 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Online Event
We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming Quarterly HR Club, where we’ll focus on a topic that’s front of mind for many organisations in today’s challenging economic environment: Consultations.
As organisations navigate difficult decisions and adapt to evolving business demands, the need for effective consultation processes has never been greater. Whether managing collective consultations or addressing smaller-scale changes, these situations can be complex, sensitive, and demanding for HR teams.
In this session, we will:

Share practical insights: explore case studies that illustrate common challenges and how to overcome them.
Answer your questions: participate in our interactive Q&A surgery by submitting your questions in advance, ensuring we address the issues most relevant to you.
Provide guidance: learn tips and strategies to make consultation processes run more smoothly and minimise disruption.

Our aim is share the benefit of our experience of supporting clients through consultation processes in order to provide you with actionable insights and tools to support your organisation through these challenging times while maintaining fairness, clarity, and compliance.
We would encourage your questions before the event. Please submit any questions you may have to support@narrowquayhr.co.uk.
Who should attend this session?
This session is designed for HR professionals and those managing change across all sectors.

NQHR: Building Resilience: Essential Employment & HR Insights for the Creative Sector
2025-05-06 16:30 - 19:00 | NQHR Office, Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA, United Kingdom
We are delighted to be joined by guest speakers Charlotte Geeves (Executive Director – Bristol Old Vic) and Clare Reddington (CEO – Watershed) – both of whom will share the challenges their organisations face and how they have adapted to address them. They will also share the innovative approaches to the work done by their organisation.
VWV’s Gareth Edwards and Narrow Quay HR’s Caitlin Anniss will share updates on key employment and HR issues and will discuss how to effectively build resilience in your organisations.
Don’t miss this great opportunity to come along to this informative session to help prepare for the months ahead, network and connect with fellow leaders in the sector over drinks and canapés.

NQHR Club – Navigating difficult workplace conversations
2025-05-15 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Online Event
Avoiding difficult conversations can lead to bigger problems down the line. Join our free one-hour session designed for HR managers, business owners, and anyone responsible for HR.
We will share best-practice insights on:

What happens when tough conversations don’t happen early
The common barriers that hold managers back
Practical tips to build confidence and skill in handling these conversations.

Don’t miss this chance to gain valuable strategies to support you and your teams. Reserve your spot now.

HR Club – How to conduct sensitive workplace investigations
2025-09-25 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Online Event
To meet your duty to prevent sexual harassment, it is essential to know how to respond effectively when issues arise. The Equality and Human Rights Commission highlights the importance of training staff in trauma-informed investigation techniques.
Join this free, practical webinar to gain the key skills you need. You’ll learn how to:

Take the right first steps in an investigation
Conduct trauma-informed interviews with care and confidence
Write clear, professional investigation reports

Whether you’re leading an investigation or supporting a manager, this training will prepare you to handle allegations of sexual harassment, or any sensitive matter, with professionalism and empathy.
Who should attend?
Anyone involved in commissioning, supporting and carrying out workplace investigations.

Charity Law and HR Update
2025-11-25 16:30 - 19:30 | NQHR Office, Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA, United Kingdom
An evening of fresh perspectives, real-life case studies and connections.
We will explore the current trends in the sector and areas of focus for the Charity Commission. We’ll look at what it might mean for your trustees and staff and provide you with useful tips for navigating potential governance and HR challenges. The session will be informative and will have practical insights you can put into action. There will be an opportunity to network over drinks and canapés following the session.
What to expect:

Expert updates on current themes relevant to the charity sector
Real-life case studies to bring the issues to life
Interactive discussion with space for your questions
Networking with peers across the sector

Topics we will cover:

Managing disputes effectively
Building a strong, skills-based board
Approaching restructuring with confidence

Don’t miss this opportunity to stay informed, gain practical insights, and expand your professional network.
Who should attend this session?
This session is perfect for trustees and senior leaders from the charities sector looking to stay informed and connected.
Our speakers for this session
Jo Oliver, Partner – VWV
Laura Chesham, Partner – VWV
Sarah Martin, Director – Narrow Quay HR

Back to Basics - Managing Absence
2025-12-11 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Online Event
Join us for a practical webinar that goes beyond a simple overview of process.
We will explore the grey areas of absence management and share strategies to help you approach challenges with confidence.
Managing absence can be one of the most difficult areas to get right. We often see challenges where the process feels straightforward in theory, but in practice, real-life scenarios make things more complicated.
This free one-hour session will cover tricky issues such as:

Managing repeated short-term sickness absences and their impact on performance.
Moving from informal to formal processes.
What to do when you have overlapping performance and health issues.
Navigating stress-related absences triggered by workplace conflict or processes.
Determining appropriate levels of contact with employees on a long-term absence and responding if they are unwilling to engage.
Recognising when mental ill-health requires a different management approach.
Understanding when it may be fair to dismiss an employee who is too ill to work.
What to do if you doubt the genuineness of the sickness absence.

Our speakers for this session
Jo Bradbury – Senior HR Consultant, Narrow Quay HR
Andrew Miles – HR Consultant, Narrow Quay HR

Bringing Culture to Life in the Creative Sector
2026-01-13 16:30 - 19:00 | VWV – Bristol, Narrow Quay House, Bristol, BS1 4QA, United Kingdom
Please join us for an evening of networking and insights for the Creative Sector community in the region.
Join us for an evening of Insights and Knowledge Sharing – with Guest Speakers
Please join us for an evening of networking and insights for the Creative Sector community in the region. We are delighted to be joined by guest speakers Heidi Vaughan (CEO of Tobacco Factory Theatre) and Anand Mavani (Director of Strategy and Communications at Ethical Staffing) – both of whom will share how they really live their values and purpose through building relationships and effective cross-generational working.
Team members from NQHR and the employment team at VWV will also share updates on the Employment Rights Bill and give the opportunity for any questions you may have.
Narrow Quay HR’s Caitlin Anniss will be hosting the evening and the NQHR team look forward to welcoming you to this event.
We will be providing canapes and refreshments whilst you network and catch up with your colleagues in the community and meet new people.
Please share this invitation with colleagues in your organisations and others in your network who may want to come along to this free session.

Back to Basics – Managing grievances, supporting anyone responsible for managing HR issues in their organisation
2026-02-26 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Online Event
We are pleased to invite you to our next HR Club session: Back to Basics – Managing Grievances, a practical, one-hour session designed to support in-house HR teams and anyone responsible for managing HR issues in their organisation.
Grievances can be challenging to handle, particularly where emotions are high, issues are complex, or processes are unclear. This session will focus on practical tools, good practice, and common pitfalls, helping you to manage grievances with greater confidence and consistency.
We will cover:

What counts as a grievance (and what doesn’t)
Running effective grievance meetings
Handling counter-grievances and connected complaints
Managing grievances raised during disciplinary processes
Making balanced decisions and communicating outcomes
Practical dos and don’ts drawn from real-life scenarios

Who should attend this session?
Business leaders, HR teams, and anyone responsible for people and culture within their organisations.
Speakers: Caitlin Anniss, Claire Parr and Simon Martin

The First 6 months: Recruitment, Induction and Probation
2026-05-14 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Online Event
We are delighted to invite you to Narrow Quay HR’s next HR Club session: The First 6 months: Recruitment, Induction and Probation, a practical, one-hour webinar designed to support in-house HR teams and anyone responsible for managing HR issues within their organisation. The session will take place online from 9am to 10am on Thursday, 14 May 2026.
With the upcoming changes in 2027 reducing the qualifying period for unfair dismissal to six months and removing the compensation cap, effective probation management will become more critical than ever. Strong probationary practices, alongside effective recruitment and induction are vital tools for onboarding and retaining talent while managing organisational risks.
This session will provide practical tools, insights into good practice, and highlight common pitfalls, enabling you to approach recruitment, induction, and probationary periods with greater confidence and consistency.
What we will cover:
– Effective recruitment
– The importance of the induction process
– The purpose and importance of probation periods
– Setting clear expectations and objectives during probation
– Conducting effective probation review meetings
– Addressing concerns or performance issues during probation
– Making informed decisions at the end of the probation period
– Practical dos and don’ts drawn from real-life scenarios
Who should attend?
This session is designed for business leaders, HR teams, line managers and anyone responsible for people and culture within their organisations.
We look forward to welcoming you to this insightful session, helping you prepare for these upcoming changes and manage probation periods effectively.
Speakers: Lisa Reynolds and Sarah Martin

The impact of culture in our city - Narrow Quay HR creative sector event
2026-09-15 16:30 - 19:00 | VWV – Bristol, Narrow Quay House, Bristol, BS1 4QA, United Kingdom
Join us for an evening of networking, insights, and knowledge sharing for the creative sector community in the region with guest speakers.
Our guest speakers, Samir Savant (CEO of St George’s, Bristol) and Emma Harvey (CEO of Trinity Community Arts), will explore the importance of culture to the communities of Bristol and beyond. Samir will talk through the Hodge Review of Arts Council England, the key recommendations, and the impact. Emma will share her experience of being involved in Bristol’s bid for City of Culture, and the work she is doing in promoting the cultural development of Bristol.
Members of the Narrow Quay HR team and the employment team at VWV will also give a short update on the important Employment Act changes coming into effect in the Autumn and early 2027.
Narrow Quay HR’s Caitlin Anniss will be hosting the evening, and the NQHR team will be looking forward to welcoming you to this event.
We will be providing canapes and refreshments whilst you network and catch up with your colleagues in the community, and meet new people.
Please share this invitation with colleagues in your organisations and others in your network who may want to come along to this free session.

NQHR HR Club - harassment at work: understanding new employer responsibilities
2026-09-24 09:00 - 22:00 | Virtual Online Event
The law is changing, and for employers, knowing what to do in practice is what matters most.
This focused one-hour HR Club session will look beyond the legal updates to explore what your organisation should be doing to meet the new duty to prevent sexual harassment and manage the risks of third-party harassment. We’ll share practical tips, highlight the most common gaps, and walk you through the key steps to strengthen your approach with confidence.
What will this training cover?
This session will give you a clear understanding of your obligations under the new harassment duties, helping you to identify where your current approach may need strengthening and what actions to prioritise.
Who should attend this training?
This session is ideal for HR professionals, people managers and anyone with responsibility for workplace culture, compliance or employee relations.
Also of interest: Our employment law colleagues at VWV will be exploring the full suite of October reforms under the Employment Rights Act in their monthly webinar on 16 September. Alongside the updated workplace harassment duties, they will explain the changes that every employer should have on their radar, including the new right for trade unions to access workplaces even where they are not recognised. With so many significant changes taking effect in October, this is an excellent opportunity for employers to understand what all the reforms mean in practice and ensure they are prepared. Register your place to join the webinar on 16 September.

Inclusive Leadership: Shaping Boards across the South West
2026-10-14 17:00 - 19:30 | VWV – Bristol, Narrow Quay House, Bristol, BS1 4QA, United Kingdom
What will this cover?
Moon Executive Search, VWV, Narrow Quay HR, and Change the Race Ratio are delighted to invite you to an exclusive evening exploring the important conversation on accelerating ethnic minority representation in leadership teams and boards in the Southwest.
Who should attend:
The reception is open to executive and non-executive directors in the Southwest. Please feel free to share this invitation with fellow board directors. However, places for this event are limited as it’s sure to be extremely popular. Please let us know if you would like to reserve a place for you and a colleague and we would be delighted to add you to the attendance list.
Our speakers for this session:

Darren Towers – Group Head of Inclusion, Wellbeing and Early Careers, Spirax Group
Salma Maqsood – Partner, Porter Dodson & President, Bristol Law Society
Poku Osei – Founder, Merop Consulting & CEO, Babbassa

This event promises a dynamic forum to connect with peers and gain expert perspectives on the key issues around board diversity in the Southwest. Whether you’re navigating your own board diversity challenges or seeking to understand the broader impact of the Parker Review, this is an evening not to be missed.
Please email welcome@moonexecsearch.com to secure your spot or if you have any questions.

Employment Rights Act: Key changes and implications for charities
2026-11-03 17:00 - 19:30 | VWV – Bristol, Narrow Quay House, Bristol, BS1 4QA, United Kingdom
Key takeaways:
A clear, accessible overview of the Employment Rights Act changes Practical implications for workforce planning, governance, and risk Cross-sector perspectives on how different organisations are preparing Opportunities for Q&A and scenario-based discussion Actionable takeaways to support compliance and good practice
Who should attend:
HR professionals, senior leaders, chairs and trustees.
Our speakers for this session:
Jo Oliver, Partner – VWV
Caitlin Anniss, Director – Narrow Quay HR
Sarah Martin, Director – Narrow Quay HR

Please email welcome@moonexecsearch.com to secure your spot.
