HR expert Kim is excited by Highland opportunities
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Human resources expert Kim Hunter is bringing more than 20 years of corporate experience to the Highlands as she sets up her own business offering advice and support to small and medium sized firms.
She is relocating from Aberdeenshire to premises in Inverness to set up The HR Dept Highlands, which will be the fourth Scottish franchise for the human resources specialist.
While her initial meetings will be online, Ms Hunter is looking forward to meeting clients face-to-face.
“There’s no substitute for sitting down together over a coffee and a conversation about where the business is going and what the appropriate people strategy should be,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to getting out there to meet clients; SME business owners who care passionately about their organisations.
“I’m looking forward to supporting businesses to make the right people decisions which will allow them to successfully impact on their growth and development.
“The Highlands is such an exciting business environment, with so many growth areas like energy and its associated supply chains, engineering, technology, food and drink and life sciences.”
Her career to date has seen her working with energy consulting giant Wood PLC, Tesco Bank and Danish emergency services and healthcare firm Falck.
She is currently a non-executive director with Montrose Port Authority, a role which she plans to continue alongside growing her new business.
“It’s great to be focusing on my own doorstep,” she added. “My partner is a winchman paramedic on the search and rescue helicopter operating out of Inverness, so he’s delighted he won’t have to commute anymore.
“Clearly with the pandemic going on there are some difficult scenarios but at the same time there are industries which are really thriving. Those businesses who are planning now will be the ones which can take advantage of all the opportunities that will come once the pandemic eases.
“All SMEs will have to acknowledge the long-term changes they will have to make because of Covid, especially when it comes to their people. People are the greatest asset of any business so it’s vital to get those strategies right.”
