ANNMARIE THOMSON

Partnered with clients to deliver end-to-end HR and Employee Relations: investigations, disciplinary hearings, medical capability, gross misconduct, grievance resolution, ACAS guidance, risk mitigation, stakeholder engagement, cost avoidance, multi‑site delivery

• Owned end‑to‑end ER casework for high‑risk matters (gross misconduct, medical capability, complex grievances); led investigations and hearings, QA‑tested evidence and advised managers on proportional, defensible outcomes aligned with ACAS a gross‑negligence case outcome was upheld at appeal and my documentation saved 10–15 hours in legal review/HR rework
• Enabled an organisation‑wide reset of working patterns, securing early stakeholder buy‑in and avoiding formal consultation (approx. 25–30 hours saved in HR/legal prep); improved morale across four teams, and strengthened leadership capability through targeted coaching.
• Managed a six‑month unmanaged absence via the medical‑capability pathway, coordinating with Occupational Health and managers to enable a supported return; reduced agency spend by £1,200/month, protected SLA delivery across three client sites and prompted a client request for me to act as lead advisor on account.

Provided expert employment law and HR advisory services, resolving complex policy and contract issues for diverse clients.

• Advised on a critical absence reporting breakdown, reframing norms and restoring managerial confidence, saving 12-15 hours in investigation and disciplinary meetings by avoiding formal action for three employees.
• Proposed and implemented a lawful alternative to redundancy via short-time working, preserving eight roles and avoiding re-hire costs estimated at over £3,000.
• Diagnosed implied employee status on zero-hours contracts, challenging informal dismissal requests and enabling compliant redundancy pathways.
• Collaborated with the documentation team to embed assessment practices, significantly reducing legal exposure across four similar cases and enhancing future defensibility.

Managed HR operations and compliance, focusing on employee lifecycle management, training, and cultural infrastructure development.

• Embedded scalable, GDPR-compliant practices across the employee lifecycle, ensuring integrity of employee records and onboarding documentation.
• Successfully passed an ISO 45001 audit with zero HR findings, avoiding over 40 hours of remediation and safeguarding brand credibility.
• Designed and implemented a comprehensive training framework, co-developed with Skills Development Scotland, to embed behavioral clarity and adaptability.
• Enabled 12+ apprentices and Kickstart placements, securing Young Persons Guarantee accreditation and reducing onboarding time by approximately 30%.
• Led the design of onboarding and handbook content, embedding behavioral standards and operational clarity across roles and policies.
• Translated strategic intent into repeatable, role-specific standards, enhancing consistency and strengthening early-stage confidence through measurable onboarding practices.

Directed multi-site retail teams, overseeing comprehensive people management, performance, and service delivery in high-volume environments.

• Directed multi-site retail teams across high-volume sector leading retail environments, taking full responsibility for people management, performance, and service delivery.
• Developed robust employee relations capabilities, successfully managing investigations, disciplinary actions, performance management, and conflict resolutions.