Two expert human resources practitioners have joined forces to create a company which provides outsourced HR advice and support to businesses across Newport, Monmouthshire and Cardiff.

In late 2015 Caryl Thomas set up The HR Dept in Cardiff, bringing more than a decade of corporate experience, having previously worked in London, Edinburgh and overseas, for the benefit of local SMEs.

She was followed two years later by Chepstow resident Laura Sihdu, who set up a similar company covering the neighbouring areas of Newport and Monmouth.

Now the two have amalgamated their businesses to become The HR Dept Cardiff, Newport and Monmouth, with a territory which covers business communities from Cardiff right up to the Forest of Dean.

Caryl will head up the team of four in Cardiff and, with further extension plans for 2020, plans to add at least one more team member in the next six months to support the growing local demand for HR support. Laura, as HR manager, will look after service delivery while Caryl focuses on developing the business.

Caryl said that her and Laura’s combined successes over the past four years demonstrated that the new, expanded territory provides ample opportunities to help, support and nurture the types of businesses to which The HR Dept Cardiff, Newport and Monmouth offers services.

She said: “It’s been a great four years and I’m delighted to be collaborating with Laura to grow the business even further. With a wide range of experience across many sectors, I am delighted to welcome someone of Laura’s calibre to help grow the team.

“What I want to reassure Laura’s existing clients is that she’s not going anywhere and, if anything, what our combined company offers is an enhanced service with an even greater pool of experience which clients can tap into.”

And Caryl said that in the current social and economic climate, there was growing appetite for the outsourced expertise of highly-qualified HR advisers.

“Since I set up the business it’s become even more clear to me how important good HR advice is for SME owners looking to manage increasingly complex people issues,” she said.

“It’s a challenging time to be running a business and with legislation and workplace culture changing all the time, combined with change in the political landscape, there are unique HR obstacles to overcome.

“It’s clear that business owners are largely not HR experts, so what we offer is the freedom and confidence to focus on running or growing the business, leaving us to sort out the people management side of things.”

The HR Dept Cardiff, Newport and Monmouth is part of the wider HR Dept organisation, a network of 75 franchisees providing services in 112 territories in the UK, Ireland and Australia.

The HR Dept provides high-level experience but at an affordable rate for growing businesses, who can outsource HR advice and support without needing the budget for an in-house HR team.

Gemma Tumelty, managing director of The HR Dept, said: “It’s an exciting time for Caryl, Laura and the team as they join forces to serve business across their combined territory.

“We wish them all the best and are sure they, and their team, will enjoy continued success.”