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For smaller businesses with little or no in-house HR expertise, the function can seem both daunting and costly. But Helen Stocker of HR Delivered, sees this in a very different way.

With her four-strong team, she has built a successful business – recognised as a double finalist in this year’s SME Bedfordshire Business Awards – by making HR skills accessible, affordable, and transparent for businesses with anything from 5 to 50 employees.

Helen and her colleague Tracy Garrett took a break from their busy schedule recently to talk to us about their business, their membership of the Chamber, and their excitement at being nominated as awards finalists, and it makes for interesting reading!

HR options to suit every client

Helen’s business, now in its fourth year of operation, serves clients that have a need for HR support but can’t commit to the cost of full-time HR specialist. Many of these clients often make do instead with a junior HR resource to handle administrative processes like offer letters and the issuing of contracts and company handbooks.

But despite this typical client profile, Helen is very clear that different clients often require different methods of engagement and varying levels of additional support, so she has developed a range of services to cover all bases.

The monthly HR Support service, for example, ensures clients’ contracts and other employment documentation is compliant - a hot topic at the moment, as the introduction of the new Employment Rights Bill rings the changes over the coming year. It also includes access to expert, phone-based HR advice whenever needed – providing ongoing support and peace of mind as part of the package.

For businesses seeking a more strategic level of HR support, HR Delivered’s Power of Three package brings together three essential elements: strategic HR partnering, hands-on operational support, and expert administrative assistance.

This all-in-one solution ensures leaders are supported at every level – from shaping long-term people strategies to managing day-to-day HR matters and maintaining smooth back-office operations. It’s a flexible, high-impact solution designed to grow with the business.

Proactive and people-focused

But Helen’s also keen to point out that the team is proactive and invites the same engagement from its clients.

”We don’t just want to hear from you when you’ve got a problem,” she says, “we want to hear from you when you’ve got an HR idea, or a question, or a project in mind, so we can start to help you as early as possible in the process.”

“We also understand that some HR decisions inevitably have a human impact, and we’re determined to ensure our clients are able to get back to their staff with all the information they need and are entitled to. It’s all about care.”

Chamber membership and SME Awards

Of the company’s membership of the Chamber, Helen says: “We’ve been members for three years now, and we’re in the top 50 of the most active member companies, so we’re regular networking attendees. We also recently sponsored the joint Bedfordshire-Hertfordshire-Cambridgeshire Chambers Meet the Neighbours event.”

“The Chamber gives us so many opportunities to share information about our business, and we get visibility and referrals from that. The team there is brilliant – they really want you to succeed.”

And as for the company’s finalist nominations in two categories of the SME Bedfordshire Business Awards 2025, Helen enthuses: “We’re thrilled! These awards have a really authentic, genuine feel about them. We’ll definitely be going to the Awards Final; it’s a great night out, as well as an opportunity to thank our team for all their hard work.”

“Now we just have to wait and see if we’ve won!”

For more information on how to join Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce, visit www.chamber-business.com, or call our friendly team on 01582 522448.