Hi, I’m Alison. I’m a straight-talking HR professional, a firm believer that kindness and accountability belong in the same conversation, and the person you call when a people problem is keeping you awake at night.
I founded Sparks HR Consultancy Ltd because workplaces work better when their people feel valued, supported and understood. HR doesn’t need to feel cold, overly corporate or full of jargon. It can be practical, personal and commercially focused while still treating people like human beings.
With more than 25 years’ experience in HR, learning and development and workplace culture, I help businesses create stronger teams, confident managers and healthier, more inclusive workplaces. I’m also passionate about improving workplace support for people affected by menopause and moving employers beyond a policy or one-off awareness session towards meaningful, lasting change.
Whether I’m helping a business navigate a complex employee issue, developing its leaders or transforming its approach to menopause inclusion, I bring warmth, honesty and practical solutions. I’ll tell you what you need to know, explain what it means and help you decide what to do next, without making HR feel more complicated than it needs to be.
Need the people side of your business to feel less stressful? Here’s what I bring to the table:
→ Practical HR support, from everyday advice to complex employee relations
→ Strategic people planning that supports the organisation’s wider goals
→ Leadership and management development that builds confidence and capability
→ CPD-accredited workplace menopause training created from my own specialist material
→ CPD-accredited Menopause Champion programmes and workplace transformation support
→ Workplace mediation to resolve conflict and rebuild working relationships
→ Insights Discovery profiles and workshops to improve communication and teamwork
→ A human approach that balances compassion, fairness and accountability
Fun fact: Sparks HR is named in memory of my dad, whose nickname was “Sparks”. The business is part of his legacy and a daily reminder of why I want my work to make a genuine difference.
Come and say hello, I’m always happy to have an honest conversation about your workplace, your people and what could make things better.
Listen to my podcast here – Find Your Spark: Real-Life Menopause Moments!
My HR career began more than 25 years ago and has taken me across operational HR, organisational development, leadership training, learning and development, mediation, coaching and workplace culture. I’m a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, an accredited mediator, an Insights Discovery Practitioner and a qualified coach and mentor.
After losing my dad, I decided it was time to build something of my own. I launched Sparks HR Consultancy Ltd in 2023, combining everything I had learned throughout my career with the kind of HR support I believe businesses genuinely need: approachable, commercially aware and centred around people.
Alongside my wider HR work, I specialise in workplace menopause inclusion. I’m a qualified Menopause Coach, an experienced Menopause Trainer and a CPD Approved Provider. I created my own accredited courses for colleagues, managers and Menopause Champions, together with practical tools and longer-term programmes that help organisations turn good intentions into genuine cultural change.
I don’t believe that downloading a policy or delivering a single awareness session is enough. Managers need confidence, colleagues need understanding and those experiencing menopause need to know that speaking up will lead to meaningful support. Done properly, menopause inclusion can help employers retain experienced people, reduce avoidable absence, strengthen engagement and create workplaces where people can continue to thrive.
I’m incredibly proud to have been selected by Theo Paphitis as a Small Business Sunday (#SBS) winner, joining a nationwide community of recognised small businesses. I’ve also received awards for my work in workplace culture and HR transformation. For me, the real value of this recognition is the opportunity it creates to reach more employers, start more important conversations and make a difference to more workplaces.
What matters most to me is the impact behind the recognition: a manager handling a difficult conversation well, an employee feeling heard, a conflict being resolved or someone no longer believing they must leave a career they love.
Away from work, I’m a proud wife, mum and nanna. You’ll often find me celebrating my children’s achievements, cheering from the sidelines at dance competitions, talking about my son’s passion for radio and podcasting, helping my eldest daughter plan her wedding, or spending time with my gorgeous grandkiddies. I also love our family holidays, the more of us, the better, with 22 of us heading away together this year! Family is at the heart of why I built Sparks HR and continues to inspire everything I do as the business grows.
My philosophy is simple: strong workplaces need clear expectations, capable leaders and genuine human connection.
At Sparks HR, we bring the human back into workplaces.
