Shropshire HR firm nominated for national award

Níamh Kelly is one of 12 finalists from across the UK in the Best New Business category at the National Business Women’s Awards. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London in November.

Ms Kelly launched The HR Dept Shropshire in May 2018, a company which provides employment law and human resources support to small and medium sized businesses. She has more than 25 years experience as an HR professional and previously led HR operations at the Universities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

The awards are now in their third year and are held to recognise and raise the profile of industrious, hardworking and enterprising women nationally.

They are open to any business in the UK that started up prior to January 1, 2018, or for any new business set up between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Copthorne Tara Hotel, Kensington, London on November 20.

Ms Kelly was also a finalist in the Best New Business category at last year’s National Business Women’s Awards and won the Start-up Business of the Year Award at the 2019 Midlands Business Networking Awards.

“To be shortlisted for a second year running is a great honour and I am delighted to have been recognised in this way. It’s been quite a journey since I launched my own company two years ago and have been really pleased with what I have been able to achieve,” she said.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has been a terrible experience for so many people. It’s also been a really difficult time for businesses dealing with the challenges of lockdown and the uncertainties of what lies ahead.

“I have been exceptionally busy advising clients who were unsure about what sorts of measures they could access by way of support for their business needs moving forward.

“I’m working with clients employing up to 250 employees, in many cases late into the night to ensure the business community has clear, updated Government information as soon as possible.

“Sadly, I am also now working with clients who are faced with the difficult prospect of having to make staff redundant as they look towards contributing to the furlough scheme from August and through to when it ends in October.

“There are difficult challenges ahead and it’s important businesses plan for the future. Despite all the uncertainty, however, I remain optimistic and extremely proud of the business community and how businesses are helping each other through extremely difficult circumstances.”