Episode 59: HR Voices with Theresa Cooper – The Real Value of HR Consultancy

🎙️ HR Voices Podcast

A podcast for independent HR and people professionals, and the businesses they support

Host: Mary Asante | HR Independents

Episode 59: HR Voices with Theresa Cooper – The Real Value of HR Consultancy

Release Date: 29th September 2025

🎧 Episode Summary:

In this insightful episode, Mary Asante sits down with Theresa Cooper, founder of Cooperative HR, to unpack the real value of HR consultancy. Together, they challenge outdated perceptions of HR, explore the breadth of services consultants provide, and reveal how flexible, proactive support can protect and empower businesses of all sizes.

Whether you're a business owner, a team leader, or a fellow HR consultant, this episode gives you a practical look at what HR consultancy really looks like — and why it's about so much more than policies and paperwork.

💼 In This Episode:

• 🧭 Understanding HR Consultancy Today
• - What HR consultants actually do (and what they don’t)
• - Why good HR goes beyond templates and tick-boxes
• - The flexibility, cost savings, and strategic value of external support
• 🤝 How HR Consultants Work With Businesses
• - Supporting SMEs without in-house HR
• - Collaborating with internal teams on specialist projects
• - Adding value across the full employee lifecycle
• 🧠 The Consultant Mindset
• - The power of lived experience, industry variety, and independent thinking
• - Building client trust through honesty, clarity, and boundary setting
• - When to say "no" to work that doesn’t align with your values
• 📣 Lessons & Tips from Theresa’s Journey
• - Why listening to what clients aren’t saying is just as important
• - Using language like “we” to build true partnership
• - How to help clients make confident, informed decisions — even the hard ones
• 🛠️ Top 3 Tips for Engaging with HR Consultants
• 1. We’re not just about policies — consultants provide real-time, hands-on support.
• 2. We help you sleep at night — mitigating risk, reducing stress, and saving money.
• 3. We’re trusted partners — a sounding board with perspective and no internal agenda.

💬 Quotable Moments:

"Just because you can pay someone off, doesn’t mean you should."

"HR is about people — the human side of business — and treating them with fairness and transparency."

"You’re not just hiring me — you’re accessing a whole community of experts through HRi."

🎧 Listen & Engage

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📩 Email: hrvoices@hrindependents.co.uk

🌐 Visit: www.hrindependents.co.uk