Carolyn Bayliss
07949 777462
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Always looking for ways to improve systems and develop processes. Believes that people are at the heart of organisations and that they should be looked after and developed and with that a business will bloom.
EXPERIENCE
Since 2012 working on my own initiatives and supporting businesses in social media management and digital promotion. Working on Facebook and Instagram including photography, graphics, copywriting, videoing etc. Accounts have included @visitwalsall (over 1,000 followers), @tkblinds, @holistichounds, @bescotpromotions, @carolynbaylisscreative, @walsallartsfest.
Achievement: co-ordinating videod conversation between Rawtrachs and Horace Panter of The Specials about racism in the West Midlands and how music can unify people (on Youtube and Artspace2016 on Facebook)
Circa 8 years HR experience
Company confidential – since end June 2023
Working for a business that has been bought out by a large national retail chain. HR management – grievance and disciplinary interviews and investigations, note taking for statements, welfare management and reports, involvement in a redundancy. Change management – working on training strategy as HR responsibilities will be passed to managerial and supervisory staff. Developing training material and guides. GDPR project planning the storage of digital records on HR system. Looking at retention periods for different types of records. Reporting on HR best practice for Managing Director. Comparing policies and procedures of both businesses in order to establish best practice.
September to October 2022 – creating policies and procedures for a business that is now making their HR department more formal. Ensuring legal compliance and best practice around Harassment and Bullying in the Workplace, Diversity and Equal Opportunities, Whistleblowing, Grievances and Disciplinaries and Dismissal. Looking at processes for advertising, interviewing and recruiting, inductions, appraisals, performance management, benefits and motivation as well as HR record keeping.
April to July 2022 – TFC Europe – Group HR Manager – Warehouse and logistics industry – review of internal HR processes and procedures before take over by American company who will manage HR centrally. CEO feedback was that had the organisation remained independent my work would have made a difference to the structure of the business.
Refreshing knowledge through Associate Membership of the CIPD and using their resources as well as using the ACAS and Government websites, internet searching and following social media.
Recruitment – writing advertisements that are fair and inclusive. Initial sifting of candidates and working with hiring managers. Carrying out Right to Work checks. Producing Offer Letters.
Creating Flexible Work Agreement – ensuring that trial period was included and response was made within three months of the request.
Onboarding new starters – setting up on HR database and checking that people have settled in. Liaising with managers to ensure that probationary periods are going well.
Guidance and assistance – working with managers around disciplinary issues and carrying out a termination. Ensuring fairness and offering support to employee before this happened.
Inclusion and diversity – recommending company-wide online training and planning for the principles of equality to be embedded in appraisal schemes as well as looking at Emotional Intelligence and goal setting.
Drafting Settlement Agreement – looking at how this would compare to a redundancy payment, taking into account restrictive covenants, compensation and possible unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, sex and age discrimination claims.
HR database development – looking at the introduction of routine HR processes being run through the system. Management reporting. Starters and leavers and holiday administration.
Payroll and benefits administration – liaising with payroll consultancy each month, ensuring auto-enrolment into Workplace Pension, eye test administration etc.
Culture analysis – looking at the culture of the business and managerial style.
Trainer in colleges in London and Hong Kong (1 year plus short course). Classroom training students in IT and office skills. HR experience (6 years with manufacturing companies in Birmingham) and supporting the roll out of online benefit selection in London.
2017 to 2019 Burley Law – PA/Practice Manager – setting up internal processes and finance management using Xero and Workflowmax.
2013 to 2016 – Walsall Arts Fest Founder Organising art events taking initial idea to full design stage. Sourcing artists from around the UK. Hosting Q&A with award-winning writers and film director. Fundraising with Walsall College (£1,001 for local children with cerebral palsy). Public art displays. Promotion on radio, TV and front page of press. Working with sponsors such as Launer London who make handbags for The Queen. Developing relationships with artists, venues, sponsors and businesses.
Circa 15 to 20 years experience in law firms in Birmingham, London and Hong Kong. PA to partners and solicitors. Bevan Brittan, Birmingham – Legal PA to Tax Partner and her team. London law firms, Schillings, Davenport Lyons, Vizards Wyeth, Lovells and more as a Legal PA. Herbert Smith in Hong Kong. Organising events and working in various offices including the NHS, local authorities and law firms. PA roles and office management and being involved with the care of my parents.
SOFTWARE USE
Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Outlook. Xero and Workflowmax for finance management and time recording and billing. WordPress and Dreamweaver for websites. Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator for design. Canva for social media use. Various databases in HR and other fields. Document management systems for producing documents and sharing documents.
QUALIFICATIONS
BSc(Hons) Psychology – Plymouth University – Third Class
Options – Gender Issues, Psychology of Work, Behaviour Modification and Group Behaviour
Institute of Personnel & Development (now CIPD) – Birmingham Polytechnic – Graduate – Employee Relations, Employee Development and Employee Resourcing
Certificate in Personnel Practice
RSA I, II & III Typing
RSA I & II Audio Typing and English Language
RSA 80wpm Shorthand (Pitman) – now rusty and I minute meetings using a laptop
Typing – 70+ wpm
TRAINING
Excel, Access, Equal Opportunities in Employment, Health & Safety and Risk Assessments