BUSINESSES • INDIVIDUALS • PROFESSIONAL PARTNERS
HR Consulting, Workplace Investigations, Fractional HR & More
Everything I do comes from the same place — 25+ years of understanding people, work, and business from the inside. Whether you need something practical and immediate, or a deeper thinking partner to help shape direction, it all connects. Have a read through. If you’re not sure where you fit, just get in touch — we’ll work it out together.
CHOOSE YOUR PATH
How Can I Help?
Businesses
HR support, recruitment, workplace investigations and leadership guidance for growing businesses.
Individuals
Career coaching, leadership development and workplace advocacy when you need support.
Professional Partners
Independent workplace investigations and specialist HR expertise for lawyers and advisors.
FOR BUSINESSES
HR support at every stage
I work with businesses at every stage — from getting the basics right through to senior-level thinking about people, culture, and direction. Some clients need me to roll my sleeves up. Some need a sounding board. Most need both.
Industries I work with
Healthcare & Medical • Property & Real Estate • Fintech & Financial Services • Engineering & Construction • Primary Industries & Agriculture • Trades & Labour • Retail • Hospitality & Tourism • Professional Services • Technology • Agribusiness & Dairy • Marine & Boating • Horticulture & Kiwifruit • Tourism Operators
HR Support & Advisory
Practical HR support for growing businesses.
HR foundations
Getting your HR foundations right.
You've grown. You're hiring. And somewhere along the way you've realised your employment agreements are out of date, or never really existed, your policies don't reflect how you actually operate, and you're not sure where you stand if something goes wrong.
I help businesses get the fundamentals properly in place: employment agreements, policies, job descriptions, and the HR processes that protect your business and your people. Done well, once, so you're not firefighting later.
Fractional HR
Your HR lead, when you need one.
You don't need a full-time HR person. But you do need access to senior HR thinking on a regular basis, someone who knows your business, is available when things come up, and can work at whatever level you need.
I work with businesses across New Zealand as their outsourced HR lead. Practical and hands-on when that's what's needed. Senior and directional when that's what's needed. Sometimes both in the same week. All services available remotely as well as in person.
Related reading: What Is Fractional HR and Is It Right for My Business?
Performance & Disciplinary
When someone isn't working out.
Performance issues are uncomfortable to address and easy to let drift. But they rarely resolve themselves, and the longer they go on, the harder they get.
I've worked through hundreds of these situations over 25 years. I'll help you assess what you're dealing with, work out the right approach, and walk alongside you through every step, fairly, legally, and without unnecessary drama.
Related reading: How Do I Manage a Disciplinary Process Fairly in New Zealand?
Change Management
Making change in your business.
Sometimes a business needs to change shape, a restructure, roles that no longer fit, a team that needs to look different. These situations are complex, emotionally charged, and carry real legal obligations.
I help business owners navigate change properly, thinking through the options, designing a fair process, and supporting you through the conversations that need to happen. Whether that involves redundancies, role changes, or a broader restructure, I'll make sure it's handled with clarity, care, and the right process.
Remuneration & Benefits
Getting pay and benefits right.
Salary reviews, role-specific remuneration benchmarking, and reward structures, whether as part of hiring someone new or reviewing your existing team's pay.
I help businesses get remuneration right, fair, competitive and properly thought through, so you can make confident decisions whether you're setting pay for a new role, reviewing salaries across your team, or building out a benefits package that actually supports retention.
Leadership & Business Growth
Helping business owners and leaders build, grow and lead.
Strategic Planning
Define your North Star and create a practical plan on a page.
Most business owners know where they want to go. What's harder is getting it out of your head and onto a page in a way that your whole team can understand, get behind, and actually use day to day.
I work with business owners and leadership teams to define what success looks like, get clear on priorities, and turn that into a simple, practical plan on a page. No 40-page document nobody reads. Just clarity, and a plan people will actually follow.
Leadership Development
Helping leaders and teams perform at their best.
I work with leadership teams and business owners who want to lead better, more consistently, more consciously, and with a clearer understanding of how they and their team actually operate.
I use the Team Management Profile (TMP) and the Emotional Culture Deck to help leaders and teams understand their working styles, what drives them, and the feelings that sit underneath your values and culture. It's practical, it's revealing, and it tends to create the kind of conversations that actually shift things.
I also run customised training programs to suit your business's specific needs, in a way that's meaningful for you and your team.
Related reading: The Gift of Feedback: Why Holding Back Hurts Everyone
Business Owner Coaching
Straight-talking support, perspective and accountability.
Running your own business can be lonely. Having a thinking partner who understands both people and business, and who'll give you a straight answer, makes a real difference.
I work with business owners as a coach and sounding board: helping you make sense of what's going on, get clear on what you want, and move forward with more confidence. Whether you need reassurance that you're on track, or honest support to get back on track, that's what I'm here for.
Business Acquisition Support
Managing the people side of buying a business.
Buying a business is one of the biggest decisions you'll make. The lawyer handles the legal side. The accountant handles the numbers. But nobody looks after the people side, and that's often where acquisitions get complicated.
I work with business buyers on the people and culture due diligence, employment agreements, and the transition plan for the existing team. And once the deal is done, I can stay on as your outsourced HR partner while you find your feet. It's the piece most advisors don't cover, and it makes a real difference to how smoothly things land.
Recruitment
Finding the right people for your business.
Finding the right person matters more than filling a role quickly. I bring the same care to recruitment that I bring to everything else, understanding your business first, then finding someone who'll actually fit.
I recruit across all levels and all sectors, from trades and technical roles through to senior leadership. I work on an hourly rate rather than a percentage fee, which means no big upfront commitment and no pressure to push a placement through before it's right. Search-based or advertised, whatever works best for your situation.
Workplace Investigations
Independent investigations with confidence and clarity.
When something serious happens, a complaint, a bullying allegation, a fraud concern, or a misconduct issue, you need someone who can investigate properly, independently, and with findings that stand up.
I'm a licensed private investigator as well as an experienced HR professional. That combination is rare, and it matters. I conduct thorough, independent investigations so you can make decisions with confidence.
FOR INDIVIDUALS
For people, not just process
Sometimes the most important conversation you can have is one that helps you figure out what's actually going on — and what you want to do about it. Whether you're navigating something difficult or standing at an exciting crossroads, I'm here for both.
For Individuals
Career coaching, leadership development and workplace advocacy when you need support or direction.
Career Coaching
Whether you're feeling stuck, ready for a change, or trying to work out what's next, I help people get clear on what they actually want and make a real plan to get there. No fluff. No generic advice. Just honest, practical support from someone with 25 years of experience in the world of work.
Leadership Coaching
Understanding your leadership identity
Who are you as a leader? How do you actually work, and how does that land with the people around you? These are questions worth taking seriously, and most people never get the space to properly explore them.
I use the Team Management Profile (TMP) to help individuals understand their working preferences, their natural strengths, and how to lead in a way that's genuinely theirs, not a version of someone else.
Corporate to Business Owner Transition
Making the leap — from corporate to business owner
Leaving a successful corporate career to run your own business is one of the most exciting things you can do. It's also one of the most disorienting. The skills that made you successful don't always translate the way you expect, and suddenly there's no structure, no team, no one telling you what good looks like.
I've navigated that transition myself. I work with people making this leap to help them find their footing, back themselves, and build something they're proud of.
And if you're taking on a business that already has a team, or you're ready to start hiring, I'll help you get that right from day one. Employment agreements, team structure, how to lead people who didn't choose you. The stuff nobody tells you about until it goes wrong.
Outplacement Support
Being made redundant is hard, even when you know it's not personal. I help people land on their feet with clarity about what they want next, a strong story to tell, and the confidence to go after it.
Employment Advocacy
If you're facing a meeting with your employer about a performance issue, a disciplinary matter, or a redundancy, you have the right to have someone in your corner.
I attend employment relations meetings as your support person and advocate. I know how these processes work from both sides, and I'll make sure yours is fair.
WHY WORK WITH LAURA
More than an HR consultant
There aren't many people who bring all of this to the same table — and fewer still who can move between the strategic and the practical without missing a beat.
✓ 25+ years senior HR across global organisations and NZ businesses
✓ Licensed Private Investigator — for when things need to be done properly
✓ ICF Certified Coach — structured, evidence-based, real results
✓ Accredited TMP Practitioner and Emotional Culture Deck Practitioner
✓ Board member: Irish Business Network NZ, Arts Collective
✓ Former Deputy Chair: Project Jonah
✓ Available remotely and in person across Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Coromandel
FOR PROFESSIONAL PARTNERS
Independent workplace investigations and specialist HR expertise for employment lawyers, consultants, and advisors.
I regularly work alongside employment lawyers, HR consultants, and business advisors who need an experienced, independent practitioner to step in on workplace matters.
Most commonly this includes workplace investigations, where you need someone who can work independently, follow proper process, and produce clear, defensible findings.
I also support with technical HR input on complex people issues where an external perspective or additional capacity is needed.
The aim is simple — to strengthen your offering to your clients, while giving you confidence the work is handled properly and professionally.
Common questions
What is fractional HR and how is it different from hiring an HR manager?
Fractional HR gives you access to senior HR expertise without the cost of a full-time hire. Instead of employing an HR manager, you have ongoing access to experienced HR support that scales with your business and is available when you need it.
How do I manage a disciplinary process fairly?
A fair disciplinary process involves clearly outlining concerns, ensuring that the employee has the right to a support person, giving the employee an opportunity to respond, and keeping an open mind throughout the process. Getting this wrong can be costly for both the business and the people involved. I can guide you through each step to ensure the process is handled correctly and fairly.
Can you help with restructuring and redundancies?
Yes. Whether you're reviewing a single role or undertaking a wider restructure, I can help you navigate the process with clarity and confidence. This includes consultation, communication, documentation, and ensuring legal obligations are met while treating people fairly.
What is the difference between HR consulting and employment law?
Employment lawyers focus on legal advice and representation. HR consultants focus on the practical people side of running a business — from recruitment and performance management to workplace culture, leadership, and change. The two often work closely together, and I regularly collaborate with employment lawyers when specialist legal advice is needed.
Do you work with businesses outside Waikato and Bay of Plenty?
Yes. While I'm based in Whangamatā and work throughout Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Coromandel, many of my clients are supported remotely. Fractional HR, coaching, investigations and advisory services are available nationwide.
Not sure where you fit?
You don't need to know exactly what service you need before you get in touch. A conversation is always the best place to start — no obligation, no sales pitch, just a straightforward chat about where you are and what would actually help.
Practical HR consulting, workplace investigations and coaching for businesses and individuals across New Zealand.
Based in Whangamatā, supporting clients across Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Coromandel and nationwide.
SERVICES
Fractional HR
Workplace Investigations
Performance Management
Restructuring
Employment Contracts
HR Strategy
Career Coaching
