MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Sarah Barclay, CHRL, Synapse Human Resources
Tell us about your business and who you serve with it?
“Synapse HR provides a full compliment of HR services to small business owners, where in house HR support may not be practical yet the expertise is required. We use business priorities and goals to develop and drive an HR strategy- whether to solve a short term problem, or an ongoing partnership. I personally specialize in areas of employee engagement and employment law/ compliance (many people do not know that a CHRL designated HR professional is able to provide advice and counsel in legal areas), and work with both established companies and entrepreneurs to minimize risk to their business while ultimately driving sales and growth. This is one differentiator that really sets Synapse HR apart from many other HR consulting practices. “
When and Why did you start your business?
“I started Synapse HR in 2014; I had built a career in corporate HR, and at that time was the HR Leader for Mabel's Labels, a 50 employee company that was in growth mode. As part of the leadership team there, the change I was able to effect in my time there made me want to work with other small organizations- seeing the businesses pain points and actually being able to solve some of them was extremely rewarding. I was able to impact the business on a far greater scale than working in large corporations, and wanted to do that for multiple organizations. ”
What was the biggest struggle your business has faced so far? How have you overcome it?
“When working with my clients, I need access to some pretty confidential information, to assess compliance and review risks based on their current practices- and it can be daunting to have someone reviewing policies that may not be fully legal. I work to overcome the issue by building the relationship with my client, to inspire trust, and also by demonstrating the value/ ROI of HR.. ”
What are you most excited about for the future of your business? What is one of your companies biggest goals?
“I see the future of my business linked to way the workplace is viewed; the old school method of measuring "time spent at work" does not measure results or what is actually accomplished. I think Employers need to be innovative and creative in retaining employees while developing a team and culture that will support business growth. As it's becoming much more accepted that it's important to leverage the team, I'm looking forward to more business owners being open to trying new engagement strategies as they grow. ”