By Sue Tiffin

Published Dec. 7 2017

Anna Froebe cottaged in Haliburton County for 11 years and then settled in as a permanent resident for five before launching her own business as a human resources consultant but in just a matter of months since introducing HR Access to the community she’s already hit the ground running to help small- and medium-sized businesses with their HR needs.

Since launching HR Access in September she’s worked with local businesses and organizations including those in the retail and service industry and non-profits and some like Wind in the Willows Spa and realtor Anthony vanLieshout have left glowing testimonials on her website.

“Knowing that small and medium-sized businesses more than likely don’t have a dedicated HR specialist or expert but that HR issues are still going to come up now and then I can be sort of a back-pocket resource for them when they need it” she said.

Froebe moved to the area after working as HR director for Exide Technologies and worked in HR for Canadian Mental Health Association – Muskoka-Parry Sound branch before deciding to venture out on her own after almost 25 years working in HR. Now she’s hoping to help Haliburton County businesses and non-profits with more than one employee ensure their policies and procedures are up to date and legislatively tight by working closely with business owners service clubs and municipalities on everything from performance review guides civility workshops HR 101 talks and in ensuring even small downtown shops can avoid complaints that lead to detrimental fines by abiding by accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act for which many deadlines have already passed.

Froebe said she gives businesses that might not have the time to research or keep up-to-date on legislation the tools so their employees can be productive happy have initiative and go home safely.

“The optimum is for businesses to realize that they need to address their HR stuff before it becomes a crisis” she said. “Before it becomes a human rights complaint or harassment complaint or somebody has a wrongful dismissal claim. To deal with the issues internally within the organization before they are hit with a lawsuit.”

“They can take a proactive step to say  ‘I can prevent these things from happening by just putting a few practices in place to make sure my business is protected but that the employees are protected as well’” said Froebe. “It results in greater employee morale greater employee motivation productivity retention and recruitment.”

For more information visit hraccess.ca call 705-286-1404 or visit HR Access on Facebook.