Your People and AI Conscience

Strategic. Human. Future Ready.

Helping businesses align people, strategy and AI to thrive in a changing world

Experience across Regulated and Non-regulated industries

Strategic HR, Leadership and Change Management experience

What we do?

At The HR Partnership, we collaborate with businesses to design bespoke, best-practice HR solutions that empower you to build robust people and AI implementation strategies. Whether you need strategic guidance or hands-on support, we ensure your HR approach drives long-term success.

We simplify HR by acting as your trusted “people and AI conscience”, freeing you to focus on business development and customer satisfaction. By streamlining people management and practice through expert advice, tailored strategies, and access to specialist resources from our extensive network, we provide the support you need at every step.

Our commitment is to forge lasting partnerships that drive sustainable growth, nurture a thriving workplace culture, a healthy business, and deliver seamless HR operations throughout the employee lifecycle and your business journey.

Why choose The HR Partnership?

“I spent much of my career partnering with leaders in large organizations, where access to expert HR teams, specialist knowledge, and deep resources was a given. I saw firsthand how strategic HR and the right technologies can drive business success—but I also saw how smaller businesses often struggle to access the same level of support and expert resource.

I founded The HR Partnership to change that. We help startups, scaling businesses, HR Teams, and SMEs simplify and modernize their people practices, giving their stretched leaders and internal HR practitioners access to the expertise and resources that larger organizations have at their fingertips.

Through our extensive network of HR and non-HR specialists, as well as AI experts, we provide tailored solutions that empower businesses to grow, build strong workplace cultures, and achieve long-term success.

If you know you want to harness the power of AI to enhance HR practices and your business, but don’t know where to start.
If you want HR to be a driver—not a challenge—in your business, let’s talk.”

Simon Drinkwater

Founder of The HR Partnership,

Prosci® Certified Change Practitioner

How The HR Partnership Solves the People Challenges That Slow Your Business Down

From culture and capability to growth and compliance—we partner with you to tackle the Business and HR challenges that impact performance, engagement, and long-term success.

Attracting & Retaining the Right Talent

Ensuring businesses have the right employer brand, hiring processes, and retention strategies to attract and keep top talent.

Managing Workforce Growth & Restructuring

Supporting businesses through scaling up, organizational change, or restructuring while maintaining employee morale and compliance.

Future-Proofing HR Through Technology & AI

Helping SMEs adopt HR tech and AI solutions to streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and stay competitive.

Creating a High-Performance Culture

Aligning goals, performance expectations, and recognition programs to drive engagement and productivity.

Developing Leadership & Management Capability

Equipping leaders with the skills, confidence, and HR knowledge needed to manage and inspire teams effectively.

Building & Embedding Company Culture

Helping businesses define, communicate, and sustain a strong company culture that aligns with their vision and values.

The HR Partnership Service Offering

The HR Partnership will work with you to determine the most appropriate service by understanding your business challenges and needs. The service offered may be one of, or an amalgamation of, the following, or something else entirely:

Strategic HR Partner

Working with you to create your HR Strategy and aligning business strategy with culture and structure to meet evolving goals.

Operational HR and Change Management Partner

Working with you to implement your HR Strategy and or enhance current practices using change management methodology

AI in the context of HR and Organisational Development

collaboration with businesses to explore how to integrate AI into the cultural fabric of the business, and operational people practices to improve efficacy

HR Coach and/or Mentor

Enhancing skills, knowledge, and capabilities of existing HR team members and leadership through coaching and mentoring

Sourcing HR or other specialist support

Working with our network where strategic or operational needs demand it. E.g. Delivering specialist HR projects, managing complex employee issues, advising on employment legislation, etc

Fractional HR

Providing flexible, cost-effective HR Leadership expertise tailored to business need

Board Advisory

Providing strategic HR guidance, challenge and expertise to the board

We simplify HR, so you can focus on growing your business. Let’s talk about how we can support your business. Reach out today for expert HR guidance tailored to your needs.

Meet Our Founder

With a deep passion for helping startups and SMEs thrive, our founder brings over 28 years of strategic and operational HR expertise, gained from working across multiple industries—from global corporations to smaller businesses. Throughout his career, he has partnered with business leaders and suppliers across diverse functions to develop and implement impactful people strategies, helping organizations navigate challenges and unlock their full potential.

To give you a better sense of who you’d be working with, he has gathered insights from former colleagues, peers, and leaders based on their LinkedIn recommendations and feedback. Their words reflect his commitment to collaboration, innovation, and delivering real results.

Throughout his career, he has partnered with business leaders and suppliers across diverse functions to develop and implement impactful people strategies, helping organizations navigate challenges and unlock their full potential.

What Others Say About Our Founder

Small business leaders need an HR partner who understands both the big picture and the day-to-day realities of running a business. Here’s what former colleagues, leaders, and peers say about working with our founder:

Testimonials & Recommendations

I had the pleasure of working closely with Simon Drinkwater where he served as my trusted HR Business Partner. From day one, Simon was instrumental in establishing our German entity, operating much like a start-up within a global organization. His ability to navigate the complexities of building a new entity while aligning with the overarching goals of a worldwide business was extremely helpful.

Sebastian G

Country Manager and Managing Director, Germany

I am consistently impressed by Simon’s ability to balance strategic leadership with a genuine, people-first approach. He is a master at creating a positive and inclusive workplace culture, which has a profound impact on employee morale and engagement.

Nemanja P

Director of IT

He was able to bring his extensive business partnering and strong commercial outlook to this role able to make a positive impact. He has a great deal of drive and energy, and gets things done well and with pace, as well as having strength in strategy development. He has a flexible, open and values based approach, with flexibility of style, able to be direct and challenging as well as supporting and coaching others.

John B

Global Head of Capabilty

Simon has extensive and in depth knowledge across all aspects as HR. He's supported me in helping employee growth plans as well as planning organisational structures. He has nuggets of information that help the HR team stay relevant to all aspects of building and running an organisation. He is extremely professional in his approach and way of working.

Caroline M

Business Transformation Executive and CFO

Benefits of Partnering with The HR Partnership

You don’t need a big HR team to make big things happen. You just need the right partner with a commercial edge. Collaborating with The HR Partnership offers your business a range of advantages, leading to tangible outcomes. Experience less stress, sharper growth focus, and a stronger, engaged team. Here's how we make a difference:

Key Advantages

High-impact HR without the overhead—Get senior expertise when you need it, without the cost of a full-time hire.
Free up your time—We take the HR load off your plate so you can focus on growing your business.
Avoid costly mistakes—Stay compliant, reduce risk, and get HR right the first time.
Scale smarter, not harder—Practical, flexible solutions that grow with your business (and your budget).
Commercial HR that delivers ROI – We align people strategy with where your business is 'at', and business results—think budget, investment challenges, performance, retention, and culture that drives value.
Let’s chat about how The HR Partnership can help you get more value from your people—with less time, smarter investment, and way less hassle.

Book a FREE discovery call today!

Let’s talk about how we can support your business. Reach out today for expert HR guidance tailored to your needs.

Still Have Questions?

Is The HR Partnership Right for Your Business?

If you’re a startup or SME looking for a strategic, commercially-savvy HR partner, we’re built for you. We design and deliver scalable HR solutions that align with your growth goals—from talent strategy and culture to performance and change.

Our senior HR consultants act as an extension of your leadership or HR team, bringing deep expertise and access to specialist support—without the cost of a full-time function.

We don’t do cookie-cutter. We do what works. For you.

What to expect from your consultation with The HR Partnership

Our initial consultation is all about understanding you—your business, your ambitions, and your people challenges.

Here’s what we cover:

Business context – We get under the skin of your company: size, structure, stage of growth, and strategic goals.
Current people landscape – We explore your existing HR setup (if any), key priorities, pain points, and risks.
Future ambition – We talk through where you’re heading and what kind of people strategy will get you there.
Opportunity areas – We identify where HR can add real commercial value—from compliance and capability to culture and change.
Right-fit support – We outline how The HR Partnership can support you, whether that’s strategic input, project-based delivery, or tapping into our network of specialist HR consultants.

It’s a practical, jargon-free conversation designed to give you clarity—not a sales pitch. And if we’re not the right fit? We’ll tell you that too.

What Results Can You Expect from Working with The HR Partnership?

We don’t just deliver HR projects—we drive real business outcomes. When you partner with us, you can expect:

Stronger people strategy – Aligned with your business goals, culture, and growth plans.
Improved performance – Through clarity on roles, expectations, and capability development.
Reduced risk – With compliant, fit-for-purpose HR frameworks and governance.
Greater leadership confidence – With access to senior-level HR guidance and decision-making support.
Faster scaling – With the right people, processes, and culture in place.
Access to expert support – Tap into our curated network of specialist HR consultants, as and when needed.

Our clients value our commercial lens, our ability to cut through noise, and our commitment to delivering solutions that stick—not just strategies that sit on shelves.

Can The HR Partnership Help with Immediate HR Issues?

Yes—and if we’re not the best person to solve it directly, we’ll connect you with someone who is.

With over 28 years of hands-on HR leadership experience, we’ve seen and navigated just about every people challenge out there. Whether it’s a sensitive employee relations case, an urgent compliance concern, or a leadership flashpoint, we’ll quickly assess the situation, offer clear advice, and help you decide the best course of action.

For high-risk or highly specialised matters, we’ll bring in one of our trusted HR experts from our curated partner network—ensuring you get the right support without delay.

You can rely on us to:

Respond fast, with calm and clarity
Cut through complexity and noise
Provide practical, senior-level guidance
Connect you with specialist help if needed

No overwhelm. No guesswork. Just experienced support when you need it most.

What Makes The HR Partnership Different from Other HR Consultancies?

We’re not your typical HR consultancy—and that’s intentional.

Here’s what sets us apart:

Commercial first, always – We don’t just ‘do HR’—we align every people decision to your business strategy, performance goals, and commercial outcomes.
Senior-level only – No juniors, no guesswork. You get direct access to experienced HR leaders with 20+ years of real-world, cross-industry expertise.
Agile and embedded – We flex around your business needs—plugging in as a trusted advisor, delivery partner, or fractional HR function.
Curated specialist network – When niche expertise is needed, we introduce you to trusted HR specialists from our handpicked network—no markup, no middlemen.
Outcome-driven, not hours-based – We focus on delivering value, not selling time. You get honest advice, impactful delivery, and no unnecessary fluff.