What a year 2023 has been, one of growth, multi-award wins, new contracts and team expansion. In a nutshell it has most definitely been a buoyant and successful year here at Oculus HR, and there have been so many highlights which have contributed to one of our best performing years.
Top picks include the launch of Season 2 of our Real World HR podcast. From the onset the reception has been amazing, and it was great to hit 2023 with a jam-packed Season 2. The variety of guests and topics covered in the studio have been so inspiring, from Alice Rowen Hall, Sam Spoors to Sharon MacArthur, we are so grateful to all the guests who joined our MD Louise to bring further insight and industry knowledge to the podcast, and we are forever thankful for the support from everyone who has tuned in.
2023 was also the year that we went global with our podcast when we were joined by Kelly Charles-Collins, Esq., MBA all the way from sunny Florida! Keynote speaker and author Kelly is passionate about revolutionising the way leaders and employees address the issues of justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace and it was great to record this episode which had such international appeal. You can catch the podcast again here: https://oculus-hr.co.uk/podcasts/
This year also saw multi-award nominations and wins for Oculus HR. We were absolutely delighted to win the very first Wear Businesswomen Awards in the Business of the Year category, this swiftly followed by winning the Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards 2023 in the Entrepreneur of the Year category!
We then hit London for a double award whammy as finalists in both the Personnel Today Awards 2023 in the Small HR Consultancy of the Year category, and the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. To receive such recognition nationally and from the industry was most definitely a ‘pinch me’ moment – we were blown away!
2023 was also a year that our Founder and MD Louise Kennedy took some time out to relax. Life is all about balance, and Louise took some time out for a couple of very special trips. From a relaxing cruise where Louise managed to actually read four books (this is unknown for Louise!) with her two top picks – Happy Sexy Millionaire (Steven Bartlett) and Emotional Capitalists (Martyn Newman). To packing up a campervan and hitting the North Coast 500. An absolute bucket list moment bringing together just over 500 miles of stunning coastal scenery in the far north of Scotland.
Both amazing moments, reminding Louise of how important it is to take time out to reflect, think and plan, not only to further enhance the business but for her own well-being as a business owner.
2023 was also extra special as it was the year that Oculus HR celebrated 10 years in business, a key milestone for the company. Louise reflected on the night: “We were so lucky to be joined by so many special people who have played a vital part in our journey for a night of celebration. What a night we had, here’s to the next 10 years!”
With ‘Real HR’ at the core of the operations the team of five at Oculus HR are committed to creating value to businesses, in particular SMEs to invest and develop their HR strategy. With recent trends showing that HR is becoming ever more needed with the wide variety of legislative changes in addition to variations in working practices it has proven instrumental for Louise to build a strong and versatile team.
Ten years in the business has seen Oculus HR support an extensive client list along the way which includes the Foundation of Light, Queensway Orthodontics, Tyne Coast College, Midas Cladding and Glendale Transport.
To find out more about the support packages available for businesses contact the team at Oculus HR: [email protected]
