Being an empathetic leader is a superpower, not a weakness. However, empathetic leaders need the right HR partner who can handle the challenging aspects of people management whilst honouring their company culture and values.

Strategic HR foundations can enable recruitment agencies to achieve both commercial success AND create a culture people actually want to be part of. Rich's agency proves that revolutionary thinking backed by robust people systems can transform an entire business approach.

I'm not your typical HR consultant who shows up with a clipboard and a rulebook. Instead, I'm more like your strategic partner who rolls up their sleeves and dives in to find real, practical solutions. As one client put it: "Emily was brilliant not just as a service but a solutions provider".

Fear-based leadership is never a good strategy. It creates a toxic environment where:

- Innovation is stifled
- Open communication breaks down
- Employee well-being suffers
- Turnover increases
- Productivity declines

One of the things I see all the time that totally hinders performance in recruitment businesses is a lack of clarity around expectations.

This is often coming from a really good place. Business owners not wanting to recreate the restrictive KPI, fear driven cultures of recruitment past. Not wanting to bog down the business in rules, policies and complex contracts. I totally get it.

However, an all or nothing approach is really damaging your business and your culture.

So on this World Menopause Day I encourage organisations to really educate themselves - there are so many ways to support the people experiencing the effects of menopause in your businesses, and it will make such a huge difference to your people.