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Realising the potential of your people

Welcome to P2 Knowledge Ltd. We are committed to providing exceptional people services to SME businesses. Our practical and cost-effective HR/people solutions are tailored, to optimise your operations and drive business success. We strive to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction through the services we provide. Please browse our site to discover what we're all about.

Fractional HR: The Smartest Investment You're Probably Ignoring

Picture this: you've just launched your dream startup. You're passionate, driven, and ready to conquer your market, but there's one crucial element many entrepreneurs overlook — HR.

Yes, HR. Not as glamorous as securing seed funding or developing your product, but skimping on HR from the start is a rookie mistake that could cost you dearly in the long run. Early HR involvement is like insurance for your business—essential yet often undervalued. Small business owners think they can wing it until they scale up, and deal with HR issues only when they arise. This is like building a house without foundations…big mistake!

Before you roll your eyes about unnecessary red tape, let's talk about fractional HR. It’s the perfect solution for small businesses—flexible, cost-effective, and scalable. You don't need to hire a full-time HR manager; instead, you can tap into a network of remote HR experts who provide just the right amount of support when you need it. From a quick accountability phone call to retained services for ongoing needs, fractional HR offers a bespoke approach to people management.

So why isn't everyone doing this? Retrofitting HR processes is a nightmare and way more time and resource-consuming. If you set up these frameworks from the start, you save yourself from future headaches and ensure smooth sailing as your business grows.

Emma Plowman, trailblazing HR consultant and director of P2 Knowledge Ltd, has seen this time and again. She's not your typical HR person—no headmistress vibes here. Emma is all about making sure the business comes first. Her approach is straightforward: understand what the business needs, implement just the right amount of HR, and avoid unnecessary bureaucracy. She’s the antidote to traditional, cumbersome HR practices.

Emma tailors HR solutions that fit specific growth goals, she’s not about dumping a pile of handbooks and policies on your desk. Instead, she provides the right help at the right time, ensuring your business remains compliant without getting bogged down in red tape. Emma isn’t a ‘forever’ person in your business; she helps you get started, sets you on the right path, and when you're ready, she can recommend someone to take over for the long term.

The magic of Emma's approach lies in her belief in community and connection. Over the years, P2 Knowledge has built a network of associates who are specialists in various HR fields. Whether you need help with people experience, culture, or compliance, Emma can connect you with the right person for the job. This network ensures that you’re always supported, no matter what stage your business is at.

Empowering Growth
Our Values

People-Centered Excellence
We prioritise a balanced approach that places people at the heart of business strategy. By empowering individuals to reach their fullest potential, we ensure they can achieve outstanding results.

Innovative Thinking
We embrace a forward-thinking mindset, utilising data and research-driven solutions to achieve optimal outcomes tailored to each unique organisation.

Clarity and Flexibility
Our strategies are designed for clarity and inclusivity, ensuring everyone can understand and contribute. We adopt a flexible service delivery approach to meet the needs of each organisation, ready to assist whenever required.

Collaborative Success
We partner with business leaders and teams to co-create solutions, driving success through shared goals and collective efforts.

Services

We provide a range of services, as highlighted below. But every engagement is unique, so we spend time with each new client, understanding what they need and what is right for them. If you're looking for something that's not listed below, we would love to hear from you and discuss how we could support your business.

Retained People Services / Fractional Chief People Officer

Providing you with a full People Services offering, integrated into your organisation, designed to grow with you as your company evolves. This includes developing and implementing a full suite of people services across the whole employee lifecycle.

Flexible People Services / Fractional Chief People Officer

Providing you with a full People Services offering, as and when you need it. This includes developing and implementing a full suite of people services, across the whole employee lifecycle, and supporting you to deliver this internally, or when needed.

Leadership Team Development and Coaching

Providing comprehensive development programmes for Leaders and Leadership Teams alongside ongoing coaching support.

Use of Management Drives as a key resource to support self awareness and development planning linked to business success

Employee Relations and Compliance

Providing a full service employee relations solution including:

Performance Management
Grievance Processes and Investigations
Disciplinary Processes and Investigations

Development of policies, processes and procedures that support your organisation to grow without being a burden. We can help ensure you are legally compliant and as up to date as possible.

People Solutions

Delivering specific projects, or supporting delivery of outcomes needed for success including:

Talent Management Solutions
Organisational Review and Design
Learning and Development Solutions
Employee experience and engagement
Culture and purpose development

HR/People Professional Mentoring

If your company has a standalone HR/People function that needs mentoring, support, guidance and development, we can provide that service to the person responsible for your people services, to ensure they deliver exceptional outcomes. This includes supporting with CIPD qualifications as well as delivering projects.

In my time as a CEO of a dynamic deep-tech startup, I have had outstanding support and help from Emma. She is a highly experienced expert in people management and employment practices. In addition to her expertise in people management Emma has consistently provided me with an independent assessment of our team and the dynamics within it. She has provided insightful guidance and support when dealing with both positive and challenging situations that arise within any organisation. Emma is clear, concise and straight talking. She is an advisor and confidant that can be trusted and relied upon when you need an expert in your corner.

Series A Company CEO

Discover the Power of Management Drives

How MD Helps

For over 20 years, MD has empowered Boards, Leadership teams, and Employees to:

Enhance self-awareness and individual performance
Improve leadership at all levels
Manage culture and organisational change
Kickstart projects smoothly
Build self-managed teams

Get Real-Time Insights

Our MD App puts individual and team profiles at your fingertips, accessible anytime on your phone, iPad, or handheld device.

Ready to unlock your team’s potential?

Learn more about the theory and research behind MD at www.managementdrives.com

Take the first step towards a more motivated, effective organisation with Management Drives today!

At Management Drives (MD), we believe it’s the people who create value in organisations.

Our tech-enabled consulting framework and intuitive software tool reveal what motivates individuals, teams, and entire organisations, driving better results.

Why MD?

We all have unique wiring, and understanding these differences can significantly boost performance.

MD uncovers patterns of thinking and behaviour by identifying what drives us. These insights predict behaviour and explain motivations, helping you lead and manage more effectively.