Our HR & Corporate Advisory Services

We provide ongoing, senior HR advisory support for organisations that need consistent expertise but do not require a full in-house HR function. Acting as an extension of the leadership team, we support decision-making as issues arise.

This includes employee relations, performance issues, organisational changes, policy development and day-to-day people decisions. Retained support provides continuity, context and experienced judgement over time.

In practical terms, we:

• act as an ongoing senior HR advisor to leadership
• support day-to-day people and HR decision-making
• advise on employee relations and performance issues
• review, develop and update employee handbooks and HR policies to support consistency and governance
• support organisational changes and workforce decisions
• provide continuity and context through retained support.

We support boards and senior leaders in strengthening governance frameworks, board effectiveness and leadership oversight. Our work focuses on clarifying the respective roles of boards, executives and management, and ensuring governance arrangements are proportionate, effective and fit for purpose.

This includes board effectiveness reviews, governance framework design, role clarity between board and executive, and support during periods of increased regulatory scrutiny, transition or organisational change.

In practical terms, we:

• review governance frameworks and board structures
• clarify roles between board, executive and management
• support board effectiveness reviews and governance diagnostics
• advise on governance during change, growth or regulatory pressure
• support chairs and boards on governance-related decisions.

We work with leadership teams to clarify strategic direction and translate it into organisational reality. This includes reviewing business objectives, identifying where structure, roles or decision rights are misaligned, and redesigning organisations so accountability is clear and work flows properly.

In practice, this often involves redefining leadership roles, restructuring teams, clarifying reporting lines, and ensuring decision-making authority sits in the right places. The outcome is an organisation that supports strategy rather than working against it.

In practical terms, we:

• work with leadership to clarify strategic priorities and direction
• review existing structures, roles and reporting lines
• identify gaps, overlaps and unclear accountabilities
• redesign organisational structures to support strategy
• support leaders as changes are implemented.

We help organisations design performance frameworks that clarify expectations, reinforce accountability and support consistent decision-making. This goes beyond appraisal systems and focuses on how objectives, responsibilities and outcomes are defined and measured.

This often involves redefining performance criteria, aligning individual and team objectives with organisational priorities, and ensuring performance discussions are fair, structured and meaningful.

In practical terms, we:

• review existing performance management processes
• define clear objectives, responsibilities and success measures
• redesign appraisal and performance review frameworks
• support leaders in having effective performance conversations
• align performance processes with governance and reward.

We work with organisations undergoing growth, restructuring, integration or other forms of change. Our role is to support leaders in managing the people, structure and governance implications of change in a way that minimises disruption and builds long-term capability.

This often includes change planning, leadership alignment, communication support and practical guidance as changes are implemented.

In practical terms, we:

• support leaders during restructuring, growth or transformation
• advise on people and organisational implications of change
• help plan and sequence organisational changes
• support communication and leadership alignment
• provide hands-on support as changes are implemented.

We work with executives and board members who carry significant responsibility and operate in complex environments. Our coaching focuses on judgement, leadership effectiveness and decision-making rather than generic development models.

Coaching is typically linked to real organisational challenges, such as stepping into a new role, leading through change, managing governance pressures or navigating complex stakeholder dynamics. The emphasis is always on practical impact, not theory.

In practical terms, we:

• work one-to-one with executives and board members
• support leaders navigating new roles, pressure or complexity
• challenge thinking and decision-making in a structured way
• provide a confidential space to work through real issues
• link coaching discussions directly to organisational context.

We support organisations in strengthening leadership and management capability at different levels. Our work focuses on practical leadership behaviours, decision-making and people management skills rather than generic training programmes.

This includes developing managers who can lead teams effectively, handle performance and people issues with confidence, and operate within governance and organisational frameworks.

In practical terms, we:

• assess leadership and management capability needs
• work with managers on people and performance challenges
• support leaders in managing teams, change and accountability
• design targeted leadership development training programmes
• reinforce consistent leadership behaviours across the organisation.

We support family-owned organisations as they navigate the interplay between ownership, leadership and governance. This includes addressing succession planning, leadership transitions, role clarity and governance structures that balance family dynamics with business needs.

Our work helps families put clear frameworks in place so decisions are not driven by ambiguity or emotion, while preserving relationships, continuity and long-term value.

In practical terms, we:

• work with family members and leadership teams together
• support succession planning and leadership transitions
• clarify roles between ownership, governance and management
• help put governance structures in place for family businesses
• support difficult conversations around leadership and continuity.

We advise organisations on compensation and reward structures that are fair, defensible and aligned with performance and governance expectations. This includes pay structures, grading frameworks, incentive schemes and executive reward.

Our work ensures reward decisions support retention, motivation and accountability, while standing up to scrutiny from employees, regulators and stakeholders.

In practical terms, we:

• review existing pay and grading structures
• benchmark roles and compensation levels
• design reward, incentive and bonus schemes
• support executive and senior reward decisions
• advise on pay-related governance and consistency.

Job evaluation provides a structured way to understand the relative value of roles within an organisation. We support organisations in establishing clear, defensible role structures that underpin fair pay, career progression and accountability.

In practical terms, we:

• review and clarify role purpose, scope and accountabilities
• assess roles using structured job evaluation methodologies
• establish role hierarchies and job families
• support grading structures and internal equity reviews
• align job evaluation outcomes with pay, reward and career frameworks
• support communication and implementation with leaders and employees.

Psychometric assessments provide objective insight into how people think, behave and perform at work. At SurgeAdvisory, we use Central Test psychometric tools to support informed, defensible people decisions in recruitment, development and leadership contexts. Assessments are always used as part of a broader advisory conversation, not in isolation.

In practical terms, we:

• select and administer appropriate Central Test psychometric tools based on role and context
• assess personality, behaviour, cognitive abilities and job-related aptitudes
• interpret results in relation to role requirements and organisational environment
• provide clear, structured feedback to leaders and candidates
• support recruitment, promotion, development and succession decisions
• integrate assessment insights into broader HR, leadership and organisational advisory work.

We support organisations in navigating employment compliance requirements and work permit processes, particularly where international recruitment or regulatory complexity is involved.

Our role is to ensure compliance risks are managed efficiently, allowing leaders to focus on operational and strategic priorities.

In practical terms, we:

• advise on employment law and compliance requirements
• support work permit and employment processes through Identita’
• guide organisations through compliance-related decisions
• liaise with relevant authorities where required
• help manage compliance risks alongside people decisions.

We support organisations with practical HR and people management matters that require sound judgement and careful handling. This includes managing employee issues, supporting managers, interpreting policies and ensuring decisions are consistent and defensible.

Our focus is on resolving issues effectively while protecting organisational culture, governance and long-term relationships.

In practical terms, we:

• support managers with people-related issues
• advise on handling employee matters fairly and consistently
• interpret and apply HR policies and procedures
• support managers and HR teams in applying employee handbook provisions consistently and fairly in day-to-day situations
• support difficult conversations and decisions
• ensure decisions are defensible and aligned with governance.