Who is Ostara HR?
Hello, I'm Sarah, a Chartered HR professional with over 2 decades of experience transforming people practices across organisations of all sizes.
Throughout my career, I've been asking, "There's got to be a better way of doing this, right?" That persistent question has been my guiding star, pushing me to reimagine how HR can work smarter, feel lighter, and boost both joy and productivity in every corner of your organisation.
Beyond the world of HR, I'm a rock music enthusiast who brings that same energy and passion to everything I do. The creativity, authenticity, and bold spirit of rock music influences my approach to business and life. And like any great band needs different instruments working in harmony, I understand the importance of balancing my various roles as a mum, partner, sister, and friend—a perspective that enriches my understanding of today's workplace challenges.
The Magic Behind Our Name
When I founded this consultancy, I wanted a name that would capture both the essence of what we do and the spirit of how we do it. Ostara isn't just a business name—it's a philosophy, a promise, and a personal connection.
Ostara (or Eostre) is the Germanic goddess of dawn, spring, and renewal—the perfect embodiment of transformation and new beginnings. Just as she heralds the awakening of nature after winter's slumber, Ostara HR brings fresh energy and innovative approaches to workplaces that may have grown rigid or uninspired.
In ancient traditions, Ostara represents the perfect balance between light and dark at the spring equinox—mirroring our approach of balancing structured AND flexible, compliant AND creative, business-focused AND deeply human HR practices.
There's a bit of magic in the timing too—I was born during the season of Ostara, when the world awakens with possibility and renewal. This personal connection to the name reminds me daily of our mission to breathe new life into traditional HR functions.
The symbols associated with Ostara beautifully reflect our approach to HR:
The hare, known for its intuition and quick thinking, represents our agility in responding to complex HR challenges with both wisdom and creativity
The dawn, when possibilities are awakening but not yet fully formed, encapsulates those magical moments when we help clients see that there truly is "a better way" to approach HR
Just as Ostara transforms winter into spring, we transform traditional HR functions into catalysts for workplace joy and business success. We don't just implement HR practices—we reimagine them, bringing a touch of magic to processes that have too often become mechanical and disconnected from the humans they're meant to serve.
My Journey
My HR journey spans over 20 years, evolving from early administrative roles to strategic leadership positions across organisations ranging from SMEs to FTSE 100 companies with 15,000+ employees. As a Chartered Member of the CIPD with a background in Law, I've had the privilege of transforming HR practices across the UK, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America.
My experience has taken me through diverse sectors including International Development, professional services, financial services and insurance, veterinary and retail, higher education, housing associations, and hospitality. This varied background has honed my ability to understand unique organisational cultures and deliver HR solutions that truly work for different environments.
Throughout this journey, I've consistently delivered measurable business impact: achieving a 16% uplift in global engagement scores, reducing employee relations escalations by 30%, and generating £200K cost savings through innovative HR approaches. I've led HRIS implementations, managed complex change programmes, and developed award-winning employee relations initiatives.
Just as Ostara represents renewal and transformation, my career has been dedicated to helping businesses transform through people-centred HR practices. I combine deep expertise in employee relations, policy development, systems implementation, and digital transformation with a passionate belief that work should feel less like work and more like a fulfilling journey of growth and discovery.
My Approach & Values
At Ostara HR, my approach blends strategic insight with practical magic. I believe HR should be both compliant AND creative, both structured AND flexible, both business-focused AND deeply human.
My work is guided by four core values:
Integrity: I believe in honest, transparent relationships built on trust. You'll always get straightforward advice and realistic assessments, even when they're challenging to hear.
Empathy: Understanding the human experience in the workplace drives everything I do. I put people at the heart of HR solutions, ensuring practices work for real individuals, not just processes.
Fairness: I champion equitable practices that balance diverse needs while meeting business requirements. Fair doesn't always mean equal—it means thoughtful consideration of individual circumstances within organisational frameworks.
Creativity: I approach challenges with fresh thinking, bringing innovative solutions and that touch of magic to everyday HR practices. There's always a better way when we're willing to reimagine possibilities.
I thrive on creating those "aha!" moments when clients realise there is indeed a better way to approach HR challenges. Whether working with senior leadership teams across multiple countries or partnering with small business owners, I focus on transforming HR from a function that people dread dealing with to one that genuinely enhances workplace experiences.
My philosophy centres on:
Human-Centred Design: Creating HR solutions that work for real people, not just organisational charts
Technology with Purpose: Leveraging HR systems, technology and analytics to free up time for what truly matters
Practical Innovation: Finding that sweet spot between best practice and creative problem-solving
Genuine Partnership: Working alongside you as a trusted advisor, not just a service provider
Areas of Expertise
Strategic HR Leadership & Transformation
Employee Relations & Policy Development
HR Technology Optimisation & Implementation
Cultural Transformation & Employee Engagement
Wellbeing Strategy Development
Analytics & Data-Driven HR
With Ostara HR, you get a blend of deep HR expertise, commercial understanding, and creative thinking—all focused on reimagining HR in a way that brings out the best in your people and your business.
Let's work together to unlock the magic in your workplace!
Contact us
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