Fishtail HR
Interim Support Project Management Case Support
Fishtail HR
Supporting your business on its journey to success.
An award-winning, Board-level retail HR specialist, with over 20 years’ experience working in fast-growth brands in the UK and internationally. Balancing creative flair with commercial acumen, I bring a solid background in all aspects of HR practice.
Ed Godwin
Where I can help
Where are we going?
I can help you run strategy sessions with your team and then support you in ensuring consolidated key messages are communicated to your people.
Developing strategy
Consolidating key messages
Employee communication
Getting the right people on the bus...
Arguably the most important decisions you will make are about who will be joining you on your journey and what part they will play. I can help you with:
Recruitment
Internal Assessment
Succession Planning
Restructures
Keeping them once you have them!
Have you ever noticed that when employees get disengaged with a business it's usually the great ones that leave first? You've taken so much care in selecting your team, let me help you make sure they stick around for the journey!
Bonus and incentives
Performance management
Training and development
Employee engagement
People policies and procedures
The best laid plans...
You may already be well into your journey but something just needs to be repaired. You can talk to me about any difficulties you are encountering along your journey to success. I am available for interim support, project management and case management.
With Associate Directors in Operations, Manufacturing, Account Management, IT and Business Analysis, I am certain that we can help you overcome even the most daunting of challenges.
Driving sales through improved customer service
Sales were being damaged by this brand’s continuously poor reviews for service.
Ed proposed to the board that changes in recruitment practices, pay and benefits could reverse the problem.
Following a successful pilot in four stores, the roll-out took six months. Sales saw double digit like for like and despite the additional costs, margin was improved. Service feedback was measured through a brand tracker and almost immediately went from being the most complained about element to the most praised.
Leading TUPE transfer of 2,000 employees
Following the acquisition of another business, this retailer was faced with the need to rebrand 40 large stores in three months. This included the TUPE transfer of around 2,000 employees. Ed centrally coordinated the HR, Recruitment and Training requirements as well as the technical aspects of the transfer.
All stores opened on time, with full and trained teams. The acquisition was hailed as a huge success.
Getting ready for growth
This business had got to the stage where it could not simply manage order fulfilment from the owners’ basement in London.
A review of potential partners was completed along with a requirements paper. Having selected the three favoured sites, visits were completed and Ed supported these by attending meetings where he helped the owners assess the compatibility of each and their ability to deliver what was required.
A partner has recently been selected and the business is already going from strength to strength now the owners have more time to focus on marketing and product development.
Restructure in Delhi
Large-scale inefficiencies were identified in the Delhi-based sourcing office of this global retailer which was having a significant impact on product lead times, resulting in 60% of production targets being missed and an over reliance on air freight.
After moving to Delhi, Ed singlehandedly carried out a successful restructure of the office’s 50-strong team, against a backdrop of significant cultural issues.
In just three months, product lead times were being met and use of air freight was reduced by 25%.
Testimonials
Word on the Street
I was part of the team who recruited Ed into EAT and worked with him as a co-Director and for a six-month period as his Managing Director during which time we worked very closely and his support was invaluable in helping to reshape the operational board.
Ed has a Tigger-like enthusiasm for HR, he is always calm and measured and pragmatic in any decisions. He was tested in many ways at EAT, largely in the commercial arena in making HR prove it could be a profit not cost centre and make a direct contribution to driving profits which stood up to scrutiny. There were no passengers on the EAT board and Ed was proactive and always delivered through creating and nurturing an excellent team around him.
Operationally he was astute and was very warmly respected by all who came into contact with him. He is not your traditional HR Director - he is his own man - and the board and company success was richer for it.
He is someone who thinks deeply, has good judgement and balances the occasional constraints of HR, with humanity and an unwavering eye to the bottom line.
If he had the appetite and time he could easily step into an Operational or Finance Director's shoes and prove himself very competent, which is a rare quality to have that breadth of interest and ability. I would happily work with Ed again without reservation.
Guy Harvey - Managing Director
It has been my pleasure to work with Ed over the past 15 years, firstly at Monsoon and then at EAT. His knowledge and experience in the HR arena is exceptional and his interpersonal skills second to none. I have witnessed him in meetings and presentations over the years and he brings a truly dynamic approach which both motivates and inspires his audience.
I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Ed and wished that all my future HR dealings were with someone of Ed's calibre.
Matthew Colley - Business Intelligence Consultant
I had the pleasure of working as a colleague and fellow board member with Ed for over ten years. Not only is Ed great fun to work with on a personal level, he is also extremely commercial in his approach to people issues. Having been an operator himself he has the unique quality of being able to see the whole picture and to work with you on simple, effective and workable solutions to what might appear to be extremely complex issues. Ed is incredibly results focused and is well respected across all levels of the business for his ability to simply get things done.
Ed Grimes - COO and Retail Director
I have worked with Ed for many years now - and he has always shown real vision and creativity in his role and his views/opinions of employer branding. Together we have shaped some award winning and innovative attraction/recruitment projects - which my team couldn't have achieved without his forward thinking and very collaborative approach. One of my favourite people in the HR industry!
Manda Crowder - Branding Strategist
Ed is a capable and pragmatic Director and HR professional, balancing the needs of the business with the welfare of the people.
He is able to both define and execute strategic plans and is a capable and experienced retail operator. An invaluable asset to any company looking to lead the way in recruiting, engaging and retaining the right people.
Pete Byrne - CIO
Me and my dad.
Proudly standing at base camp in the Annapurnas being watched over by the sacred Fishtail Mountain.
Because not all of life's journeys are about business.