OUR TEAM
I’m a Chartered Member of the CIPD with a Level 7 CMI qualification in Strategic Leadership and Management, and I’m also a qualified Workplace Mediator. I’m an experienced HR Adviser specialising in Employment Law and strategic people management.
My professional journey began with 17 years in finance and banking, before running my own business where I managed staff across multiple sites. These experiences shaped my understanding of commercial pressures and gave me real‑world insight into the operational, financial, and people‑related challenges organisations face.
That lived experience still shapes everything I do. I understand how stressful it is when you’re the one responsible for people, performance, and getting it right. I know how you feel when you’re faced with complex issues, or even the simple, day‑to‑day decisions that still need to be handled correctly and consistently.
I recognise the weight of responsibility employers carry, and I’m able to see the bigger picture behind every situation. My advice isn’t just legally sound, it’s commercially realistic and sensitive to the wider pressures you’re facing.
Over recent years, I’ve provided HR and employment law advice as an HR Adviser for Metis HR and Plymouth Community Homes, a large social housing group. I support employers across the full spectrum of HR and Employment Law, helping them deal with everything from high‑risk, sensitive matters to everyday people management decisions. I also write bespoke contracts, handbooks and policies that are legally watertight but built for real-world use.
As an HR Adviser and Employment Law Specialist, I support employers with:
You’ll get strategic, no-nonsense HR support grounded in real leadership insight. With a Level 7 CMI qualification in Strategic Leadership and Management, I bring a solid grasp of organisational strategy, structured decision-making, and commercial awareness to every piece of advice I give.
As a qualified Workplace Mediator, I can also help you manage conflict and difficult conversations professionally before they escalate.
My approach is practical, empathetic, and focused on the bigger picture. I’ll help you make confident, compliant decisions that align with your business needs, not just the letter of the law. Complex legislation gets translated into clear, actionable advice—so you can get on with running your business, knowing the risks are covered.
Creativity, Discipline & Innovation
Alongside my HR career, I am the author of eleven novels, with eight self‑published. This demonstrates the dedication, discipline, and follow‑through I bring to everything I put my mind to. Writing at this scale has strengthened my creativity, problem‑solving, and ability to communicate clearly; skills that enhance my professional work in HR, especially when crafting policies, resolving disputes, or developing innovative people‑focused solutions.
An average HR Adviser will say that they can provide your business with HR advice. Ali Penney on the other hand, is delivering from experience as an HR Adviser in Lancashire.
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Alison was really helpful and supportive! I would recommend her to anyone needing help in this area ?Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Contracts of employment drafted and drawn up and implemented within one week. Team are friendly, easy to deal with and are always on hand to offer guidance. A must have for any small business looking to take on employees.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I could not recommend Metis HR enough! I have worked closely with Alison, Andy and Vicki, they have all been so helpful and knowledgeable. They have spent many hours helping me perfect important documents, and have educated me on employment law and how it affects my role. Everyone is so friendly and professional too. Worth every penny!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I started working with Metis HR a couple of months ago. It all started with a simple phone call to Andy who was super knowledgable and super helpful on a particular matter. I was so blown away that I committed to working with them over the next few years. Everyone I have spoken to have been great! I really feel like I have been looked after and would not hesitate to recommend this team to anyone thinking of joining.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Metis were recommended to me to assist with a possible Tupe and within minutes of talking to Andy, any doubts I was having had completely disappeared. HR is a minefield to me and I have been outsourcing it for some time. In that time, I had received very little support and on the rare occasion I required advice, letter templates Metis offer as standard, were usually at an additional cost. Metis provided me with a quotation and I did not hesitate to transfer my business to them. Not only were they cheaper than my current provider, they have filled me with total confidence to pursue the growth of my company.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. As a company we have worked with Metis HR for a number of years now, and they have helped us immensely when any problems have arisen. Alison's knowledge of how to handle different matters is brilliant, she is professional and dependable. I cannot recommend her and the rest of the team at Metis HR highly enough.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fantastic team, so professional in all aspects of the review completed independently and confidentially. I would recommend the Metis Team for any HR related activity - thank you so muchTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. great company, very thorough in what they do.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent service as always from Alison and her team at Metis HRTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I recently moved from Penninsula to Metis HR and I definitely made the right decision. Alison and her team have been amazing. They are always very quick in responding to any questions and always friendly and efficient. I’d highly recommend.
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