Katie HR Consulting

04/09/2026

There’s no neatly arranged stack of books to accompany my August Book Reads. Some are packed in boxes, some have gone to charity or friends, and my to-read shelf has been thoroughly dispersed. House moving has definitely won this month 📦

Audiobooks have been my saviour, keeping me company through hours of packing, sorting, cleaning and donating. Somehow, I still managed to finish seven books, including the first two Chaos Walking novels, two more instalments in Kate Mosse’s Languedoc trilogy, and a very satisfying Anthony Horowitz whodunnit.

There were mixed feelings too, the reflective and rather sombre Departure(s) by Julian Barnes, an Ian McEwan novel I’m still not sure I enjoyed, and two unfinished books coming with me into September.

It may not have been the neatest reading month, but books don't always arrive in tidy piles, and neither do reading months. You can read my full August Book Reads here: https://katiehrconsulting.co.uk/blog/f/august-book-reads-1

And if you’ve already read All the Colours of the Dark… no spoilers, please! I’m only halfway through 👀

02/09/2026

Freelance HR Consultant Truth #9

“Could you just…” is where scope creep puts on a tiny hat and tries to look harmless.

Sometimes the kindest answer is: “Yes, and here’s what that would involve.”

01/09/2026

01/09/2026

💛 Hello September 💛

A new month means a new Action for Happiness calendar, and September’s theme is Self-Care September.

As routines restart and diaries begin to fill after summer, this feels like a timely reminder that self-care isn’t selfish, and it doesn’t need to be elaborate. Often, it’s found in the smaller things like taking a break, asking for help, saying no or speaking to ourselves with a little more kindness.

A few prompts that stood out to me this month:
🌱 Notice the things you do well, however small
🛑 Give yourself permission to say “no”
✨ Aim to be good enough, rather than perfect
☕ If you’re busy, allow yourself to pause and take a break
💬 Share how you feel and ask for help when needed
💛 Remind yourself that you are enough, just as you are

I particularly like the reminder to aim for good enough. Perhaps the most self-caring way to use this calendar is not to turn it into another thing we need to complete perfectly. Choose the prompts that feel helpful and let the others go.

If you’re local to Derby and would like a friendly, supportive space to pause, connect and reflect with others, you’d be very welcome to join an Action for Happiness Derby Group session, find out more here 🔗 https://actionforhappiness.org/groups/derby-0

28/08/2026

✨ August round-up: one chapter closed, another being unpacked 🎓📦💛

The latest edition of my Katie HR Consulting newsletter is now out in the world 📰✨

August didn’t bring the quiet pause I had imagined. After submitting my MSc Psychology thesis at the end of July, I went almost straight from final edits into moving-house chaos, while client work continued to keep me busy over the summer.

This month’s issue includes:
🎓 A very big academic finish line after three years of study
🎙️ The second Derby Book Festival special of A Shared Reading Podcast
☁️ A defence of workplace weather chat
📝 Lists, cancelled meetings, work bags and the art of ending a call
🐶🐱 The Dog, the Cat, and the Permission Slip, with free resources for individuals, leaders and teams
💛 A gentle invitation to make some space for Self-Care September
📚 A timely book about kindness at work and a rather more light-hearted HR wellbeing recommendation
🍂 A little support for anyone considering their autumn people priorities

👉 Read the full newsletter here: https://email.marketing.godaddy.com/view/74dxDX7947gmHoP3NnXmu9Kh

💌 If you’d like future editions to land directly in your inbox, you can sign up here:
https://katiehrconsulting.co.uk/sign-up

As always, I hope something makes you smile, gives you something to think about or offers a small moment to pause before September picks up pace. 😊

26/08/2026

Freelance HR Consultant Truth #8

No two days are the same.

One minute you’re reviewing a policy.
The next you’re sense-checking a tricky people issue.
Then you’re doing your own marketing, invoicing and IT support.

Variety: lovely. Also chaos.

24/08/2026

Ending a work call is a skill nobody teaches you. We all know the phrases though:

💬“Right, I’ll let you go.”
💬 “I’m conscious of time.”
💬 “I’ll stop waffling.”
💬 “I think that’s everything from me.”
💬 “Lovely, thanks everyone.”

All usually meaning some version of please can this call end now, but in a warm and socially acceptable way. I’ve written a blog all about this called “Right, I’ll Let You Go…”, because the strange ritual of ending work calls was making us laugh when we were, ironically enough, on a work call the other day.

Some people can land the plane beautifully with a summary, actions, thanks, goodbye and you're done on time (or early!). Others circle the runway for several extra minutes while someone remembers “just one more thing”, someone else says “while I’ve got you”, and a 30-minute call becomes 47 minutes as everyone hovers over the leave button.

And then there’s that video-call goodbye loop:

💬 “Thanks, bye.”
💬 “Bye.”
💬 “See you soon.”
💬 “Take care.”
💬 “Bye.”

Followed by a frantic search for the leave button. Hybrid and remote working have given us many gifts, but the video-call goodbye loop is not one of them.

Read the full blog here 🔗 https://katiehrconsulting.co.uk/blog/f/%E2%80%9Cright-i%E2%80%99ll-let-you-go%E2%80%A6%E2%80%9D

What’s your go-to phrase when you’re trying to end a work call?

21/08/2026

There comes a point when a work bag stops being a bag and becomes an archaeological site. Mine also appears to have Cookie Monster sticking out of it, which probably tells you quite a lot.

To end the week I've written a blog post on What Your Work Bag Says About Your Working Life, because I’m fairly sure our bags tell the truth about working days in a way our carefully planned calendars often don’t.

You start with good intentions, you have your laptop, notebook, pen, charger. It's neat, professional, organised. Then somehow you acquire receipts you meant to claim, pens that may or may not work, emergency snacks, back-up emergency snacks, tissues, hand cream, old agendas, post-it notes, and at least one cable that definitely belongs to something, although you're not sure what.

I think work bags show the difference between the version of us who leaves the house imagining a smooth, organised day, and the version of us who actually lives through it. That real version needs snacks, plasters, spare pens, and possibly a small blue emotional support monster.

Read the full blog here 🔗 https://katiehrconsulting.co.uk/blog/f/what-your-work-bag-says-about-your-working-life

What's the most random thing currently living in your work bag?

19/08/2026

Freelance HR Consultant Truth #7

You can love your work and still need a nap after an intense employee relations day.

Careful thinking, emotional labour and risk management all use energy.

Tea also helps.