A DORSET HR firm has expanded into a new headquarters in Ferndown – just yards from its former home.

Purple HR has relocated to larger premises at Cedar Park, off Cobham Road, on the Ferndown Industrial Estate.

The family firm, which works nationally and globally, said it was a boost for the business, as well as employees.

Founded in 2010, Purple HR will be sharing an office building with long-established accountancy and financial services firm Ward Goodman, which reassessed its own accommodation requirements and freed up space.

Operations director, Leanne Fitzmaurice, said: “We had outgrown our previous premises and it was time to leave the serviced office environment to set up on our own.

“Cedar Park proved to be the perfect fit and our close working relationship with Ward Goodman – we advise each other’s clients when required – is set to be cemented further as we occupy the same building.”

Five-strong Purple HR’s new base includes offices, meeting rooms and a break-out area.

Leanne added: “We need to practice what we preach in terms of advising businesses to offer a good working environment to both attract and retain top talent.

“We care very much about the wellbeing and mental health of our team and actively encourage them to take their breaks – and the new area is ideal for this purpose.

“Crucially, my colleagues can now have downtime in the office away from their desks. We also wanted space where, if people visit us and we sometimes need to have sensitive conversations which need to be a little ‘softer’, an area with sofas is ideal.”

Purple HR staff at the new premises, at Cedar Park, off Cobham Road on the Ferndown Industrial Estate

The move enables Purple HR to continue to grow organically and will strengthen its training sector, with Leanne’s partner Simon, a firefighter at Bournemouth Airport, being added to the team to help cover fire training, emergency first aid and health and safety training.

“We are doing first aid and fire initially, then will expand to do more H&S training, expanding the first aid offering and, further down the line, more fire focused training,” Leanne said.

“We will also expand our popular three-day ‘passport to manage’ course, where people, both clients and external attendees, come and learn the basics of HR as a line manager, during 2024.

“This not only helps line managers to know what to do and what definitely not to do – but it gives them a bit of confidence so they can look after some of the basics, and also know precisely when they need to call on our services.”

Purple HR was founded in a bedroom by MD Mandy Fitzmaurice 13 years ago after she spotted a gap in the market.

For more on the firm, log on to www.purplehr.co.uk.