Cirencester-based Edelweiss Brings a Breath of Fresh Air to HR

Cirencester-based Edelweiss Brings a Breath of Fresh Air to HR

Think edelweiss, think clear mountain air, bright alpine blooms, and happy endings.

That’s why founder and director, Anna Gage, chose the name Edelweiss HR for her business. It might not have anything to do with a certain family of singers, but the distinctive alpine flower represents many positive emotions connected with the Alps, including a sense of happiness and wellbeing from spending time in the great outdoors. As a ‘people business’, we can’t think of a better representation.

Having recently moved into offices at UBC Cirencester, we had a chance to catch up with Anna and learn more about her business and her plans for the coming year.

Firstly, welcome to UBC! Tell us a little about Edelweiss HR and why you chose the name.

Anna Gage, Edelweiss HRAs the founder of Edelweiss HR, I have a love of mountains and have always treasured moments spent in the Swiss Alps.

The rugged, beautiful edelweiss represents loyalty, discretion, perseverance, and resilience. It is also a symbol of dedication. These are the values we embrace.

We are a group of five HR generalists who share the same values and interests in working with businesses and charities. Increasingly, our clients are involved in working in a ‘greener’ way which delights us.

What do you do and how do you help people get ahead?

At Edelweiss, we believe staff are the most valuable asset to any business and therefore we focus on the following:

  1. Get the right people in the right roles to enable your business to flourish
  2. Ensure your business is fully compliant and safe
  3. Promote a positive working culture
  4. Motivate and reward staff appropriately
  5. Focus on health and wellbeing in the workplace

What brought you to Cirencester, and why did you choose this part of the world for your new office?

I have lived in the area for several years and I love the countryside. Cirencester is a great town with a wonderful community. As the team is growing, we needed more space and having worked from home for many months, we were all keen to get back to the office.

We enjoy the balance of supporting rural and urban businesses and dedicate our time to understand the individual needs of each business and owner.

We’re delighted you chose a workspace with UBC. What were your main reasons?

Location, affordability, and being part of a business community. The office is perfect, it’s very well maintained and has everything we need.

How has your business fared after everything 2020 and 2021 has thrown at us?

What a time we have all had! Our focus has been to look after our clients, to support their wellbeing and to navigate the Government schemes and guidance.

We have coped with continuous good communication and understanding. The team at Edelweiss have had their own joys and challenges – a new baby, a wedding, and a family bereavement. We have shared the ups and downs and I feel we are closer as a result.

We have all changed because of the pandemic – we have grown as individuals as we have dealt with the challenges.

We have built very strong relationships with our clients and although our business hasn’t really changed, we are now enjoying the opportunity to meet face to face with new clients and see our clients again in their workplaces.

Looking ahead, what’s next for Team Edelweiss?

We are continuing to grow. Our client base is expanding in London, so I anticipate spending more time there in 2022. We are also being joined by a new HR Consultant and we are very much looking forward to welcoming them to the team.

If you are looking for advice or support related to HR, including reward and performance management, recruitment, employment legislation, staff wellbeing, and more, contact the team at Edelweiss HR at edelweisshr.co.uk. Or if you’re located at UBC Cirencester, contact us at Reception and we’ll happily connect you.

Edelweiss image by ralfheine from Pixabay