Jo Carley

I first started working in HR in 2010 as a HR Officer for the Isle of Wight Council. This role, although not intended to be a permanent career choice at the time, opened my eyes to the world of Human Resources and I was hooked. I quickly found that I really enjoy supporting managers in the employee life cycle and being someone they can rely on for clear HR advice. In 2012 I progressed to the role of Team Leader of the Council’s busy HR support team, with a focus on delivering high levels of customer service to the 2200 Council employees and several Schools on the Isle of Wight.

I sought all opportunities to learn more about HR, including undertaking the CIPD Level 7 Post Graduate Certificate and Diploma in Personnel and Development from 2012 to 2014, which happily lead me to progress to become a HR Adviser. I worked in this role for several years and gained valuable experience providing HR advice and guidance to managers in the variety of different areas of work and terms and conditions under a local Council’s remit.

Soon after becoming a HR Adviser I developed a strong interest in mental health in the workplace and, after completing my Award in Education and Training (AET) in 2017, I have designed and delivered successful training sessions to managers in this subject area. I am also a trained Mental Health First Aider.

Looking to expand my skills further, in 2018 I undertook an ACAS qualification to become a workplace mediator. Workplace mediation and conflict resolution has since become an area of HR that I feel very passionately about. Having repeatedly seen how powerful and constructive informal workplace mediation can be, particularly in comparison to the formal alternative, I am a big advocate for empowering employees to take responsibility for interpersonal issues and for them to be actively involved in finding agreeable resolutions.