High-Growth Publishing Company

Success Story

How Sleek HR Helped a High-Growth Publishing Company Protect Its Reputation and Strengthen Workplace Culture

A fast-growing publishing company with 100 employees faced a sensitive workplace concern that, if mishandled, could have led to legal risks, reputational damage, and difficulty attracting top talent.

The Back Story

A new employee formally raised concerns about being treated unfairly compared to their colleagues during onboarding and in day-to-day work. Their concerns included:

Unequal access to workplace resources – Given a different laptop model than colleagues.
Unequal access to information compared to colleagues.
Non-role-related tasks – Asked to make tea for others, unlike their peers.

Since this issue arose at the start of the pandemic, all interactions were remote, making it harder to assess workplace culture. With only one in-house HR manager, the company needed independent expertise to ensure a fair, impartial, and legally sound resolution.

How Sleek HR Protected the Business

The company engaged Sleek HR to navigate this complex situation objectively and minimise risk.

Conducted a fair, legally compliant investigation – Reviewed evidence, gathered statements, and interviewed key team members.
Delivered risk-conscious communication – Provided a transparent, well-structured response, reducing the likelihood of legal escalation.
Uncovered deeper operational risks – While discrimination was not found, gaps in the onboarding process were identified, affecting other employees.
Implemented strategic improvements – Recommended clearer onboarding procedures to ensure consistency and fairness for all new hires.

Although the employee declined mediation, they accepted the findings and did not escalate the issue—showing the power of a well-handled, objective process.

Legal & Financial Risk – A tribunal claim could cost tens of thousands in legal fees and compensation.
Reputational Damage – Negative reviews, bad press, and word-of-mouth could make hiring and client retention harder.
A Toxic Workplace Culture – If employees feel unheard, morale drops, productivity suffers, and high performers leave.

Ignoring workplace concerns doesn’t make them go away—it makes them EXPENSIVE.

Many companies assume their internal HR team can handle every issue, until they face a high-risk or sensitive case. That’s when independent HR expertise becomes essential.

Unbiased & Impartial Investigations

Employees trust external HR professionals, reducing internal conflict.

Legal & Compliance Protection

Proactive HR support helps prevent costly tribunal cases before they arise.

Stronger People Processes

We don’t just solve problems—we improve company culture and policies to stop them from recurring.

Protect Your Business & Strengthen Your Workplace Culture

At Sleek HR, we help businesses resolve workplace concerns, reduce risk, and create fair, high-performing workplaces—even when they have an internal HR team.