I had reached a point where I genuinely couldn’t see a way through on my own. After raising concerns internally about management practices that I believed weren’t right, things changed very quickly. Relationships shifted, concerns started being raised about me, and I found myself trying to deal with allegations that I strongly believed were unfair and connected to me speaking up.

At the same time, I was already managing PTSD, and the whole situation had an enormous impact on my mental wellbeing. What I needed wasn’t someone to tell me what I wanted to hear. I needed somebody calm, objective and experienced enough to help me separate facts from emotion and work out what to do next.

Then I found TrustForce, and from the beginning, I felt listened to. I was helped to organise my thoughts, prepare responses, draft letters and emails, and approach meetings in a way that protected me rather than putting me under more pressure. I was also encouraged not to react emotionally, not to rush decisions and not to lose confidence in myself.

What made the biggest difference was that there was always an awareness of the impact the situation was having on my health. When things became overwhelming and I started doubting myself, I had someone helping me stay focused, keep boundaries in place, and make sure my wellbeing wasn’t being sacrificed just to get through a process.

I never felt pushed into escalating things unnecessarily, but equally I never felt dismissed or encouraged to accept treatment that didn’t feel right. At points where I honestly felt broken down by the process, I had support that helped me regain confidence and start making decisions from a place of clarity rather than fear.

Looking back now, I don’t think I would have navigated the process effectively on my own. The support I received made me feel prepared, informed and, most importantly, like somebody was in my corner when I needed it most.

If you’re going through something similar and feel like you’re losing perspective or confidence, my advice would be to get support early, and speak to TrustForce.

I got to a point in my career where I felt stuck. On paper, things looked good. I had a senior marketing role, solid experience, good results and positive feedback. But I couldn’t work out why I wasn’t making the jump to Director level. I started questioning whether I needed more experience, whether I was in the wrong company, or whether I just wasn’t being seen.

What I realised through working with TrustForce was that capability and progression aren’t always the same thing. The support I received wasn’t generic career coaching or advice you could find online. It was practical, honest, and tailored to my situation.

We spent time understanding how I was showing up at work: how I contributed to meetings, how I communicated upwards, how I built credibility, how visible I actually was and whether I was operating at the level above my role. There were conversations I’ll never forget around executive presence, stakeholder management, and the difference between doing great work and making sure the right people understand your value.

I was challenged (in a good way) on things I hadn’t considered: where I was spending my energy, whether my manager truly knew my ambitions, how strong my internal network really was and whether I was creating opportunities or waiting for them. I also learned how to have better conversations with senior leaders and my manager, how to influence without authority and how to build relationships that felt authentic rather than political.

One of the most valuable things was understanding that career progression isn’t always vertical, and having someone help me think through different routes, timing, and options rather than assuming Director was the only measure of success.

I left with a much clearer sense of who I am professionally, where I add value and how to position myself for the next step. More importantly, I stopped hoping I would get noticed and started being intentional about how I operated.

I’d recommend this to anyone who feels capable but isn’t seeing the career progression they expected. Sometimes you don’t need more experience, you need a different perspective.

I had never been involved in a redundancy process before and genuinely believed that if you worked hard, performed well and had a strong track record, the process would be fine. When it happened to me, it didn’t feel right at all.

I found myself in a consultation process where the selection criteria and decision-making felt increasingly predetermined, subjective and difficult to understand. From my perspective, experience, previous results and contribution didn’t seem to be reflected in the way decisions were being made. As the process developed, I became increasingly concerned that there were wider relationship and management dynamics influencing outcomes, and I lost confidence that the consultation was as open and objective as I had expected.

I felt completely out of my depth and looked for help. Solicitors were costly, ACAS were very black and white, and I was not a member of a trade union. Luckily, I found TrustForce.

They helped enormously. I felt confident knowing I had someone alongside me who could step back emotionally and help me navigate each stage properly. I was supported through consultation meetings, preparing questions, reviewing communications, drafting responses and eventually raising a grievance when I felt my concerns hadn’t been properly addressed.

What I appreciated most was that there was never any pressure to fight for the sake of fighting, or to accept things quickly just to bring it to an end. Instead, I was helped to stay focused on evidence, ask the right questions and approach every stage calmly and professionally. When emotions were high, I had someone helping me work out what actually mattered and what to do next.

As things progressed and discussions moved towards settlement, I felt prepared rather than pressured. I understood the process, understood my options and felt able to negotiate from a position of confidence rather than disappointment.

Looking back now, I honestly think I would either have accepted the situation too early or approached it emotionally and damaged my own position. Instead, I left feeling that I had been heard, had protected my reputation and had reached an outcome that reflected the wider circumstances rather than simply accepting the first position put in front of me.

If you’re going through redundancy and something doesn’t feel right, my advice would be to get support early and not assume you have to figure everything out yourself.

After more than 20 years working permanent night shifts in NHS security, I never thought I would ever find myself in a situation where I needed outside support. My shift pattern had never simply been a preference. It was something my life had been built around. Alongside work, I also share caring responsibilities for my elderly mother, and over the years I had organised everything around being able to continue working nights.

When we were told we were moving through a management of change process into 12-hour rotating shifts including day shifts, I felt completely overwhelmed and anxious. I am a practical person and had always tried to work with the system. I engaged with my trade union and they were supportive, but I still felt like I needed additional help understanding what questions should be asked and whether enough consideration was being given to the wider impact of the changes.

That’s when I reached out to TrustForce. What stood out immediately was that the support wasn’t confrontational or unrealistic. Instead of being encouraged to refuse change outright, I was helped to focus on the facts, understand the process properly and think about things I hadn’t considered, including wellbeing, caring responsibilities, health impacts, contractual position and whether appropriate duty of care considerations had been taken into account.

TrustForce worked collaboratively alongside my trade union rather than replacing them, which I really valued. Together they helped me raise concerns professionally and constructively around how the changes were being implemented and whether individual circumstances had been fully considered. There were also occasions where I felt the way concerns were being handled by management left me feeling uncomfortable and under pressure, and I appreciated having support to challenge that appropriately and professionally.

What made the biggest difference was feeling like someone was actually listening and helping me find my voice. I was supported with preparing for meetings, understanding communications, drafting responses and staying calm and focused throughout the process.

In the end, the proposed change to my working arrangements did not go ahead for me, and I was able to keep my established shift pattern. More importantly, I came away feeling that my circumstances had finally been properly considered and that I didn’t have to choose between my job, my responsibilities outside work and my wellbeing.

If you’re facing change at work and feel like your concerns are being ignored, or you’re not sure whether what’s happening is right, my advice would be to ask for support early.

I found myself facing an extraordinarily complex employment situation involving grievance proceedings, redundancy discussions, and a proposed settlement agreement at a time when I was managing an ongoing health condition and trying to navigate a return to work. Looking back, I genuinely do not believe I could have managed the process alone.

From the outset, I received support that went far beyond document preparation or general advice. Every conversation balanced practical strategy with a genuine focus on protecting my wellbeing and ensuring decisions were made thoughtfully rather than under pressure.

I was supported through drafting formal grievances, preparing sensitive correspondence, responding to difficult management communications, and getting ready for meetings that I would otherwise have found overwhelming. Importantly, I was helped to communicate clearly, professionally, and confidently throughout.

One of the most valuable aspects of the support was understanding the wider context of my situation, including concerns about how my health condition had been managed, the impact of workplace treatment during my recovery and questions around whether appropriate adjustments and safeguards had been carefully considered.

Throughout the process, there was a constant awareness that stress and anxiety could have a detrimental effect on my wellbeing. I was encouraged to set boundaries, take time before responding, avoid unnecessary confrontation and ensure my health remained protected while still advocating for myself effectively.

When difficult conversations arose, I felt prepared. When complex documents arrived, I felt informed. When pressure increased, I had someone helping me step back and think strategically rather than emotionally. Most importantly, I never felt pushed into decisions.

By the time settlement discussions began, I understood my position, had a clear strategy, and felt able to negotiate from a position of knowledge rather than fear. The final outcome achieved was materially stronger than I personally believe I would have accepted had I been navigating the process alone.

The combination of strategic guidance, practical support and genuine care made an enormous difference, not just to the outcome itself, but to my ability to get through the experience while protecting my wellbeing. I would not hesitate to recommend this support to anyone facing a difficult employment situation, particularly where health concerns, workplace treatment or confidence have been affected.

We were introduced to TrustForce after Sharen successfully helped resolve a particularly difficult situation involving one of our former employees. What impressed us wasn’t just that the matter was settled amicably, but that it was achieved quickly, fairly and without either party needing to embark on lengthy, expensive legal action.

That experience gave us the confidence to ask Sharen to review how we approached employee relations more broadly. Rather than waiting for issues to escalate, she helped us identify where misunderstandings, inconsistent management practices and poor communication could create unnecessary conflict. Her advice was practical, commercially sensible, and always centred on treating people fairly.

Sharen challenged our thinking in a constructive way and introduced strategies that have improved the quality of conversations between managers and employees, reduced the likelihood of grievances escalating, and given our leadership team greater confidence when dealing with sensitive situations.

What sets Sharen apart is that she doesn’t encourage confrontation or unnecessary legal processes. She focuses on finding balanced, pragmatic solutions that protect individuals while also helping organisations do the right thing. Her ability to see both perspectives makes her an invaluable adviser, and we would have no hesitation recommending her to any organisation looking to build a healthier, more positive workplace culture.