Working with Winnchester

What types of businesses do you work with?
Winnchester primarily supports small to medium organisations that don’t have an in-house HR team, or where HR is stretched and needs experienced backup. That includes multi-site businesses, trades and services, professional services and not-for-profits.

Where are you based, and do you work remotely or on site?
We’re based in Brisbane and work with clients across South East Queensland both remotely and on site. For investigation work, workshops and more complex matters, we can travel further by agreement, or run sessions virtually if that better suits your team.

Do you replace an in-house HR team?
Sometimes. For some clients, Winnchester is their “embedded” HR partner; for others, we supplement an internal HR or People & Culture team with specialised support on investigations, conduct and performance or projects. We’ll always be clear about where our role starts and ends.

Services and approach

What kinds of issues can you help with?
We help with workplace investigations, conduct and performance management, redundancy and termination processes, policy and contract frameworks, HR audits, manager workshops and ongoing HR advisory support. If you’re unsure whether something sits with us, you can always ask and we’ll let you know.

Do you only take on complex investigations?
No. We support a range of matters – from straightforward, single-allegation issues through to multi-allegation, multi-respondent investigations. The level of structure and documentation scales with the complexity and risk, but the underlying principles of fairness and clarity remain the same.

Can you guarantee a particular outcome from an investigation or process?
No – and anyone who says they can should be treated with caution. We don’t guarantee outcomes; we focus on delivering a fair, defensible process and clear reasoning so your decisions are properly supported and can stand up to scrutiny if challenged.

How do you handle confidentiality and impartiality?
Confidentiality is built into how we work. Information is shared on a “need to know” basis, and sensitive documents are handled with appropriate care. In investigations, we operate as an impartial fact-finder: we test information from all sides against your policies, procedures and obligations before reaching findings.

What if an employee makes a claim after we’ve used your services?
We can’t prevent claims, but we can help you demonstrate that you followed a fair and reasonable process. Our work is designed to create a clear paper trail – investigation plans, notes and reports, letters and scripts – so you can show how decisions were reached if questions are raised later.

Pricing and payment

How do you price your services?
For advisory support, we offer monthly hour packs (Starter, Standard and Plus) so you can budget with confidence. For investigations, audits, workshops and project work, we usually agree a fixed fee or a structured fee based on scope, complexity and timeframes.

Do you require a deposit or upfront payment?
Yes. For project-based work (such as investigations, audits and toolkit builds) we typically take a non-refundable deposit to secure your booking and cover preparation time, with the balance due at agreed milestones. Advisory packs are usually invoiced monthly in advance.

What is your cancellation or rescheduling policy?
For advisory calls and 1:1 sessions, we ask for reasonable notice if you need to reschedule, and late cancellations or non-attendance may attract a fee. For workshops and investigations, changes are managed in line with the terms set out in your proposal or service agreement.

Practicalities

Are you insured?
Yes. Winnchester holds appropriate business insurances, including cover for professional advice and public liability. Certificates of currency can be provided on request, for example where your venue or organisation requires them.

Can you provide templates we can reuse?
Yes. Many of our services include practical tools you can use again – such as letters, checklists, scripts and policies. Where we develop or refine templates for you, we aim to keep them adaptable so your managers can use them beyond the immediate matter.

How quickly can you start?
It depends on the type of work and current bookings. Advisory support can usually begin quite quickly once terms are agreed. Investigations, audits and workshops are scheduled based on urgency, complexity and availability, and we’ll always be upfront about realistic timeframes.