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Amanda Haddaway, Managing Director, HR Answerbox

HR Answerbox: Making Better Workplaces by Adding Value

Some small businesses don’t realize the importance of HR, but companies with even one hire have human resources responsibilities when it comes to compliance with employment laws. It’s actually easier to get this right from the beginning than try to triage it once something goes awry. To manage employees and solve their issues, organizations need to have good HR services available for smooth and effective functioning of the organization. HR Answerbox provides HR consulting and corporate training services to small businesses and start-ups in for-profit, non-profit, and governmental organizations. The majority of clients of HR Answerbox are located throughout Maryland and Virginia.
Solving Employment Management Problems
HR Answerbox works with small business owners, business leaders, office managers, HR, and finance and accounting professionals to help them solve their employment management problems and challenges. The mission of HR Answerbox is to make better workplaces. It believes that one’s employees matter. HR Answerbox also believes that happy, well-treated employees perform better, stay longer, and contribute to organizational success. When HR is done right (and HR Answerbox knows a thing or two about that!), it adds value to the entire organization.
HR Answerbox strives to be the first place its clients think of and contact when they have questions about employee management, compliance, and workplace culture. Its work includes HR consulting, training, workplace investigations and virtual HR services. Since HR Answerbox is dedicated to working with small businesses and start-ups, it is well versed in the problems that are commonly faced by growing organizations who may not have a formal HR infrastructure in place.
A Proficient Leader
One of the leading lights of HR Answerbox is Amanda Haddaway, the Managing Director of the company. Amanda is an award-winning HR consultant and corporate trainer. In her role at HR Answerbox, she specializes in conducting workplace investigations, solving complex employee relations issues, leading interactive and engaging training sessions and serving as an advisor to small business owners and leaders. Amanda advises budding entrepreneurs to pursue business even though it is filled with hard work.
Building Cohesive, High Performing Cultures
HR Answerbox teaches others about building cohesive, high performing cultures, so this is obviously super important to the company. When Amanda founded the company, it went through an intensive brand building exercise that helped HR Answerbox identify its core values.
These values are Authenticity, Consistency, Responsiveness, Quality Work, and a Focus on Results and Problem Solving. These values are reflected in everything HR Answerbox does as an organization and it frequently obtains feedback from clients to ensure that it is successful in these efforts.
Conducting Workplace Investigations
The greatest strength of HR Answerbox is the ability to listen and understand specific employee problems of organizations. HR Answerbox often works with organizations and law firms to conduct workplace investigations on harassment and discrimination allegations.
Being Resourceful
When the pandemic began in March 2020, HR Answerbox quickly saw its client bookings disappear due to the uncertainties ahead. Its clients are primarily small businesses and start-ups, so many were panicked about what the future would look like. HR Answerbox was able to quickly pivot into an online resource for its clients. Its training sessions were converted to be effective via Zoom and it launched its Virtual HR Service.
Serving with New and Innovative Ways
HR Answerbox is always looking at new and innovative ways to best serve its clients. After hearing several clients talk about the challenges in building great workplace cultures, HR Answerbox created the Workplace Culture Academy, which it will launch later this year. Its program will help organizational leaders build their culture through intentional activities and strategic decisions.
On average, employees only rate their current workplace culture at 65 on a 100-point scale, so HR Answerbox knows there’s some work that needs to be done in that area.
HR Answerbox Workplace Culture Academy takes one step-by-step through its Culture Canvas© to analyze one’s existing culture and determine where there are strengths, as well as areas of opportunity for changes. The academy includes a combination of training sessions, tools, resources, and post-training implementation support.
Providing Praiseworthy Services to Clients
“I’ve worked with Amanda for over three years on delivering various training topics to our team of over 200 employees. Each opportunity we have to work with her has been a great experience. Amanda is willing to customize the training content to meet our needs and is very engaging in her delivery.” — Tania Salgado-Nealous, VP HR & Operations Vectorworks, Inc.
“As a small, not-for-profit corporation, having a HR Generalist on staff is simply not financially feasible. Partnering with HR Answerbox is invaluable.” — Michelle Doster, General Manager Lake Linganore Association, Inc.
“HR Answerbox has always provided excellent service with all of our HR questions. I would highly recommend HR Answerbox for your HR needs. She has taken a lot of stress off of me with her knowledge and expertise in the industry.” — Deb Conroy President/CEO Serenity Treatment Center, Inc.
“Amanda’s personality combined with her knowledge, background and communication skills make her an ideal consultant, teacher, and coach. I absolutely would tap her first for any HR consulting or training needs.” — Kathaleen Lucey, Office Manager LSWG CPAs
“Amanda and HR Answerbox have been amazing to work with on my HR needs. I tend to have last minute issues at my office but I’m always getting immediate attention. You can’t beat the knowledge and experience that is provided by this amazing company!” — Kimberly Day Office Manager Anderson & Quinn, LLC
“In my 25 years as a labor and employment attorney, I have worked with many professionals in the human resources industry. My firm recently retained Amanda’s services to conduct a workplace investigation during complex litigation. Amanda consistently outperformed and over delivered, exceeding my expectations. She was timely, professional, and best of all, thorough. I heartily recommend her services.” — Stephen S. Burgoon, Esq.