empower by AdviserPlus
By AdviserPlus (part of Empowering People Group)
AdviserPlus, the developer of empower, is a premier UK provider of technology-enabled HR solutions and managed services. Headquartered in Ellesmere Port, the company has established itself as a leader in the Employee Relations (ER) space since its founding in 2001. AdviserPlus is the cornerstone of the 'Emporing People Group' (EPG), a collective of specialized firms including Working Transitions (career transition), Halborns (employment law), and Learning Nexus (digital learning). The company’s strategic vision is to simplify the complexities of work through innovation, focusing on 'manager enablement'—the philosophy that line managers, when properly supported by technology, are best positioned to handle people matters. AdviserPlus serves a prestigious roster of blue-chip clients and FTSE 100 companies, including Starbucks, United Utilities, and Wickes, as well as significant public sector organizations. The company is recognized for its practitioner-led approach, employing over 250 HR specialists who ensure the software remains deeply aligned with real-world legal and operational requirements. In recent years, under the leadership of CEO Simon Fowler, the company has pivoted toward advanced people analytics and AI-driven insights, reinforcing its position as a transformative force in the HR tech market.
AdviserPlus was founded in 2001 by Chris Brooks, with a clear mission to provide outsourced HR advisory services that could deliver consistent, high-quality support to large, distributed workforces. Initially operating as a managed services provider, the company quickly realized that the biggest bottleneck for HR efficiency was the lack of consistency in how line managers handled routine employee relations. This led to the development of early iterations of what would become the empower platform. The company's early success was rooted in its ability to combine qualified HR expertise with rigorous process management. For over 15 years, the company grew organically, building a reputation for excellence in the UK corporate and public sectors. The founding team’s deep background in generalist HR and legal compliance ensured that the product was built with a 'compliance-first' mindset, a legacy that remains a core part of the empower software today. The transition from a pure service business to a tech-led 'Empowering People Group' marked a significant evolution in the company's history, moving from simply giving advice to providing the infrastructure for total ER transformation.
AdviserPlus has followed a trajectory of strategic private equity backing rather than traditional venture capital rounds. A pivotal moment in its financial history occurred in November 2016 when the company was acquired by Limerston Capital, a private equity firm focusing on UK mid-market investments. This acquisition provided the financial muscle needed to scale operations and transition into a multi-firm group. Under Limerston's ownership, AdviserPlus became the anchor of the newly formed 'Empowering People Group' (EPG). The capital was strategically used to fund a series of bolt-on acquisitions: Succeed (HR platform implementation experts) in 2018, Working Transitions (career transition specialists) in 2019, Halborns (employment law firm) in 2020, and Learning Nexus in 2022. This 'buy-and-build' strategy has enabled AdviserPlus to offer a full-lifecycle HR service. While specific deal amounts are often private, the group’s scale and public sector contracts (such as G-Cloud listings) indicate a robust financial position with a focus on long-term value creation and integrated service delivery rather than rapid-exit growth.
The empower product suite is categorized into two main service models: 'enable' and 'transform'. empower enable is a built-for-purpose case management tool designed specifically for HR and ER professionals. it allows HR teams to move away from fragmented spreadsheets and ticketing systems into a unified platform that provides robust audit trails, automated document generation, and centralized case tracking. empower transform takes this a step further by extending the platform to line managers. It provides the signature 'Guided Journeys' that coach managers through real-time people matters, reducing the burden on HR. Complementing the software is the AdviserPlus Advice Line, where qualified practitioners provide remote support, fully immersed in the client's specific culture and policies. Additionally, the group offers Halborns for legal support and Working Transitions for outplacement and career coaching. These offerings are tied together by a powerful analytics engine that overlays organizational data with case metrics to provide actionable insights into workforce productivity and morale. The suite is designed to be modular, allowing organizations to start with core case management and expand into manager enablement as their digital maturity grows.
Historically focused on the United Kingdom, AdviserPlus has undergone significant regional expansion within the UK, establishing offices in Ellesmere Port, Liverpool, Yorkshire, and Nottingham. Its expansion strategy is deeply rooted in dominating the UK's 'blue-chip' and public sector markets, leveraging its presence on the G-Cloud framework to serve government departments. While its core software is optimized for UK employment law, the group's leadership has indicated ambitions for broader international reach through its digital potential. The acquisition of Working Transitions brought in a portfolio of global brands and experience in international outplacement, providing a bridgehead for global service delivery. Currently, the 'empower' platform is primarily a UK territory solution, but its hosting on Microsoft Azure allows for global accessibility. Localization efforts have largely focused on accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 AA) and meeting stringent UK data residency requirements. The company continues to explore partnerships and integrations with global HCM providers like Workday and SAP to support the international subsidiaries of its UK-headquartered clients.
In the last 18 months, AdviserPlus has significantly enhanced the empower platform with a focus on data-driven intelligence and accessibility. A major release included the 'EDI Insights Dashboard', which allows organizations to analyze HR outcomes through the lens of equality, diversity, and inclusion—helping to spot unconscious bias in disciplinary or grievance outcomes. The company also launched 'empower pulse', a specialized module for leave and time recording that gives employees real-time visibility into their tasks and project targets. Recent updates have also seen the introduction of 'Scenario Planning' tools within the analytics suite, allowing HR leaders to forecast the impact of policy changes or restructuring. On the technical front, the platform achieved WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, ensuring the interface is accessible to users with disabilities. Integration capabilities have also been expanded with new pre-built adapters for major HCM platforms, reducing the time required for data synchronization. Looking forward, the company is actively exploring targeted AI applications to further automate routine administrative tasks and provide predictive 'early warning' signals for sickness absence trends.
The culture at AdviserPlus and the Empowering People Group is defined by a commitment to 'simplifying work' and 'empowering people'. As a 'Disability Confident Leader', the company places a high value on inclusivity and social responsibility. The work environment is characterized by a blend of practitioner expertise and tech innovation; many employees are CIPD-qualified HR professionals who bring a high degree of empathy and legal rigor to their roles. The company promotes a 'human-centric' approach to technology, emphasizing that AI and automation should serve to enhance human interaction rather than replace it. Work policies typically reflect modern hybrid standards, with a focus on professional development—evidenced by the company's 'fully-funded development Adviser roles' that lead to CIPD Level 5 diplomas. The leadership, including CEO Simon Fowler, maintains an active presence in the HR community, advocating for 'agile' operating models and better employee experiences. This culture of 'practitioner-led innovation' ensures that every employee understands the real-world impact of their work on both managers and employees.
AdviserPlus maintains a robust community presence through its thought leadership and educational initiatives. The company is a frequent host of webinars and producer of whitepapers that tackle current HR challenges, such as the impact of AI on the workplace or managing sickness absence in a hybrid world. They are active participants in the British HR community, having been voted 'Technology Partner of the Year' at the British HR Awards 2023. The 'Empower Community' on platforms like G2 and social media allows users to share best practices, though much of the deep community engagement happens through direct client governance and user groups. These groups provide a forum for clients like Starbucks and United Utilities to influence the product roadmap. The company also invests in the next generation of HR talent through its partnership with the CIPD and internal accreditation programs. By positioning themselves as experts rather than just software vendors, AdviserPlus has built a community based on shared goals of improving workplace culture and operational efficiency across the UK's largest employers.
