Melisa Cunningham FCIPD
About Melisa Cunningham
Helping organisations do the right thing by their people, without losing sight of the business.
I'm Melisa Cunningham, founder of Culture & Employee Experience and a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD (FCIPD).
I've spent over 20 years working in HR, employee relations, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing and employee experience across the public, private and charity sectors.
During that time, I've supported managers through challenging employee situations, helped organisations improve workplace relationships and developed practical approaches to building more inclusive, supportive workplaces.
One of the things I've learnt is that workplace problems rarely fit neatly into a policy or procedure.
There's usually more going on beneath the surface.
Sometimes it's a manager who doesn't feel confident having a difficult conversation. Sometimes it's an employee who doesn't feel heard. And sometimes it's an organisation that's grown so quickly that its people practices haven't quite kept up.
That's where I come in.
I work with employers to understand the bigger picture, identify what's really happening and find fair, practical ways forward.
Experience that makes a difference
Throughout my career, I've helped organisations move away from reactive employee relations processes towards earlier conversations and better resolution.
In one organisation, this contributed to an approximately 83% reduction in formal grievances, helping managers and employees address concerns before they escalated.
I've also led work in disability inclusion, neuroinclusion, employee wellbeing and leadership capability, supporting organisations to turn good intentions into meaningful action.
How I work
I'm not here to judge how you've handled a situation or simply tell you what a policy says.
I'm here to listen, ask the right questions, challenge where necessary and help you work out what happens next.
I'll be honest about the risks, straightforward about your options and supportive throughout the process.
Because good people management isn't about having all the answers. It's about knowing how to approach the situation fairly and confidently.
My Purpose
Over the years, I have worked with people and organisations through some of the most sensitive and complex workplace moments. I have seen how much difference calm, fair and thoughtful support can make, not only to the outcome of a situation, but to how people feel throughout the process.
Those experiences have shaped the way I work today. I care deeply about helping organisations create cultures where people feel respected and supported, while also helping leaders make clear, confident and commercially sound decisions.
For me, culture and employee experience are not abstract ideas. They show up in everyday conversations, decisions, behaviours and moments of trust. My role is to help organisations strengthen those everyday experiences so that both people and business can thrive.