HR for General Managers

HR for General Managers

Course Overview

HR for General Managers is a practical, skills-based course designed specifically for the theatre industry. Many managers don’t work directly in HR, but find themselves dealing with HR issues in their everyday work. A solid gras of the essentials of HR becomes vital. This course demystifies HR and employment law and focuses on real-world situations faced in theatres and production companies, with a focus on skills for General Managers and Company Managers.

Delivered as a one-day course, this training equips participants with the confidence, knowledge and tools to manage people effectively, handle difficult conversations, and reduce organisational risk — all using theatre-specific language, scenarios and case studies.

The course is delivered in person at 32 Rose Street, London.

What the Course Covers

Participants will explore the core principles of HR and people management, including:

· HR for Non-HR Managers: fundamentals of HR and employment law

· Management and leadership essentials

· Recruitment and selection

· Navigating difficult conversations

· Performance management

· Team communication and dynamics

· Employee relations

· Ending the employment relationship

Sessions are highly interactive and focused on practical application, with opportunities to work through realistic scenarios together.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will:

· Understand the fundamentals of HR and employment law and the risks involved

· Feel more confident managing people and performance

· Be better equipped to handle challenging conversations and situations

· Strengthen their individual management skills in a theatre context

Who It’s For

This course is ideal for:

· Production companies or other organisations who don’t have internal HR

· General Managers, Company Managers

· Line Managers and Department Heads

· Producers and senior staff with people-management responsibilities

· Anyone in management without a formal HR background

It is suitable for organisations of all sizes, across subsidised/not-for-profit and commercial theatre.

Trainer Information

This course is delivered by Lucinda Harvey, founder of Lucinda Harvey Associates Ltd, a specialist HR consultancy established in 2015 with a deep understanding of the theatre sector.

Lucinda has worked in theatre since 1993 and brings extensive experience across producing, general management, disabled access, marketing, employment relations and HR. This breadth of sector knowledge, combined with her HR qualifications, allows her to deliver training that is practical, relevant and tailored specifically to the realities of theatre organisations.

Lucinda works with small, medium and large-scale clients across theatre, opera, dance and museums throughout the UK, supporting both subsidised/not-for-profit and commercial organisations. Her work includes HR advice, managing complex employee relations issues, investigations and grievance procedures, mediation, coaching and negotiations on terms and conditions.

She holds an Arts degree, a Personnel Diploma, is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), and undertakes continuous professional development. She is also enrolled on a Professional Mediation Course (January 2026) to further embed her mediation practice.

Lucinda has designed and delivered bespoke training for organisations such as HOME, Birmingham Rep, Mischief, Kenny Wax Ltd and ROYO.

Her courses are theatre-specific, avoiding generic corporate approaches and using real, up-to-date industry case studies.