Helping purpose-led SMEs create great places to work.
Whether you're building your culture from the ground up or reimagining how to achieve your potential, I partner with businesses that genuinely care about creating exceptional employee experiences.
I work with:
Leadership teams to shape culture and people strategy
People Managers to develop their confidence and competence in leading their teams
Internal teams to deliver impactful projects that enhance how people experience work
Employees to ensure their voices are heard and their insights drive change
Let’s talk about how I can help you build a thriving, people-first culture.
Successful leaders know the benefit of building cultures where their people can thrive.
Engaging your employees leads to reduced turnover, increased innovation, better customer service, higher productivity and an enhanced employer brand.
My Services
People Project Delivery.
Make change happen with expert support.
You may have a sense that some of your people practices need to be improved, and may not have the experience, know-how, or bandwidth to make positive changes stick.
That’s where I come in.
Whether you’re redesigning your performance management, embedding new values, or rethinking how you listen to your people; whatever your people project needs, I’ll help you deliver change that directly impacts the moments that matter. I can work independently or collaborate with existing team members to deliver your project goals and engage your people along the way.
People & Culture as a Service.
Your strategic people partner.
In collaboration with Bee Heller (Co-Founder of The Pioneers), we offer a retained service for SMEs that want strategic people expertise at the top table.
We bring together a deep understanding of behavioural science and positive psychology with years of practical experience, to build cultures that support performance, wellbeing and belonging.
Each month, we:
Develop and deliver your people strategy
Coach and support your leaders and managers
Actively listen to your people and respond to what they need
It’s a people-first approach, designed for ambitious businesses.
If you’re ready to create a culture where your people feel heard, valued and empowered - I’d love to hear from you.
Hi, I’m Debbie Martin - a People & Culture professional with over 20 years of experience helping rapid growth start-ups and enterprise organisations become better places to work.
My career spans both consultancy and in-house roles. I’ve led strategic people initiatives across sectors—from global corporates like Bank of America and DeBeers to fast-growing startups and mission-led SMEs. Whether redesigning employee experiences, enabling leadership, or navigating complex transformation, I bring a calm, focused approach that balances strategic thinking with empathy and clarity.
My passion for the importance of understanding the psychology at play in the workplace, led me to undertake a Masters degree in Positive Psychology, becoming a certified Strengthscope practitioner alongside my MSc. I also support the next generation of People & Culture practitioners through pro-bono mentoring of early-career professionals working in this space.
I’ve spoken on podcasts and panels about topics like intrinsic motivation, engagement, and workplace behaviour—and I love working with clients who care about doing the right thing for their people, not just ticking boxes.
Want to hear more?
Here are some podcasts I’ve appeared on recently, as well as a link to my own podcast series, Curious Conversations.
Curious Conversations
Bee Heller and Debbie Martin love all things people and culture. Join them as they lean into their nerdy nature and go on a journey of discovery through the academic research that sits behind the work they do everyday.
Dragon Rouge
We speak to Independent Employee Experience Consultant Debbie Martin about the changing world of work post pandemic, the importance of company culture and the real meaning of employer branding.
Pioneer Stories
An interview with Debbie Martin, Chief of Talent Experience at AND.Digital, on how they set out to build a people first company from day one and put the structures in place to support a robust and collaborative culture.
Get in touch
Get in touch to explore how we can work together on your people strategy, culture change, or employee experience. Whether it’s a one-off project or an ongoing partnership, I’m here to help you make work better.
