Matthew Rouse has been appointed as Managing Director of SafeWorkforce and SafeHR. The newly created role marks a significant strategic investment in the two successful HR and health & safety services businesses, underlining a commitment to helping small and medium businesses grow safely, responsibly and sustainably.
Joining the brands in January 2026, Matthew has full operational and commercial responsibility for SafeWorkforce and SafeHR. He will lead efforts to scale services, strengthen customer outcomes, and embed best-in-class EHS (Environment Health & Safety) and HR practices for organisations navigating complex workforce and regulatory challenges.
Matthew Rouse, Managing Director at SafeWorkforce and SafeHR, said:
“At the heart of SafeWorkforce and SafeHR is a commitment to helping small and medium-sized businesses establish rigour and culture around safety and human resources. This isn’t about ticking boxes or meeting minimum compliance requirements, it’s about enabling organisations to grow in a way that is scalable, sustainable and responsible.
“A strong foundation in EHS and HR is crucial, and with the support of our experienced subject matter experts we help businesses create a positive culture that supports long-term growth.”
Matthew brings over 20 years of experience in HR, customer and employee engagement all enabled by software. He began his career supporting businesses improve their customer and employee engagement, developing a strong interest in how effective cultures are built. This interest shaped his most recent roles with SaaS technology at EcoOnline, where he led the transformation of its Customer Success function and held global leadership roles, including SVP Enterprise Sales – EMEA and SVP Customer Success Global.
In his new role, Matthew will focus on driving the growth of SafeWorkforce and SafeHR, delivering greater value to its small and medium sized (SME) customers across the construction, facilities management, manufacturing and the charity sectors, and ensuring organisations are supported through evolving regulatory and workforce challenges.
Matthew added: “This year businesses face new legislative challenges – from the Employment Rights Act which will have far reaching changes on well-established legislation, to evolving fire risk legislation that will impact all businesses including landlords and housing associations in particular.
“Helping our customers navigate, implement and operationalise these updates will be a key focus for us over the coming 12 months.”