Your dedicated HR partner. Embedded and available.
For growing UK businesses of 20-250 staff. A senior HR practitioner who embeds into your business on a retained basis, strategic when it matters, operational when it counts, and always available when something goes wrong.
The HR function your business needs, without the overhead
Most growing businesses reach a point where HR becomes a genuine need, not just a nice-to-have. You have 30, 50, 100 employees. Employment law is getting more complex. Managers need support with performance conversations. Someone has raised a grievance. You need contracts reviewed, policies updated, a proper HR system. But you are not ready for a full-time HR Manager, and you do not need one.
That is where our retained HR partnership comes in. You get a dedicated senior HR consultant who knows your business, your people and your culture. They are available by phone and email, visit your site regularly, and become the HR function for your business, at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.
Unlike transactional HR support services, our retained partnership is strategic. We do not just process paperwork. We help you build the HR infrastructure that supports growth, manages risk, and creates a workplace where people perform.
The day-to-day HR infrastructure that keeps people productive
Employee Lifecycle
Onboarding, probation reviews, contract changes, internal moves, settlement agreements, exits. Handled cleanly, documented properly, managed with care.
Performance Management
Annual review frameworks, objective-setting, performance improvement plans, capability and probation reviews under the new Bill rules. We help managers have the conversations that drive performance.
Employee Relations
Grievances, disciplinary cases, investigations, ACAS early conciliation, settlement agreements. Handled discreetly, professionally and within the law. We manage the process so you can manage the business.
Reward and Benefits
Salary benchmarking, bonus design, equity and EMI schemes, benefits review, pay gap analysis. The reward infrastructure that attracts, retains and motivates the right people.
HR Systems and Process
HRIS selection (BambooHR, HiBob, Personio, Workday), digital file management, leave tracking, reporting dashboards. The systems that make HR work efficiently at scale.
TUPE, Restructure and M&A
Pre-deal HR diligence, TUPE consultations, redundancy programmes, integration planning. The high-stakes work where mistakes are most expensive, handled by experienced practitioners.
Flexible commercial structures that fit your stage
Compliance Health Check
First-time engagement; pre-audit; pre-investment; pre-deal. Two-week fixed-scope diagnostic that surfaces every material risk and prices the fix.
Retained HR Partnership
Businesses of 20-150 staff needing day-to-day HR. Monthly retainer, rolling agreement. Your dedicated senior consultant, embedded and available.
Fractional HR Director
Scaling businesses needing senior strategic input. 1-2 days per week, minimum 3 months. Embedded into the executive team, reporting to CEO.
Project and Advisory Days
Specific compliance, restructure or M&A projects. Fixed-scope or day-rate engagement. Senior expertise for defined deliverables.
Retained HR partnership questions
How is retained HR different from an HR helpline?
An HR helpline gives you phone advice. A retained partnership gives you a dedicated senior consultant who knows your business, visits your site, manages your HR projects, and becomes your HR function. It is the difference between advice and delivery.
What size business is retained HR for?
Typically businesses of 20-250 employees. Below 20, you may need ad-hoc support. Above 250, you may need a full-time HR Manager or Director. In between, a retained partnership gives you senior HR capability at a fraction of the cost.
How quickly can you respond to urgent issues?
Retained clients have priority access. For urgent employee relations issues, grievances or disciplinary matters, we typically respond same day. Your dedicated consultant knows your business and can step in immediately.
Is there a minimum commitment?
Retained partnerships operate on a rolling monthly basis with no long-term lock-in. We want you to stay because we are adding value, not because you are tied in. Most clients stay for years.
Get the HR support your business needs.
Book a free 30-minute discovery call to explore how a retained HR partnership can work for you.
Book a Discovery Call