Why Fractional HR Makes Sense For Growing SMEs
Why fractional HR makes sense for growing SMEs (especially right now)
If you're running a business with 1-50 employees, you're in that tricky sweet spot: too small to justify a full-time HR manager, but too big to wing it without proper HR support.
And with the Employment Rights Act 2025 bringing significant changes to employment law, the stakes just got higher.
Here's what I'm seeing with my retainer clients:
The cost equation is simple. A full-time HR manager costs £40-50k+ plus overheads. You might not need someone five days a week, but you absolutely need expertise when you need it. Fractional HR gives you strategic support at a fraction of the cost.
The legislation won't wait for you to be ready. The upcoming changes around day-one rights, flexible working, and unfair dismissal protections mean every small business needs to review contracts, policies, and procedures. Having someone in your corner who knows this inside out isn't a luxury anymore.
It's not just about compliance. Yes, I help clients stay on the right side of employment law. But the real value? Supporting managers who've never managed before, helping founders have difficult conversations they've been avoiding, and building people practices that actually work for small teams.
You get 20 years of experience, not someone learning on the job. When you bring in fractional HR, you're accessing deep expertise across multiple industries and situations - not hiring someone to figure it out as they go.
If you're juggling growth, managing people challenges, and trying to stay on top of legislative changes, it might be time to stop doing it alone.
What's been your biggest HR headache as a growing business?
