Fractional HR

Strategic HR leadership, without the cost or commitment of a full time hire.

Expert HR support, built around your business

Growing a business brings growing HR challenges. As headcount increases, so does the need for consistent HR support, clear people strategy and someone who genuinely understands employment law. Yet for many small and mid sized organisations, a full time HR director simply isn’t the right fit, not yet, and not always.

That’s where fractional HR professional support comes in.

Fractional HR Support Without The Overheads

Fractional HR services give you access to experienced HR professionals and senior HR leadership, without the overheads of a full time HR department. You get the same strategic guidance, hands on support and deep expertise as an in house team, but structured around what your business actually needs. It’s additional expertise that allows you to provide continuity within HR to your team but with the option to have it on a interim basis.

At Hallidays HR, our fractional HR consultants work with growing businesses, start ups and established organisations across a wide range of sectors, providing the HR expertise you need, exactly when you need it.

To find out more about who we are, meet the team here.

What is Fractional HR Support?

Fractional HR support (fractional human resources) means bringing in experienced HR leadership on a part time, interim or project basis, rather than hiring a full time HR director or building an in house team from scratch.

Instead of relying solely on internal resource, you gain on demand access to a fractional HR consultant who can step in immediately and provide the strategic support your leadership team needs. It’s a model that works particularly well for businesses that have outgrown ad hoc HR practices, but aren’t yet ready for a full time hire. A simple way of having an effective HR strategy, hr processes that folllow the best practices and a way to improve both business goals, business success and employee satisfaction – all through one startegic partner.

What We Do

Our fractional HR support covers the full breadth of HR functions a growing business needs, including:

We take time to understand your company culture, your leadership team and your business needs, so the support we provide is genuinely tailored, not a generic playbook.

Find out more about our full range of HR support services here.

How We Work

Fractional HR support is designed to flex around your business, not the other way around. We offer a few different ways of working, depending on your circumstances.

Retained Fractional HR Support Ongoing, consistent HR support on a retained basis, giving your business regular access to experienced HR professionals for strategic guidance and day to day queries alike. Explore our retained HR support here.

Interim HR Support Sometimes circumstances change quickly, a maternity leave, an unexpected departure, a period of rapid hiring. Our interim HR support provides temporary cover, so you’re never left without HR leadership when it matters most.

Project Based HR Support For specific pieces of work, such as a restructure or a review of your HR practices, we can provide focused, project basis support from an experienced HR consultant.

Across all three, you get the same broad and deep expertise and the same commitment to understanding your business.

Fractional HR vs a Full Time HR Department

Hiring a full time HR director or building an in house HR department is a significant investment, in salary, recruitment and ongoing overheads. For many small businesses, that level of permanent headcount simply isn’t necessary yet.

Fractional HR support gives you access to the same calibre of HR leadership and strategic expertise, without the cost of a full time executive or full time employees on your books.

You’re not choosing between having HR support and not having it. You’re choosing a smarter way to access real expertise, one that scales with your business rather than locking you into a full time hire before you’re ready, while also providing valuable continuity during periods of change.

Why Choose Hallidays HR for Fractional HR Support?

We’re an established team of experienced HR professionals, based in Stockport and supporting businesses across Greater Manchester and beyond.

Our fractional HR consultants bring genuine, hands on expertise gained from working with multiple clients across a wide range of industries. That breadth of experience means we’ve likely seen a version of whatever HR challenge your business is facing.

We don’t believe in one size fits all HR. Every business we support gets strategic guidance shaped around their own culture, team and goals, and there is no HR challenge too big or too small for our team. We love being able to support organisations with external expertise, and the ability to provide strategic guidance that makes a difference!

What Are the Benefits of Fractional HR Support?

Bringing in fractional HR support has a direct, practical impact on your business. Our clients typically see:

  • Consistent HR support without the cost of a full time HR department

  • Access to senior HR leadership and strategic expertise on demand

  • Stronger employee relations and improved employee experience

  • Better informed decisions around performance management, absence and disciplinary matters

  • Reduced risk through proactive employment law compliance

  • Improved employee engagement across leadership teams and wider staff

  • The confidence that comes from having experienced HR leadership behind every decision

  • A genuine strategic advisor for the business, not just a reactive HR function

Ultimately, fractional HR support helps you drive performance across your business, while giving your leadership team the headspace to focus on what they do best.

Who Is Fractional HR Support For?

Our fractional HR services are a great fit for:

  • Start ups and early career businesses building their people strategy from the ground up

  • Growing businesses that have outgrown informal HR practices

  • Small businesses without the need (yet) for a full time HR director

  • Mid sized organisations looking to strengthen their HR function without expanding permanent headcount

  • Leadership teams who want access to a chief people officer level of strategic guidance, on a fractional basis

  • Organisations going through a period of change, growth or restructuring

  • Businesses currently relying solely on an overstretched in house team

Whatever stage your business is at, if HR challenges are taking up more time and headspace than they should, fractional HR support could be the right support for you.

Need More Than Fractional HR Support?

At Hallidays HR, we understand that HR needs rarely stay still. As your business grows and circumstances change, you might need more hands on support in specific areas.

Alongside our fractional HR services, we also offer:

You can explore our full range of HR support services here.

Free and Paid HR Resources for Growing Businesses

Managing HR while growing a business can feel overwhelming, particularly without a full time HR department behind you. That’s why we’ve built a growing library of free and paid HR resources, designed to give business owners and leadership teams practical, expert guidance whenever they need it, helping you stay compliant and manage your people with confidence.

You can access:

  • HR Webinars on employment law updates, performance management and leadership development

  • Practical insights and articles on real world HR challenges facing growing businesses

These resources sit alongside our fractional HR support, giving you expert guidance and hands on support, without needing to rely solely on an in house team.

Fractional HR Support FAQs

What is fractional HR support? Fractional HR support means bringing in an experienced HR professional or team on a part time, interim or project basis, rather than hiring a full time HR director. It gives businesses access to senior HR leadership and strategic guidance without the salary and overheads of a full time hire.

How does fractional HR support differ from a full time HR director? A full time HR director is a permanent, salaried member of staff. Fractional HR support gives you the same calibre of strategic expertise, but structured around how much support your business actually needs, whether that’s a few hours a month or more intensive cover during a period of change.

How much does fractional HR support cost? Cost depends on the level of support required, from retained ongoing access to one-off project work. Because there’s no full time salary, recruitment cost or associated overheads, fractional HR support is typically far more cost effective than an in house HR director, particularly for small and mid sized businesses. Contact Hallidays HR for a tailored quote based on your business needs.

What size of business is fractional HR support suitable for? Fractional HR support suits start ups building their people strategy from scratch, growing businesses that have outgrown informal HR practices, and established mid sized organisations that want senior HR expertise without expanding permanent headcount.

Can fractional HR support cover maternity leave or unexpected departures? Yes. Interim HR support is designed for exactly this kind of situation, providing temporary cover so a business is never left without HR leadership during a period of change.

What’s the difference between retained, interim and project based HR support? Retained support gives ongoing, regular access to HR expertise for strategic guidance and day to day queries. Interim support provides temporary cover during periods of change, such as a departure or a period of rapid hiring. Project based support is focused on a specific piece of work, such as a restructure or a review of HR practices.

Does fractional HR support include employment law advice? Yes. Employment law compliance and risk mitigation is a core part of fractional HR support, alongside areas such as employee relations, performance management, recruitment and disciplinary and grievance handling.

Contact Hallidays HR Today

If you’re looking for consistent, strategic HR support without the cost of a full time hire, our fractional HR consultants are here to help.

Get in touch today to find out how fractional HR support could work for your business, your team and your leadership.

HR support, your way

Contracts & Handbooks

Ensure your documentation is legally compliant and tailored to your business – no templates from the internet here.

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Retained HR Support

Ongoing HR advice from people who understand your business. No long contracts, no faceless helpdesks – just trusted support when you need it.

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Gap Analysis & HR Health Check

We’ll review your existing contracts and policies to spot risks, gaps, or outdated content – and help you put things right.

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One-Off Support

Need help with a grievance, disciplinary or redundancy? We’ll walk you through it with no jargon and no judgment.

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Specialist HR Advice & Guidance

These areas are supported as part of our HR services, providing expert guidance on complex people matters. Support varies depending on the package you choose, with one-off support available where appropriate.

People, Performance & Reward

Whether it’s building confidence in your new managers or improving how your people processes support performance, we’ll help you create the conditions for your team – and your business – to thrive.

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DISC is a powerful tool that helps individuals and teams improve self-awareness, communication, and collaboration.

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Get honest feedback, unlock insights, and make confident people decisions that move your business forward.

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Managing performance well isn’t about jumping straight to formal processes. It’s about setting clear expectations, having the right conversations, and supporting people to succeed – while protecting your business if things don’t improve.

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Wellbeing and mental health are central to engagement and performance. We help businesses support wellbeing confidently and appropriately in a practical, people-first way.

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The right reward strategy isn’t just about money. It’s about clarity, fairness, and recognising what your people truly value.

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Managing sickness absence isn’t just about processes and policies. It’s about having the right conversations, supporting employees when they’re unwell, and managing absence consistently – while protecting your business and meeting your legal responsibilities.

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Employee Relations & Workplace Matters

Employment law is constantly changing, and even small gaps in your contracts, policies or practices can expose your business to unnecessary risk. We help businesses stay compliant with clear, practical employment law advice you can rely on.

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Equality, diversity and inclusion are more than compliance obligations — they shape how people feel, perform and belong at work.

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Whether you’re hiring for your own team or working alongside a client who’s recruiting, we offer practical, people-first support to help you attract, assess, and appoint the right fit – so your business can move forward with confidence.

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When tensions arise, we help you address the root cause, restore working relationships, and create a path forward that works for everyone.

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Disciplinary and grievance issues can be difficult to manage. We support businesses to handle them fairly, consistently and in line with best practice, giving managers the confidence to address issues properly and proportionately.

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Transfers of undertakings can be complex and sensitive. Whether you’re bringing people into your business or transferring them out, we help you understand your obligations and manage the process with confidence and legal compliance.

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Redundancy and restructuring can be complex and sensitive for everyone involved. We help businesses take a practical, compliant and people-first approach — supporting you to make decisions clearly and handle change confidently.

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Sometimes, the best way forward is a clean break. When that’s the case, we’ll guide you through the process with empathy, clarity, and confidence.

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Not sure where to start?

Take our quick HR Health Check quiz to find out how compliant you are – and where to focus first. Or download one of our free HR Checklists to make sure your team is following the right steps.

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Let’s make HR simple

Whether you need a sounding board or a full people strategy, we’re here to help. Get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat about how we can support you.

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