Frequently Asked Questions
Who are your typical clients?
Primarily small to medium-sized businesses/charities and startups that don’t have their own in-house HR team. However, this is not exclusive!
You may have a small HR team that needs some extra resource for a specific period of time, or during a specific project. Some of my clients have only a handful of employees, others have 50…or more.
If you are based in Dumfries & Galloway or surrounding areas I can provide on site support, for organisations further afield I will primarily provide remote support.
If you employ anyone, it is never too soon to think about laying good foundations. Investing in protecting your business by setting things up properly in the short term could save you a lot of time and money in the long term.
What kind of HR support do you offer?
I offer flexible support tailored to your needs, but if you’re not too sure what you need, let’s talk about it!
You may just need a quick bit of advice to make sure you are on the right track, a few hours on-site help with an upcoming interview or disciplinary process, or some new policies and procedures to keep you in line with the legislation. Or maybe you’re thinking about a bigger project, like team development workshops, implementing a cloud based HR system, or help managing some change that’s going to impact your people. These are all things I can help with.
No two situations are the same, so we need to start by understanding what your priorities are. For clients looking for retained support, I start with my “HR Health check” to see what you already have in place, and then we can develop a plan of action.
Why would we work with you?
To anyone that is choosing an HR consultant to work with, you need to find someone that you trust and respect, who shares your values. This is one person that you have to be completely honest with at really challenging times, so you need to be sure it is a good partnership! When we work together, you always know it is always going to be me that you are working with; I take the time to understand your unique business DNA, delivering tailored, practical solutions that protect your company, empower your managers, and help your team thrive.
What is Fractional HR?
For a business owner or startup founder, one of the big challenges is often managing your people effectively. You already understand the importance of getting this right, but you just don’t have enough time in the day to do all of this yourself…and you don’t have a big enough team to justify employing an HR manager.
So what can you do? This is where working with a Fractional HR leader can provide immense value to your business. You will find someone with the HR expertise, they will integrate with your team and offer both strategic guidance and operational expertise and hands-on support, part-time.
You only pay for the fraction of their time that you need, for as long as you need it. When you reach the size that you need to employ someone full time, they will be there to help you get the right person for the job. This can be a great model for startups and businesses that need flexibility and only have budget for an entry level role, to leverage the value that can be created by a highly skilled and experienced HR professional.
What price packages are available?
I understand budget is a big factor for everyone, so to ensure that you can access expert advice when you need it I have 3 different affordable pricing options:
An hourly rate of £80 if you want pay-as-you go advice, a fixed price for a specific project, or an ongoing monthly retainer based on your needs and size (starting from £250 per month).
Subject to capacity, I’m also available to work in a Fractional capacity, which is more suited to slightly larger or growing organisations that are looking for a regular strategic HR commitment.
“Jennie took the time to get to know our business. She is supportive and easy to work with and gives simple advice tailored to our business”
Martina, Director, Esteem Training Ltd