HR support for employers
Practical HR support from people who get to know your business.
Every organisation with employees has HR to get right, and what that means changes as a business grows, restructures or has to reduce its headcount. Whatever size your business is, and whether or not you have any HR in house, we can help, shaping our support around your needs, from taking on your first employee to working alongside an HR team of your own. Our HR consultants have supported employers since 2005.
Talk to us early. The sooner we are involved, the sooner things improve, and we stay with you for as much of the work as you want, from a quick conversation to a case we run from start to finish.
Rated five stars on Google Read our reviews
What we help with
- Disciplinaries, grievances and employee relations issues
- Employment law advice and HR compliance
- HR policies, contracts and documentation
- Absence and performance management
- Restructures and redundancies
- Day-to-day HR advice for managers
Whether you need a quick answer, help with a difficult employee matter, documents you can rely on, or a longer-term plan for your people, our HR consultants work as an extension of your organisation.
What is HR support?
HR support is expert HR advice and hands-on help from outside your organisation. It covers employee relations, employment law, HR policies, absence, performance and recruitment, without the need to employ a full in-house HR team, or alongside the one you already have.
For example, some employers call us when an issue comes up. Others, however, want an HR consultant they can rely on every month, or a fixed price for one piece of work. Many also have someone handling HR already and want an experienced second opinion. Our outsourced HR support works in whichever of these ways suits you, and you can change how you use it as your needs change.
HR support for your size of organisation
Most of our clients are small and medium-sized businesses, and what each needs depends on what it is going through, whether that is growing, settling down, restructuring or having to reduce its headcount. Larger organisations with HR teams of their own bring us in for particular pieces of work.
Small and medium-sized businesses
HR support from your first employee upwards: the essentials in place, more structure when you need it, and help with restructures, redundancies and anything that goes wrong.
Larger organisations
Independent support for organisations with their own HR team: appeals, investigations and external HR audits, carried out by someone from outside the business.
When something has gone wrong
Most employers first come to us with a problem, for example a disciplinary or a grievance. These are also the situations where getting the process right matters most, and where we can usually give advice the same day.
Disciplinaries
Fair, well-documented disciplinary processes for misconduct and performance, from the first concern to the outcome and any appeal.
Grievances
Help to hear, investigate and respond to a grievance properly, so a complaint is resolved rather than escalated.
Workplace investigations
Independent investigations into allegations, complaints and grievances, with a clear report you can act on.
Redundancy
Planning and running a fair redundancy, from the business case and selection to consultation, letters and appeals.
Settlement agreements
Drafting and negotiating settlement agreements for the employer when an employment needs to end.
Employment law advice
Practical advice on where you stand, and on the changes coming in under the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Running your HR day to day
Good foundations also stop many problems before they start. We put the documents, processes and habits in place that make managing people more straightforward.
Contracts of employment
Contracts and written statements that meet the law and fit how your business actually works.
HR policies and procedures
Handbooks, policies and procedures written for your organisation, and kept up to date as the law changes.
Sickness and absence
Managing short-term and long-term absence fairly, with return-to-work processes and wellbeing conversations.
Performance
Setting expectations, running appraisals and handling underperformance before it becomes a bigger problem.
Recruitment and onboarding
A better hiring process and a smoother start for new employees.
HR mentoring
Mentoring and a second opinion for less experienced HR staff in your own team.
Alongside HR support we run staff training courses for managers and teams, and outsourced payroll, so you can choose just the services you need.
How our HR support is priced
Our HR support is usually charged by the hour, so you can get professional HR advice without committing to a lengthy contract.
Pay as you go
Many clients contact us when an HR issue arises and simply pay for the time it takes. So pay as you go makes it easy to get HR support whenever you need it.
HR support plans
If you expect to need regular HR advice, an HR support plan gives you a minimum number of hours each month for 12 months, and the hourly rate falls as the commitment rises.
There is no requirement to take a plan unless you prefer ongoing support.
Fixed price
For a defined piece of work, we can agree a fixed price for the project before we start.
We are always happy to estimate how long a piece of work will take, and we track our time in detail, so we can send you a timesheet describing the work, once or regularly, if you would like one.
Who we support
Most of our clients are small and medium-sized businesses, but we work with organisations of every size.
- Start-ups and businesses hiring their first employees
- Small and medium-sized businesses with no HR team of their own
- Businesses that are growing, restructuring or having to reduce their headcount
- Larger organisations that need someone independent
- Management teams facing a difficult case
- Organisations that want regular HR support on a plan
Supporting your in-house HR
Many organisations already have someone handling HR, such as an HR manager, an office manager or an operations lead. We work alongside them, adding expertise and capacity where they need it.
- Support with complex cases
- Expertise on employment law and compliance
- Guidance on disciplinaries, grievances and investigations
- Help developing policies, processes and HR strategy
- Extra capacity during busy periods or organisational change
- Mentoring for less experienced HR staff
How our HR support works
Initial conversation
We learn about your organisation, your team and your HR challenges.
Recommended support
Then we suggest the level of HR support that fits your needs.
Practical help
Next, we help with advice, documents, processes and people issues.
Ongoing partnership
Finally, we stay available as your organisation grows and your HR needs change.
Why employers choose Bespoke HR
Your own consultant
Your assigned HR consultant is CIPD-qualified and gets to know your business, and the wider team works on your account when needed.
Same-day help
When something has gone wrong, we can usually give advice the same day.
On site or remote
We can be in the room for the meetings that matter, or join by video, wherever you are in the UK.
Since 2005
We have supported employers for more than 20 years, with clients who say so.
We’ve had a fantastic experience working with Bespoke HR. The team is always there when we need advice or guidance, no matter how big or small the question may be. They are incredibly professional, knowledgeable and, most importantly, kind and approachable.
It’s reassuring to know we have a team we can turn to whenever we need support. Bespoke HR have become a trusted extension of our team, and we really value the expertise and reassurance they provide. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to any business looking for a reliable, supportive and professional HR partner.
Common questions
What does HR support cover?
Anything to do with employing people. That includes advice on disciplinaries, grievances and other employee relations issues, employment law, contracts and policies, absence and performance, recruitment, restructures and redundancies. It can be a quick question answered on the phone, or a whole case we manage with you.
What does an HR consultant do?
An HR consultant gives you the HR expertise you would otherwise need an in-house team for. You have an assigned HR consultant who gets to know you and your business, advises you and does as much of the work as you want. The wider team also works on your account when needed. If your consultant is away, another consultant from the team covers.
How much does HR support cost?
HR support plans start from £234 a month plus VAT, and the more hours you commit to each month, the lower your hourly rate. You can also pay as you go with no contract, or agree a fixed price for a project. We are happy to estimate the time involved before we start, and we track our time in detail, so you can ask to see what it has been spent on. See our prices.
Do I have to sign up to a lengthy contract?
No. You can pay as you go with no contract at all. Our plans run for 12 months, and that commitment is what gives you a lower hourly rate. There is no requirement to commit to a plan unless you prefer ongoing support.
Can you work alongside our existing HR person?
Yes. Many clients already have someone handling HR, such as an HR manager, an office manager or an operations lead. We work alongside them, adding expertise on complex cases, employment law and policies, and extra capacity during busy periods.
Do you work on site or remotely?
Both. Support can be on site or remote, whichever suits the work and your business, because some things are better done in the room. We are based in Guildford, Surrey, and work with employers across London, the South East and beyond.
What size of business do you work with?
Any size. Most of our clients are small and medium-sized businesses, many with no HR person of their own, and we shape our support around what is happening in yours, whether it is growing, restructuring or having to reduce its headcount. Larger organisations with their own HR team bring us in for independent work, such as an appeal or an investigation. See our HR support for small and medium-sized businesses.
Can I get free HR advice first?
Yes, if you are new to Bespoke HR. UK employers who have not worked with us before can book a free 30-minute call with one of our HR consultants, with no obligation. It is not available to existing clients. Book free HR advice.
Need HR support?
Talk to us about what is happening in your organisation. If you are new to Bespoke HR, the first call is free, and in an emergency we can usually help the same day.