What is Fractional HR? (And Why Your Startup Might Need One Sooner Than You Think)

Most founders wait too long to bring HR in.

Usually, it takes a messy exit, a team blow-up, or a late-night Google search for “do I need to file a T4 for contractors?” to realize... maybe you need some help.

But what if you didn’t have to wait for a fire to hire a fire extinguisher?

That’s where Fractional HR comes in.

✂️ So, What Is Fractional HR?

Put simply: it’s like hiring a Head of People or HR Director — without hiring them full-time.

You get senior-level HR support (think hiring, onboarding, policies, people strategy, culture-building, and all the stuff you’ve been avoiding) on a part-time, retainer, or project basis.

We're not talking about a nameless support ticket system or a templated HR software bot. This is human-first, strategy-forward, actually-in-your-Slack kind of help.

At PocketHR, that’s our jam. We plug into growing teams (startups, non-profits, or anyone scaling without a playbook), help them make sense of the chaos, and build systems that support real humans — not just headcount.

🧠 What Do Fractional HR Consultants Actually Do?

Glad you asked. We do more than write up a handbook no one reads (though we’ll write that too — and make it good). Here's what a typical fractional partner can take off your plate:

• Write job descriptions that don’t make candidates cringe

• Build and run interview processes that reflect your values

• Set up onboarding so people aren’t confused on Day 1 (or Month 3)

• Untangle sticky feedback conversations and performance challenges

• Draft policies (PTO, parental leave, remote work — the works)

• Introduce tools that make your life easier (not just more admin)

• Keep you compliant without making it all feel like red tape

• And most importantly: be a strategic sounding board

TL;DR — we're the “people person” you wish you had on your team... without committing to a full-time hire just yet.

🕒 When Should You Bring in Fractional HR?

Here are a few signs it’s time:

• You just raised a round and need to hire (like, yesterday)

• You’re at employee #5 or #15 and realize “culture” is no longer vibes-based

• You’ve been copying policies from Google and hoping for the best

• You’re spending more time figuring out BambooHR/Collage or some HR system than building your product

• Someone on your team is having a rough time and you don’t know how to help

Or honestly? You're just tired of being the everything person — founder, recruiter, manager, culture lead, and admin — all rolled into one.

💸 Let’s Talk About Cost

Fractional HR isn’t cheap — but it’s a lot cheaper than a bad hire, an HR complaint, or burning out your founding team.

Most fractional HR consultants charge hourly ($150–$250/hour) or work on monthly retainers ($2,500–$8,000/month depending on what’s needed). At PocketHR, we often work with clients for up to 20 hours/week to make a big impact without the overhead of a full-time hire.

And unlike big HR firms or ticket-based support, you get someone who gets your business and grows with you.

🥊 Fractional HR vs. Outsourced Admin vs. Full-Time Hire

Let’s break it down:

Type	You Get	Best For
Fractional HR	Strategic partner + part-time people ops pro	Growing teams who need senior help but also need day-to-day ops support too
Outsourced Admin	Transactional support (payroll, forms, etc.)	Compliance-focused orgs
Full-Time HR	Dedicated in-house HR pro	50+ employees or complex org needs

If you're under 40 people and scaling fast? Fractional is your sweet spot.

🙋‍♀️ So... Is This You?

You don’t have to do it all yourself. You can build a company that values its people and scales smart — even if you’re still figuring things out.

Fractional HR is here to help you stop guessing, start leading, and make work better — one system (and conversation) at a time.

🔗 Bonus: Tools That Make Fractional HR Even Better

(Real ones only — and yep, I’ve got affiliate links for these, so you'll get something out of these links!)

These are the tools I reach for when I’m helping teams get their people ops house in order — no fluff, no endless onboarding calls.

• 1Password - – Because “password123” isn’t a security strategy.

• CollageHR -  A Canada-based HRIS that’s clean, simple, and startup-friendly. If you’re ready to get serious with systems, this one’s a gem. (Reach out for a discount code!)

• Deel - Hiring global contractors or employees? Deel keeps you compliant without the headache.

• BreezyHR -  A light, flexible ATS that doesn’t require a full-time coordinator to run. Perfect for growing teams.

• Slack ​​- Still undefeated for async check-ins, quick culture boosts, and the occasional “Can I vent for a sec?” DM.

  

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Brought to you by PocketHR—because great workplaces don’t happen by accident. We help startups, non-profits and growing businesses build smart, scalable people strategies that actually work.