When Should a Startup Hire HR? 6 Signs You've Waited Long Enough
Six practical signs that a startup needs dedicated HR support, plus guidance on whether to hire an HR manager, Head of People or fractional People leader.
Read →Fractional People Leadership
Fractional People leadership for startups and scaleups.
Someone who owns it. Not someone who advises on it.
Get an experienced fractional Chief People Officer or Head of People without making a permanent executive hire. We set the People agenda, lead the work and build the structure your company needs to scale.
A fractional Head of People or Chief People Officer is a senior People leader who owns the People agenda part-time — typically two to three days per week. It is the right choice when a company needs strategic People leadership but does not yet have enough volume for a full-time executive, usually between 30 and 120 employees. You get the judgment and the build without the permanent headcount.
When you need us
The moment founder-led HR stops working
The founder currently owns HR
An HR administrator needs leadership above them
The company has reached 30–100+ employees
Significant hiring is planned
International expansion is underway
Managers need structure and support
People processes have stopped scaling
Nobody owns People strategy
Two levels
Which one do you actually need?
Fractional Head of People
For 30–150 people. Owns the People agenda day to day and builds the function.
- Embedded two to six days a month
- Builds and runs the People roadmap
- Exits into your first full-time hire
Fractional / Interim CHRO
For the situations that land on the board agenda — investment, restructuring, a CHRO departure, M&A.
- Executive counsel to the CEO
- Board and investor facing
- Transformation delivery
Scope
What we own
- People strategy
- People operations
- Talent and hiring
- Performance
- Compensation
- Leadership development
- Workforce planning
- Organization design
- People technology
- AI and automation roadmap
- Employee relations oversight
- People metrics and executive reporting
How it works
A leader, not an advisor
- 01Stage
Embedded cadence
An agreed number of days per month, in your leadership meetings and accountable for outcomes.
- 02Stage
Minimum runway
Engagements typically run three to six months so change has time to hold.
- 03Stage
Designed exit
We build toward your first full-time People hire — including defining the role and helping you hire it.
Included in the engagement
People Operations oversight
Payroll, benefits, HRIS and the employee lifecycle still have to run. We own the oversight — vendors, escalations, quality and the operating rhythm — so your team stops firefighting. We're not a body shop for HR admin; we make sure the operation works and stays that way.
- Payroll and benefits oversight
- HRIS and people data
- Onboarding and offboarding
- Vendor and broker management
- Compliance and policy upkeep
- Reporting and operating rhythm
The commercial difference
Advisory or fractional?
The difference is ownership.
Fractional People Leadership
We own it.
- GSD takes responsibility for agreed People outcomes.
- GSD leads the work.
- GSD can manage priorities and programs.
- GSD can lead or support the internal People team.
People Advisory
You own it.
- Your team owns the People function.
- Your team executes.
- GSD provides senior expertise.
- GSD helps pressure-test decisions.
Need advice? Advisory. Need ownership? Fractional.
Related reading
HR Checklist for a 50-Person Startup
A practical HR checklist for a 50-person startup covering compliance, policies, managers, compensation, performance, systems and People operations.
Read →Let's talk about what you actually need led.
Tell us where the business is heading and we'll tell you what level of People leadership it needs.