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Practical HR support for growing businesses.

We help founder-led teams handle people issues, build better managers, and put simple HR systems in place before growth gets messy.

SME-focused HR advice Policy, people, and culture support Fractional support available
[Advisory session]

HR Support Without the Corporate Fog

Clear, practical help for the people challenges that slow growth down.

1

Outsourced HR Support

Month-to-month HR advice and support for businesses that need expertise without a full-time hire.

2

HR Audit & Compliance Review

A clear picture of where your policies, contracts, and processes stand - and what to fix first.

3

Manager Training & Difficult Conversations

Give your managers the confidence and language to handle underperformance, conflict, and change.

4

Employee Handbook & Policy Refresh

Update outdated documents into clear, usable policies your team can actually understand.

5

Culture, Retention & Engagement Support

Practical ways to keep good people, improve morale, and build a culture that scales.

Sound Familiar?

These are the moments when practical HR support makes the biggest difference.

A

You've hired your first managers and need structure

New leaders need clarity on boundaries, feedback, and delegation before problems start.

B

A people issue is taking too much founder time

When people problems start eating into your strategic hours, it's time for outside support.

C

Your policies are out of date

Old handbooks and unclear contracts create risk and confusion. We turn them into tools.

D

Your team is growing faster than your systems

Growth without people infrastructure means firefighting. We help you get ahead of it.

E

You need senior HR advice, not a full-time HR director

Fractional support gives you senior expertise at a scale that makes sense for your business.

HR Enquiry Assistant

Try Our AI Assistant

Ask a question below — our chatbot routes founders to the right service, explains HR support options, and captures consultation requests.

HR Support Assistant (Demo)
Small business support?
Difficult employee situation?
What's in an HR audit?

How We Work With You

A straightforward process that respects your time and your team's capacity.

1

Diagnose

Short call and document review to understand where you are and what's urgent.

2

Prioritise

Identify the people risks and quick wins that will make the biggest difference.

3

Implement

Policies, manager support, templates, and advisory time - delivered and explained clearly.

Download the HR Healthcheck Checklist

A practical 15-point checklist for SME founders who want to know whether their people systems are keeping up with growth.

Free HR Healthcheck Checklist

Covers contracts, policies, manager confidence, retention risks, and compliance essentials - in plain English.

Download the Checklist
[Portrait]

Helen Carter, FCIPD

Former HR Director turned independent advisor. Fifteen years supporting scaling SMEs, professional services firms, and founder-led teams across Yorkshire and the North East.

I've worked inside businesses that grew from 10 to 100 people, and I know where the people pain points live. My work is practical, discreet, and built around what your business actually needs - not what a corporate HR manual says you should have.

FCIPD · CIPD Chartered Fellow · Former HR Director

Trusted by Founder-Led Teams

"Helen helped us move from reactive people firefighting to a simple HR rhythm our managers actually use."

Managing Director
Yorkshire professional services firm

"She rewrote our employee handbook into something our team finally reads. Clear, fair, and practical."

Operations Director
Leeds manufacturing SME

"The manager training session gave our leaders tools they could use immediately. No fluff, just useful."

Founder
Newcastle tech scale-up

Book a Consultation

Tell us what you're dealing with and we'll suggest a practical first step. No obligation, no jargon.

Email hello@peoplenorthadvisory.co.uk
Phone +44 (0)113 894 5200
Location Leeds, UK - working across Yorkshire and the North East