At Flynn Barrett Consulting, we offer Fractional HR consulting services to provide both upper-level strategic vision as well as practical, operational expertise. A Fractional HR consultant is a flexible, cost-effective alternative to the traditional team or department model.
With a Fractional HR consultant, companies can save money by accessing C-suite level expertise on an as needed basis, without the overhead that comes with a highly experienced, full-time, Chief HR Officer’s salary. Instead, Fractional HR consultants embed with an HR team and use communication and data to learn about existing human resources practices. We help develop and execute a functional strategic plan to help an organization grow. We guide and build a company’s human resources (from the ground up, if necessary) to work towards a valuable HR team.
But, what does day-to-day life look like for us strategic human resources people? From our initial traffic light assessment to the granular execution of the strategic development plan, there are some key aspects to a Fractional HR consultant’s job that translate directly to helping the companies we work for.
Four ways we spend our days
Managing your human resources is critical for any company. Human Resources, as a department, leads recruitment of the right talent and ensures compliance with employment laws. Fractional HR consultants are an increasingly popular option for businesses that require HR expertise but may not have the resources to hire a full-time HR professional or may need temporary higher-level assistance.
Flynn Barrett’s Fractional HR consulting process consists of four steps: assessment, strategic development, advisement, and execution. Let’s take a closer look at each of these steps and how they can benefit your organization.
1. Assessment
The first activity we undertake as a Fractional HR consultant is to assess your company’s existing HR situation. This begins by talking to your HR team (if there is one) and gathering information like job descriptions, handbooks, payroll information, employee files, and human resource compliance processes. Soft skills like onboarding, training, employee development, and employee review processes are also considered.
This assessment turns into a work plan. We use a traffic light color system to classify updates to current processes by order of importance.
- Red is what needs to be fixed ASAP, and usually includes compliance issues.
- Yellow is longer-term changes that should be addressed in the next 6-9 months.
- Green is used to label existing processes that are working well.
By using this relatively simple prioritization scheme, we are able to get to work immediately while still keeping an eye on the big picture and longer-term needs. The work plan created during the assessment stage gives us perspective as we move into the strategic development stage.
2. Strategic Development
Understanding the goals of the company is crucial for a Fractional HR consultant, because new processes can only work if they are aligned with the company’s purpose. We use interviews as the main process to discover and understand company culture and values.
We start by meeting with the CEO and other relevant leaders in the organization. We use these interviews to determine who else should be included in the process and where our energies should be focused. Our interviews are carefully designed to maintain a holistic look at company culture, existing practices, institutional knowledge, and current hiring practices. This strategic development process lays the groundwork for developing a customized HR plan that supports the company’s goals and values.
3. Advisement
Once a strategic development work plan has been established, our next job as a Fractional HR consultant is to advise relevant decision makers and the HR team on what needs to be done. We use our knowledge and experience to provide insights and recommendations to help businesses overcome a wide range of HR-related challenges. This may include high-level, overview objectives, as well as small-scale process improvements which can make a big difference when practiced consistently. Ultimately, these recommendations will align with the strategic development already set forth, as well as organizational goals.
At the advisement stage, businesses can benefit from an objective, outside perspective that can help them make better-informed decisions and achieve their HR goals more efficiently.
4. Execution
The fourth and final activity is execution of the HR plan. This includes getting granular about helping key players in the organization understand how to perform certain tasks. Execution may entail sitting down with employees to demonstrate new technologies and processes. It may also entail creating and implementing more efficient organizational frameworks, creating compliance schemes, or providing referrals for outsourcing other needs like payroll and applicant tracking. Execution is an integral piece in the Fractional HR consultant’s process, because it is where the real-world changes are implemented, and the benefits are seen.
Some organizations may already have a team in place to handle the vast majority of execution-phase activities. Other teams may not have anyone suitable to handle these day-to-day activities. In either case, it is our job as Fractional HR consultants to understand the situation and figure out how to make it work most efficiently.
Where do you start when considering a fractional HR consultant?
Now that you know what we do, the next logical question is, does your organization need some help?
A Fractional HR consultant is an affordable solution that can make the lives of your entire team easier. As our HR services page states: we engage employees, we foster communication, we guide leaders, and we promote culture.
At Flynn Barrett Consulting, our Fractional HR consulting services offer the benefit of an experienced Chief HR Officer at your fingertips (minus the full-time salary). The four activities of a Fractional HR consultant — assessment, strategic development, advisement, and execution — are designed to allow us to customize our human resources services to align with your company’s specific needs.
Whether you have compliance issues, need strategic planning, day-to-day problem-solving, or just an experienced sounding board, a Fractional HR consultant can help solidify your human resources and help your company achieve its full potential.It all starts with a conversation. Let’s talk to learn more about how we can solve your company’s HR concerns.
