What outsourced HR covers
- Employment contracts, offer letters and staff handbooks.
- Policies for leave, remote work, conduct, data protection and more.
- Employee relations: grievances, disciplinaries, performance and absence.
- Hiring processes, onboarding and right-to-work checks.
- Pay structures, appraisals and training plans.
- Choosing and setting up HR software.
Employment rules change at every border
- United States: mostly at-will employment, with federal laws plus state and city rules on things like paid leave and pay transparency.
- United Kingdom: written statements of employment particulars from day one, statutory leave and pay, and the ACAS Code of Practice for disciplinary and grievance procedures.
- European Union: EU directives set minimums (for example on working time), and each country adds its own rules. Works councils are common in some countries.
When a dispute may turn into a claim, bring in an employment lawyer. See legal services.
Ways to buy HR help
- Ad hoc: pay for a project such as a handbook, or for advice on one issue.
- Retainer: a monthly fee for advice and documents on demand.
- Fractional HR lead: a senior HR professional for a set number of days a month.
- PEO (US) or employer of record (abroad): HR bundled with payroll and benefits.
Credentials and questions to ask
Look for professional membership such as CIPD (UK and Ireland), or SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP and HRCI certifications (US). Then ask:
- Which countries’ employment rules do you advise on?
- Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
- What’s included in a retainer, and how quickly do you respond?
- Will you work with our lawyer if a matter escalates?
Last updated: 16 October 2026
