Fractional HR Insights for Startups & Founders.
Practical notes on people, employment law and scaling teams, written for founder-led tech and AI companies.
Right to work checks: what changes on 1 October 2026
What changes for right to work checks on 1 October 2026, who comes into scope, and what to fix in your onboarding before the deadline.
Visa costs, HMRC and benefits in kind: what sponsors need to check
Two of the costs you are legally required to carry as a sponsor are now being treated by HMRC as taxable pay in your employee’s hands. What has changed and what to do about it.
Founders Series Vol 4: HR Tech, Is It Worth the Investment?
TL;DR 15 or fewer employees means you probably don’t need HR software. A tidy spreadsheet and a shared drive will do for holidays, headcount planning, payroll etc. Anything above 20 becomes more of a GDPR risk, on top of the growing pains around onboarding, offboarding, employee experience and so on. I usually advise my clients […]
Employment Rights Act: the Q4 changes coming up
TL;DR The next Employment Rights Act changes arrive in Q4. 1 October: any employee has six months, not three, to bring most tribunal claims 30 October: you must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, including by clients and customers A continuation of my Employment Rights Act changes for 2026. As we know, the […]
The Acas Code is being rewritten: what the 2026 draft changes
Acas has redrafted the disciplinary and grievance Code for the first time since 2009. Informal resolution moves inside the Code, so tribunals will weigh whether you tried it. Consultation closes 23 September 2026.
Unfair dismissal from six months: what January 2027 changes about probation
From 1 January 2027, unfair dismissal protection starts at six months, not two years. What it means for probation in your startup, plus a free probation pack.
Founders Series Vol 3: Suddenly a Manager
Somewhere in your company right now there is a person who was brilliant on Friday and bewildered on Monday. Last week they were your best engineer, your sharpest designer or your most reliable account lead, and this week they have four direct reports, a calendar full of 1:1s and no real idea what the job […]
Reasonable Adjustments at Work: A Guide for UK Employers (+ Free Adjustment Plan Template)
Learn when UK employers must make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. Includes practical examples and a free reasonable adjustment plan template.
Going solo in HR consultancy: why I stopped trying to do it all alone
now part of the HR Inner Circle… When I left employment and set up my own HR consultancy, I honestly believed I could do the whole thing on my own. Over ten years scaling People functions, a head full of employment law, a decent track record behind me. How hard could it be? Reader, I […]
How Much Does a Fractional HR Director Cost in the UK?
It is usually the first question founders ask me, sometimes before we have even talked about what is broken. Fair enough. So here is the honest answer, with real numbers, and the things that move them up or down. In the UK, a fractional HR Director typically costs between £800 and £2,000 per day, depending […]
An evening at The Table: People Leaders, good food and honest HR talk in Belfast
A relaxed supper club with Kota brought Belfast’s People and HR leaders together for great food and honest conversation. Here’s what the night was like.
Founders Series Vol 2: Why the Goal of Fractional HR Is to Make Yourself Redundant
Founder-led businesses often hire a Fractional HR Director or Fractional CHRO because they need senior HR leadership without committing to a full-time executive. The goal isn’t to create dependency. It’s to build systems, processes and a People function that can run smoothly long after the heavy lifting is done and stand the test of time […]
Founders Series Vol 1: Rethinking the CTO
The CTO role is changing fast. What I am hearing from founders, why it happens, and the people and org questions to ask before your next hire.
Founders Series: the questions that keep you up
A new series for founders and CEOs: the people questions that surface as you scale. The AI ones that did not exist two years ago, and the fundamentals that never went away.
A fresh start: new site, an open diary, and the changes coming for UK employers
I have relaunched the Kerbache HR site, my diary is open for new engagements, and I will be focusing on the wave of new UK employment law changes coming for growing employers.