Compare HR support options
| Service | Useful for | Boundary to check |
|---|---|---|
| HR software | Absence, records, documents and routine workflows | Whether employment advice is included |
| Advice helpline or retainer | Ongoing manager questions and document support | Hours, response times and access to a named adviser |
| Project consultancy | A defined recruitment, policy or organisational project | Deliverables, implementation and follow-up |
| Legal advice or representation | A dispute or specialist legal issue | Who acts, qualifications, scope and separate costs |
Define the employment work you need help with
List the recurring questions managers face and the situations that need specialist support. Include recruitment, contracts, absence, performance, grievances and organisational change as relevant.
Acas publishes free guidance on hiring and employment matters. Use it to understand the basic process, then identify the work for which your business needs additional support.
Read the retainer and any insurance separately
Ask what is included in the monthly charge and what is charged per case, visit or document. Check minimum term, renewal notice, annual increases and exit rights.
If insurance or legal-expenses cover is included, obtain the policy wording. Establish whether there are exclusions, reporting deadlines or conditions requiring you to follow the provider’s advice.
- Ask who will advise your managers and who covers absences.
- Confirm whether support includes on-site meetings.
- Check coverage for the UK nations where staff work.
- Separate advice from representation and compensation cover.
Check software and people records
Ask who can view salary, health, disciplinary and recruitment information. Configure permissions around roles rather than giving every manager unrestricted access.
Check document version control, audit records, export formats and deletion arrangements. Test how a manager retrieves the current policy and records an employee acknowledgement.
Choose by a realistic scenario
Present shortlisted providers with an anonymised example of a routine situation and a more complex case. Ask what work they would do, who would respond and what would cost extra.
Avoid judging the service solely by a large library of templates. The useful question is whether managers can obtain suitable support before making a consequential decision.
Frequently asked questions
Can HR software replace an HR adviser?
Software can organise records and workflows, but it does not automatically provide advice tailored to a particular employment situation. Check what human support the package actually includes.