The HR Dept
The HR Dept is a UK-based franchise network founded in 2002 that provides outsourced HR advisory, compliance, software, and training services to 6,000+ small and medium-sized businesses through 50+ local offices across the UK, Ireland, and Australia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The HR Dept does
The HR Dept is a UK-founded, franchise-model outsourced HR services provider established in 2002 by Sue Tumelty and headquartered in Bristol, England, operating under the parent entity The HR Dept Group Ltd. The company delivers a comprehensive portfolio of advisory, compliance, software, and training services covering the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, employment contracts, performance management, disciplinaries and grievances, redundancies, TUPE transfers, dismissals, payroll and pensions, employee handbooks, and employment tribunal insurance. Service delivery is structured through three engagement models — Pay As You Go for ad-hoc support, retained Advice Line and Advice Line+ packages for ongoing access to qualified HR advice, and Tailored Solutions for bespoke engagements — plus a Flying Start package targeting micro businesses hiring their first employee.
The core technology layer is the HR Software and Staff Records platform, an ISO 27001-certified, GDPR-compliant cloud-based system that handles personnel administration, holiday management, secure document storage, employee records, reporting, and company announcements, accompanied by a Cloud-based Timekeeping module with smartphone app, biometric, swipe card, and web clocking-in. The platform is built on commodity infrastructure (Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Copilot for productivity, Google Analytics for site analytics) rather than proprietary AI, with no disclosed integrations, APIs, or SDK ecosystem. The franchise is the dominant distribution architecture: 50+ independently-owned offices across the UK, Ireland and Australia, each headed by a qualified HR Director and serving local SMEs in person, backed by the national brand, IP, and central resources licensed by The HR Dept Ltd.
The HR Dept monetizes through three streams: (1) recurring retainer subscriptions from SME clients (Advice Line/Advice Line+) for ongoing advisory access; (2) ad-hoc professional services billing for specific tasks such as contracts, recruitment, and redundancies; and (3) franchise licensing royalties and central services fees from its 50+ franchisees. The target customer base of 6,000+ SMEs spans start-ups, family businesses, and established mid-market firms that lack internal HR capacity and need cost-effective employment law compliance and people management support. A sister company, The Health & Safety Dept, extends the offering into health and safety consultancy as a complementary revenue line.
The HR Dept firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The HR Dept
- Legal name
- The HR Dept Ltd
- Website
- https://hrdept.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The HR Dept is a UK-based franchise network founded in 2002 that provides outsourced HR advisory, compliance, software, and training services to 6,000+ small and medium-sized businesses through 50+ local offices across the UK, Ireland, and Australia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The HR Dept industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outsourced HR Services
- NAICS
- Human Resources Consulting Services (541612), Payroll Services (541214), Management Consulting Services (54161)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- HR Operations Administration (HRIS Admin, Records, Employee Data Mgmt) (BPACAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- HR Service Delivery & Employee Contact Centers (HR Helpdesk) (BPACAKAI), HR Service Delivery, Shared Services & HR Operating Model Advisory (BPACAJAE), HR Service Delivery, Case Management & Employee Self-Service (BPACAPAL), HR Policy, Forms & Case Management (Ticketing/Workflows) (BPAAAIAJ)
Keywords
Where The HR Dept is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
The HR Dept business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retained Services: Recurring retainer services including Advice Line and Advice Line+ packages that provide ongoing HR support and access to advice whenever HR issues arise. These packages may also include regular documentation updates for compliance.
- Pay As You Go: Ad-hoc professional HR services where clients pay for specific queries or tasks as needed, including employment contracts, recruitment, redundancies, grievances and appraisals.
- Franchise Licensing: The HR Dept operates as a franchise model where independent offices pay licensing fees to use the brand, intellectual property, trademarks and resources.
- Tailored HR Solutions: Custom HR solutions tailored to specific business needs, providing specific services to facilitate growth for unique business requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Pay As You Go - ad-hoc HR services |
| Subscription | Monthly | Retained Services - ongoing HR support |
| Hybrid | Multi-year contract | Tailored Solutions - bespoke HR services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
The HR Dept product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The HR Dept provides outsourced HR consultancy services to small and medium-sized businesses across the UK, Ireland and Australia through a franchise network of qualified local HR Directors. Core offerings include advisory services across the employee lifecycle—recruitment, payroll, employment contracts, performance management, disciplinaries, redundancies, TUPE, dismissals, training, employee handbooks and employment tribunal insurance—supplemented by proprietary HR software and cloud-based timekeeping tools. Service delivery is structured through three engagement models: Pay As You Go (ad-hoc), Retained Services (subscription Advice Line packages), and Tailored Solutions, with a Flying Start package for micro businesses hiring their first employee.
Product overview
The HR Dept operates as an outsourced HR department for SMEs, offering a comprehensive portfolio of HR services across the entire employee lifecycle. The core offering includes advisory services (Recruitment, Employment Contracts, Disciplinaries and Grievances, Redundancies, Dismissals), technology solutions (HR Software and Staff Records with cloud-based time keeping, certified ISO 27001 and GDPR compliant), professional development (Training & Development with in-person and eLearning courses), and compliance support (Employee Handbooks, TUPE, Company Restructuring). Service delivery is structured through three engagement models: Pay As You Go for ad hoc needs, Retained Services (Advice Line/Advice Line+) for ongoing retainer-based support, and Tailored Solutions for bespoke packages. The company also provides Employment Tribunal Insurance and partners with sister company The H&S Dept for health and safety services. A dedicated Flying Start Package targets micro businesses hiring their first employee.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Health & Safety Dept: Sister company providing health and safety consultancy and compliance services for SMEs, including risk assessments, COSHH, DSE, fire risk assessments, and training.
Products and services
- Recruitment Service End-to-end recruitment support for SMEs ranging from writing job descriptions and attending interviews to conducting the entire recruitment process on the client's behalf.
- Payroll and Pensions Service
- Employment Contracts Service
- Performance and Appraisals Service
- HR Software and Staff Records System
- Cloud-based Timekeeping Solution
- Training and Development Courses
- Employee Handbooks and Company Policies
- Employment Health and Wellbeing (EAP)
- Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Service
- Employment Tribunal Insurance
- Absence Management Service
- Disciplinaries and Grievances Service
- Employee Benefits Packages
- Company Restructuring Service
- TUPE Transfer Service
- Redundancy Service
- Dismissals Service
- Leavers Checklist Service
- Health and Safety Services (via sister company The H&S Dept)
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% of clients would recommend the service
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The HR Dept
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The HR Dept technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The HR Dept partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Health & Safety DeptcoreSister company providing health and safety support services. Referenced on the main website as 'Visit our sister company The H&S Dept' for businesses seeking Health & Safety support. Operates as a complementary service to HR Dept's HR offerings.
- Nash & Co Solicitors LLPminorSector specialist partner providing legal services. Listed in the privacy policy as one of the third-party services that help keep HR Dept Network running.
- Straight Solutions LtdminorSector specialist partner. Listed in the privacy policy as one of the third-party services that help keep HR Dept Network running.
- MicrosoftcoreUsed for infrastructure, communications (including Microsoft Office 365 for Business, Microsoft Copilot for AI), and analytics. Primary technology provider for IT services, software services, and communications.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The HR Dept competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Citation Group: Established UK provider of HR, employment law, health & safety and ISO services to SMEs through a regional-advisor model; a broader incumbent overlapping with The HR Dept across most of its service categories.
Direct peers
- Moorepay: UK payroll bureau and HR services provider for SMEs, combining payroll processing, HR software and HR support - a direct overlap with The HR Dept's payroll/pensions and HR advisory lines.
- Peninsula Group: UK-based outsourced HR, employment law and health & safety consultancy serving SMEs via a regional advisor model; the closest functional competitor to The HR Dept's Advice Line and franchise-style local delivery.
- Croner (Walters People HR): UK HR and employment-law advisory offering retained and PAYG packages to SMEs, including tribunal support and documentation services that directly overlap The HR Dept's core offerings.
- BrightHR: UK HR, employment law and health & safety provider for SMEs, owned by the Peninsula Group, pairing software (HR app, document storage) with advisory support in a similar franchise-style distribution model.
- Cintra HR & Payroll Services: UK outsourced HR and payroll bureau for SMEs and mid-market clients, bundling HRIS, payroll bureau and advisory; comparable service mix and target segment to The HR Dept.
- WorkNest: UK HR consultancy and employment-law retainer provider for SMEs, combining advisory, tribunal cover and outsourced HR administration - directly comparable to The HR Dept's bundled packages.
Emerging players
- Personio: European HRIS and people-operations platform for SMBs and mid-market; an emerging alternative for SMEs evaluating 'buy software' vs 'buy The HR Dept' for routine HR administration.
- Breathe HR: UK-headquartered HRIS targeted at SMEs with employee records, absence and reporting; competes for the technology layer beneath The HR Dept's own ISO 27001 HRIS offering.
- Employment Hero: Australia-headquartered HR, payroll and benefits platform with growing UK presence, targeting SMEs with combined employment-software and employment-services bundle - a regional peer expanding into The HR Dept's home market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The HR Dept social profiles
Digital presenceThe HR Dept financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The HR Dept leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The HR Dept subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
The HR Dept funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The HR Dept M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The HR Dept
What does The HR Dept do?
The HR Dept provides outsourced HR consultancy services to small and medium-sized businesses across the UK, Ireland and Australia through a franchise network of qualified local HR Directors. Core offerings include advisory services across the employee lifecycle—recruitment, payroll, employment contracts, performance management, disciplinaries, redundancies, TUPE, dismissals, training, employee handbooks and employment tribunal insurance—supplemented by proprietary HR software and cloud-based timekeeping tools. Service delivery is structured through three engagement models: Pay As You Go (ad-hoc), Retained Services (subscription Advice Line packages), and Tailored Solutions, with a Flying Start package for micro businesses hiring their first employee.
Is The HR Dept a public or private company?
The HR Dept is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The HR Dept founded?
The HR Dept was founded in 2002. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The HR Dept based?
The HR Dept is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The HR Dept make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Retained Services are the primary driver. The others are pay As You Go, franchise Licensing and tailored HR Solutions.
Who are The HR Dept's main competitors?
Citation Group is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Moorepay, Peninsula Group, Croner (Walters People HR), BrightHR, Cintra HR & Payroll Services and WorkNest. Emerging players are Personio, Breathe HR and Employment Hero.
Does The HR Dept have an API?
No public API is recorded for The HR Dept.
What industry is The HR Dept in?
The HR Dept's product category is Outsourced HR Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAKAC, HR Operations Administration (HRIS Admin, Records, Employee Data Mgmt), with a secondary code of BPACAKAI, HR Service Delivery & Employee Contact Centers (HR Helpdesk). Its NAICS code is 541612 and its SIC code is 8742.