Fractional HR Services for Startups & Scaleups | End-to-End People Ops

Q: What types of companies do you support?

Primarily startups and scaleups that are hiring, scaling managers, and building People systems—often pre-HR hire through growth stages where a full-time Head of People isn’t the right move yet.

Q: What’s the difference between Fractional HR and a consultant?

A consultant often advises. Fractional HR (Fractional Head of People) is more embedded—helping design the strategy and driving implementation and adoption with your team.

Q: What’s the difference between Fractional HR and a PEO?

A PEO can handle admin infrastructure (payroll/benefits). Fractional HR is People leadership—systems, managers, performance, culture, employee relations, and scaling decisions.

Q: What will we see in the first 90 days?

A prioritized People plan, foundational fixes (where needed), and visible progress on your biggest pain areas—typically hiring/onboarding clarity, policies/processes, manager cadence, or performance basics.

Q: Can you help if we have zero HR systems in place?

Yes. That’s common—especially when founders or ops leaders have been covering HR informally. We build the minimum effective foundation first, then expand.

Q: What types of projects do you take on?

People Ops foundations, recruiting/onboarding, performance systems, compensation/levels, employee relations support, manager enablement, culture/engagement systems, and HR tech/vendor enablement.

Q: How do you integrate with an existing team?

We align to your operating rhythm, clarify ownership, and set lightweight check-ins so work moves without adding meetings. We collaborate closely with founders, ops, and managers.

Q: How flexible are engagements?

Very. Scope and hours can scale up or down as your needs change—hiring surges, manager growth, policy needs, performance cycles, or periods of stability.

Q: Do you provide ongoing support for employee issues?

Yes. Employee relations can be ongoing (as needed) and is often paired with manager development and clearer performance systems to reduce repeat issues.

Q: What makes Humanto different?

Senior, startup-native People leadership with a bias toward practical systems and adoption—so the work actually sticks and founders regain focus.

Choose your starting point

$Illustrations showing a puzzle and fractinal hr as the plug in$

$Illustrations showing a puzzle and fractinal hr as the plug in$

What are Fractional HR services?

Fractional HR is part-time, senior People leadership that plugs into your team to build the systems you need—hiring, onboarding, policies, performance, compensation, manager support, and culture—without the cost and commitment of a full-time hire.

Why teams choose this model:

You need strategic People leadership now, but not a full-time Head of People yet

You want systems built quickly (not over 12 months of trial and error)

You need a partner who can both design and execute

Book Free 30-Min HR Audit

We’ll map your top People gaps and the fastest path to fix them.

Who these services are best for:

Startups scaling headcount and feeling HR start to “break”

Founders/ops leaders doing HR by default and getting pulled from growth

Teams with first-time managers and inconsistent people practices

Companies preparing for bigger hiring, performance cycles, or due diligence

Remote/hybrid teams needing consistent rituals and expectations

End-to-end HR services (pick one—or combine as a program)

People Ops Foundations

Build the core People infrastructure: policies, handbook basics, onboarding workflows, and a clean operating system for HR.

Typical outcomes: fewer fires, clearer expectations, reduced risk.

Learn more →

Recruiting & Onboarding

Fix your hiring process end-to-end: role clarity, JDs, interviews, decision-making, and onboarding that reduces early churn.

Typical outcomes: faster hiring, better signal, smoother ramp

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Performance Management

Simple performance systems that don’t feel corporate: goals, feedback loops, reviews, calibration-lite, and manager guidance.

Typical outcomes: clarity, accountability, fewer surprises.

Learn more →

Compensation & Leveling

Comp philosophy, levels, bands, and decision frameworks that help you pay fairly and consistently as you scale.

Typical outcomes: better retention, fewer comp exceptions, cleaner decisions.

Learn more →

Employee Relations

Support with sensitive people issues: investigations, conflict, misconduct, documentation practices, and risk reduction.

Typical outcomes: faster resolution, less escalation, reduced exposure.

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Manager Development

Turn managers into leaders with practical coaching + tools: 1:1s, feedback, delegation, conflict, and performance conversations.

Typical outcomes: stronger execution, fewer escalations, healthier teams.

Learn more →

Culture & Engagement

Values → behaviors, team norms, rituals, and lightweight engagement signals that actually improve retention and alignment.

Typical outcomes: consistent culture, better morale, clearer “how we work.”

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HR Tech & Vendor Enablement

Pick and implement the right HR stack: HRIS/payroll/benefits workflows, data cleanup, rollout, and adoption support.

Typical outcomes: less admin, fewer errors, tools people actually use.

Learn more →

What’s included
across engagements

Strategic People leadership

People roadmap aligned to business goals and headcount plans

Prioritization: what to do now vs later (and why)

Hands-on implementation

Templates, playbooks, and systems (not advice-only)

Rollout support to drive adoption with managers and teams

Employee lifecycle coverage

Hiring → onboarding → performance → compensation → retention → exits

Processes that scale with you (and don’t collapse at 40–80 people)

Founder/leadership support

Coaching on tough situations and decisions

Hire faster with repeatable recruiting + onboarding

How you can work with us

Option 1

I need HR foundations + compliance

We map your top 3 People gaps and recommend a prioritized plan.

Book Free HR Audit →

Option 2

90-Day People Plan + Execution

A focused sprint to build foundations and stabilize growth.

Best for: fast scaling, messy HR, founders overloaded.

Option 3

Ongoing Fractional Head of People

Part-time, ongoing partnership to run and evolve People Ops as you scale.

Best for: steady growth, manager enablement, recurring People decisions.

How it works (simple and repeatable)

Discovery Call

Understand your growth stage and pain points

90-Day People Plan

We design a prioritized roadmap and quick wins.

Execution & Coaching

We implement systems and guide your team.

Scale & Optimize

Continuous iteration as your business expands.

Discovery Call

Understand your growth stage and pain points

90-Day People Plan

We design a prioritized roadmap and quick wins.

Execution & Coaching

We implement systems and guide your team.

Scale & Optimize

Continuous iteration as your business expands.

Step

Discovery Call

Understand your growth stage and pain points

Step

90-Day People Plan

We design a prioritized roadmap and quick wins.

Step

Execution & Coaching

We implement systems and guide your team.

Step

Scale & Optimize

Continuous iteration as your business expands.

Fractional Head of People

Internal Leader (Full-time Head of People)

Admin Provider (PEO)

External Advisor (Consultant)

Descripton

Senior leader embedded part-time

Dedicated internal leader

Payroll/benefits administration

Advice-heavy, less embedded

Strengths

Builds + runs systems, flexible scope

Consistent ownership, cultural alignment

Strong admin infrastructure

Project support, expertise

Limitations

No full-time presence

Higher fixed cost, longer hiring ramp

Doesn’t replace leadership or culture work

Adoption may lag, less embedded

Best use

Leadership without full-time cost

When People load is consistently high (later stage)

Best for admin infrastructure, not strategy

Best for narrow projects (with internal owner)

What past clients say

Diana Marcela Arias
Director, Financial Intelligence Unit
“Pooja showed us that the HR title should be a company's soul for every action. Furthermore, she taught us that love and respect should always prevail no matter how difficult the path is. Still, the most important thing I could learn from her is that the true identity of the human being is found in love and respect for both business cultures as human beings culture.”
Samantha Young
Program Assistant, ICDL Dirfloortime
“Pooja coached me through a career pivot from education to HR. She helped clarify my goals, refine my resume, prep for interviews. And I got the job! Her insights were sharp, her support was flexible, and her feedback was always actionable. Highly recommend.”
John Fleming
Derivative Path, President and COO
“Pooja brought consistency and fairness to our team management, helping build a culture where everyone feels valued, heard, and supported. Her approach strengthened trust, boosted morale, and ensured every team member had equal attention and opportunity, no matter their role.”
KURT Boehringer
CFO derivative Path
“Pooja built Derivative Path’s HR from the ground up streamlining key processes and creating a foundation for global, inclusive engagement. She blends empathy with execution, navigating tough conversations while driving results with deep expertise and relentless dedication.”
Stef Schultz
ENTJ-A: Commander | Apple Alum
"Grounding discussions and cutting-edge advice, with fingers on the pulse ofthe market - Pooja is a no-nonsense human, she cuts to the chase, and she is a straight shooter who is beyond fair in all of her dealings. Can't recommend her enough, and looking forward to many future coachings!"
Dilshan Dowlah
Head of US @ Mercuryo
"Pooja single-handedly led HR at a fast-growing crypto startup, scaling the team from 20 to 100+ in under a year. She managed everything from hiring to employee support, all while shaping a strong, positive culture with passion, empathy, and relentless dedication."
Abigail Fleischman
Experienced Payment Operations Manager
"Pooja is a responsive, approachable HR pro who excels at recruiting and getting things done. She built her team from scratch, made fast progress, and always takes time to listen. Her dedication is unmatched to the point we had to remind her to unplug!"

What past clients say

Diana Marcela Arias
Director, Financial Intelligence Unit
“Pooja showed us that the HR title should be a company's soul for every action. Furthermore, she taught us that love and respect should always prevail no matter how difficult the path is. Still, the most important thing I could learn from her is that the true identity of the human being is found in love and respect for both business cultures as human beings culture.”
Samantha Young
Program Assistant, ICDL Dirfloortime
“Pooja coached me through a career pivot from education to HR. She helped clarify my goals, refine my resume, prep for interviews. And I got the job! Her insights were sharp, her support was flexible, and her feedback was always actionable. Highly recommend.”
John Fleming
Derivative Path, President and COO
“Pooja brought consistency and fairness to our team management, helping build a culture where everyone feels valued, heard, and supported. Her approach strengthened trust, boosted morale, and ensured every team member had equal attention and opportunity, no matter their role.”
KURT Boehringer
CFO derivative Path
“Pooja built Derivative Path’s HR from the ground up streamlining key processes and creating a foundation for global, inclusive engagement. She blends empathy with execution, navigating tough conversations while driving results with deep expertise and relentless dedication.”
Stef Schultz
ENTJ-A: Commander | Apple Alum
"Grounding discussions and cutting-edge advice, with fingers on the pulse ofthe market - Pooja is a no-nonsense human, she cuts to the chase, and she is a straight shooter who is beyond fair in all of her dealings. Can't recommend her enough, and looking forward to many future coachings!"
Dilshan Dowlah
Head of US @ Mercuryo
"Pooja single-handedly led HR at a fast-growing crypto startup, scaling the team from 20 to 100+ in under a year. She managed everything from hiring to employee support, all while shaping a strong, positive culture with passion, empathy, and relentless dedication."
Abigail Fleischman
Experienced Payment Operations Manager
"Pooja is a responsive, approachable HR pro who excels at recruiting and getting things done. She built her team from scratch, made fast progress, and always takes time to listen. Her dedication is unmatched to the point we had to remind her to unplug!"

Frequently asked questions

What types of companies do you support?

What’s the difference between Fractional HR and a consultant?

What’s the difference between Fractional HR and a PEO?

What will we see in the first 90 days?

Can you help if we have zero HR systems in place?

What types of projects do you take on?

How do you integrate with an existing team?

How flexible are engagements?

Do you provide ongoing support for employee issues?

What makes Humanto different?

Frequently asked questions

What types of companies do you support?

What’s the difference between Fractional HR and a consultant?

What’s the difference between Fractional HR and a PEO?

What will we see in the first 90 days?

Can you help if we have zero HR systems in place?

What types of projects do you take on?

How do you integrate with an existing team?

How flexible are engagements?

Do you provide ongoing support for employee issues?

What makes Humanto different?

Not sure which service you need? Start with the free HR Audit.

No obligation. In 30 minutes, we’ll map your top 3 People gaps and recommend the fastest path forward.

Book Free 30-Min HR Audit

Read the People Playbook →

Not sure which service you need? Start with the free HR Audit.

No obligation. In 30 minutes, we’ll map your top 3 People gaps and recommend the fastest path forward.

Book Free 30-Min HR Audit

Read the People Playbook →

Not sure which service you need? Start with the free HR Audit.

No obligation. In 30 minutes, we’ll map your top 3 People gaps and recommend the fastest path forward.

Book Free 30-Min HR Audit

Read the People Playbook →

Choose your starting point

I need HR foundations + compliance

I need hiring + onboarding fixed

I need performance systems

I need comp bands + leveling

I need help with employee issues / risk

I need stronger managers + culture

I need stronger culture

I need HR tech / HRIS

What are Fractional HR services?

Who these services are best for:

Startups scaling headcount and feeling HR start to “break”

Founders/ops leaders doing HR by default and getting pulled from growth

Teams with first-time managers and inconsistent people practices

Companies preparing for bigger hiring, performance cycles, or due diligence

Remote/hybrid teams needing consistent rituals and expectations

End-to-end HR services (pick one—or combine as a program)

People Ops Foundations

Recruiting & Onboarding

Performance Management

Compensation & Leveling

Employee Relations

Manager Development

Culture & Engagement

HR Tech & Vendor Enablement

What’s included across engagements

Strategic People leadership

Hands-on implementation

Employee lifecycle coverage

Founder/leadership support

How you can work with us

I need HR foundations + compliance

90-Day People Plan + Execution

Ongoing Fractional Head of People

How it works (simple and repeatable)

Discovery Call

90-Day People Plan

Execution & Coaching

Scale & Optimize

Discovery Call

90-Day People Plan

Execution & Coaching

Scale & Optimize

Step

Discovery Call

Step

90-Day People Plan

Step

Execution & Coaching

Step

Scale & Optimize

Descripton

Strengths

Limitations

Best use

What past clients say

What past clients say

Frequently asked questions

What types of companies do you support?

What’s the difference between Fractional HR and a consultant?

What’s the difference between Fractional HR and a PEO?

What will we see in the first 90 days?

Can you help if we have zero HR systems in place?

What types of projects do you take on?

How do you integrate with an existing team?

How flexible are engagements?

Do you provide ongoing support for employee issues?

What makes Humanto different?

Frequently asked questions

What types of companies do you support?

What’s the difference between Fractional HR and a consultant?

What’s the difference between Fractional HR and a PEO?

What will we see in the first 90 days?

Can you help if we have zero HR systems in place?

What types of projects do you take on?

How do you integrate with an existing team?

How flexible are engagements?

Do you provide ongoing support for employee issues?

What makes Humanto different?

Not sure which service you need? Start with the free HR Audit.

What’s included
across engagements