Everything we're commonly asked, in one place. If your question is not here, get in touch - we are happy to help.
How can we help?
WORKING WITH SHEPHERD HR
Q: Do I have to sign a long-term contract? A: No. Retainers are rolling monthly agreements with a 30-day notice period. Ad-hoc support is pay-as-you-go. Q: How quickly can you respond to an HR query? A: Retainer clients receive a same-day response on weekdays. Ad-hoc enquiries are typically answered within 24 working hours. Q: Will I always speak to the same person? A: Yes. You will have a single, named HR partner who knows your business. Q: Do you only work with North East businesses? A: No. Our roots are in the North East but we work with clients across the UK. Support is delivered virtually, on-site, or as a blend of both.
SERVICES & PRICING
Q: How much does a retainer cost? A: Final pricing is tailored to your headcount and the level of involvement you want, and is confirmed in writing before any work begins. Q: What is included in a retainer? A: Retainers cover ongoing HR advice, policy reviews and day-to-day queries. Higher tiers add casework support, training and on-site days. The full breakdown lives on the Services page. Q: Can you help with a one-off issue without a retainer? A: Absolutely. Ad-hoc support is charged hourly. Larger one-off pieces of work — such as drafting a handbook or running an investigation — are quoted as a project. Q: Do you offer training for managers? A: Yes. We run practical management training virtually or on-site, covering topics such as difficult conversations, performance management and the basics of UK employment law.
HR & COMPLIANCE
Q: I think my contracts may be out of date — can you check? A: Yes. A contract review is one of the most common pieces of work we do. We will flag anything that needs updating and provide refreshed templates that match the way you actually work. Q: An employee has raised a grievance. Can you help? A: Yes. We support business owners through the full process — from acknowledging the grievance and planning the investigation, to running meetings and drafting outcome letters. Q: Do I need HR support if I only have a handful of employees? A: From the day you hire your first employee, you have legal obligations as an employer. Our smallest clients have just two or three employees — we make sure the basics are right and you have someone to call when you need us.