DIY HR
- ✕ Greater risk of procedural mistakes
- ✕ Management time pulled away from the business
- ✕ Inconsistent documentation and processes
- ✕ Often reactive rather than planned
HR support built around your business
Practical HR & Employment Law Support for UK SMEs.
Get senior HR capability without the cost and overhead of building an internal HR department.
Guardian Forge supports UK businesses with practical HR advice, employment-law guidance, contracts and policies, manager support, Director Protection and recruitment - with a named adviser who gets to know how your organisation works.
Built for growing UK SMEs. Practical HR capability for businesses with 1–50 employees, without the overhead of building an internal HR team.
Your HR department, without hiring one.
We help you build the HR foundations your business needs, support managers through day-to-day people issues and give you practical guidance before important decisions are made.
How we work with you
- ✓ Named adviser model
- ✓ Ongoing access to support
- ✓ Understanding of your business
- ✓ Practical manager support
- ✓ Contracts and policies maintained
- ✓ Guidance before key decisions
15+ years' experience
UK-based support
Named adviser model
ICO registered · ZC230688
The challenge
Your business has grown.
Your business has grown.
Your HR needs to grow with it.
Based in Manchester and supporting businesses across the UK. Explore HR support for Manchester & Greater Manchester →
Guardian Forge
- ✓ Corporate-level HR capability
- ✓ Named adviser who knows your business
- ✓ Compliance-focused HR infrastructure
- ✓ Proactive risk management and manager support
Internal HR
- ✕ Salary and employer on-costs
- ✕ Recruitment and onboarding time
- ✕ Holiday and absence cover to manage
- ✕ Fixed overhead regardless of demand
What you actually get
The HR infrastructure a growing business needs.
Practical support for the people, documentation and decisions that keep your business moving.
HR advice when you need it
Speak to a named adviser for practical support with day-to-day people issues, difficult conversations and HR decisions before they become bigger problems.
Find out more →Contracts & handbook
We review, create and update employment contracts, policies and handbooks so your documentation reflects how your business actually operates and supports consistent management.
Find out more →Employee relations
We help managers handle absence, performance, conduct, workplace conflict, flexible-working requests and other employee matters with a clear and consistent process.
Find out more →Disciplinary & grievance
From investigations and meeting preparation to letters and outcome decisions, we guide you through disciplinary and grievance matters step by step.
Find out more →Employment-law guidance
We translate employment-law requirements into practical actions for your business, helping you understand the risk and process before taking important workforce decisions.
Find out more →Director Protection
Our Director Protection service is designed to support business leaders when employment disputes or workplace issues create personal, operational or financial exposure.
Find out more →Recruitment & Talent Acquisition
We support employers from role definition and candidate attraction through to shortlist, selection and offer, with recruitment shaped around the needs of the business.
Find out more →
How it works
From initial review to ongoing operational confidence.
1
Free HR Review
We understand your business, workforce and current HR setup.
2
Identify the Gaps
We highlight the areas creating unnecessary risk or management difficulty.
3
Build the Infrastructure
Contracts, policies, processes and practical HR support are put in place.
4
Ongoing Support
Guardian Forge remains alongside your business with practical HR and employment-law support.
Employer Guides & Insights
Practical answers to the questions employers actually ask.
Clear guidance for UK SME directors and managers — researched around real employer questions and linked to authoritative sources where relevant.
HR & Employment Law9 min read
How Much Does HR Support Cost?
Compare retained, pay-as-you-go, per-employee and project pricing without judging value by the headline monthly fee alone.
Read the guide →HR & Employment Law10 min read
Does a Small Business Need HR?
Understand the legal baseline, practical warning signs and support options for businesses with 1-50 employees.
Read the guide →HR & Employment Law11 min read
What HR Policies Does a Small Business Need?
Separate legal document requirements from the policies that help managers make fair, consistent decisions.
Read the guide →
Client feedback
Trusted by growing businesses.
★★★★★
“As a Company Director with minimal knowledge of HR compliance, reaching out for a review was invaluable. We now have operational confidence as our business grows.”
Dave Taylor · Managing Director · E&V Ltd
★★★★★
“We had no formal HR infrastructure when we reached 9 employees. Guardian Forge rebuilt our contracts, handbook and disciplinary process and now handles any issues as they arise.”
Tracey Worthington · Owner · Addvent Advertising Agency