Managing HR Across Europe: A Smarter Way to Scale
Many growing companies now have teams spread across Europe.
Your main base might be in Cambridge, but you could also have people in Berlin, Barcelona, Brussels, or Budapest.
It’s an exciting stage, but it adds complexity.
Each country has its own employment laws, payroll systems, and cultural nuances.
What works in one place rarely works the same way elsewhere.
The Usual Approach
When expanding, most companies hire a local HR person in each country.
That can seem logical, but it often becomes expensive and difficult to manage.
You can end up with several junior HR roles, each handling day-to-day tasks but lacking the experience to guide strategic or complex change work.
A Smarter Alternative
Before hiring a permanent HR role, it’s worth considering interim or fractional HR professionals.
These are experienced consultants who can step in quickly and focus on what really matters.
They offer:
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Deep local knowledge of employment laws and HR practice
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Hands-on experience scaling teams across multiple countries
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Targeted support for key projects or periods of change
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The ability to upskill and mentor your existing HR team
This approach works particularly well when:
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You’re expanding into new markets
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You’re managing remote teams across different countries
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You need short-term expertise in compliance, restructuring, or culture
A Practical Example
Imagine your HQ is in Cambridge, but you’ve just expanded operations in Munich.
You decide you need HR support there, so you consider hiring a local HR Advisor.
That person can handle the basics, contracts, payroll, and admin, but may not have the experience to manage complex change or navigate German employment law confidently.
Now, imagine instead you bring in a seasoned interim HR professional based in Germany.
They can:
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Set up compliant local processes
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Work alongside your UK HR team to share knowledge
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Manage change projects effectively
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Help you decide whether a permanent role is needed later
You get the expertise you need right away, avoid long-term commitments, and your in-house team gains valuable insight in the process.
By working this way, you can complete important HR work at a higher standard, transfer knowledge to your team, and then decide what permanent structure you actually need.
It’s often more cost-effective in the long run and far more flexible than rushing to make a full-time permanent hire.
How We Can Help
At The HR Guys, we connect businesses with experienced fractional and interim HR professionals across the UK and EU.
They’ve supported everything from first international hires to complex change projects.
If you’re expanding your HR capability across Europe, we can introduce you to experts who know how to make it work, locally and strategically.
Who’s Available Now
We’re currently supporting several highly skilled HR professionals who can start immediately, whether on a freelance, fractional, or full-time basis.
Our ethos is simple: if you have an HR problem, we’ll know someone who can help you solve it.
The quality of the people we are currently working with means we can make that claim with confidence.
- Chief People Officer (UK/EU) – c£200k – Flex to travel/stay away
- Senior HR Consultant (Munich) – c£1,000–1,500 per day
- Head of HR (London) – c£85k
- Head of HR (Berlin) – c€650 per day
- HR Business Partner (Barcelona) – c€90,000 (or daily rate equivalent)
If you’re scaling across Europe and want the right HR support in place, let’s have a chat.
Whether you need someone short-term or strategic long-term input, The HR Guys can connect you with the right people fast.
Thank You
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