Fractional HR Leadership for Small Businesses
Calm, Practical HR Support for Growing Businesses
Hands-on HR support for employee issues, compliance, and hiring so you can stay focused on running the business - even if you’ve been figuring out HR as you go.
When employee issues, compliance questions, or hiring challenges start pulling you away from running your business, Lean In HR provides steady, senior‑level HR leadership without the cost of a full-time hir, so you can make confident decisions instead of wondering, ‘I hope that was legal.’”
I partner with growing businesses of roughly 10 - 50 employees and can support your team remotely across the U.S. Almost every business I work with discovers at least a few HR gaps or “we’ve just been doing it this way” habits. That’s completely normal for a growing team - my job is to help you clean it up, not judge how you got here.
✔ 18+ years HR leadership
✔ MBA, PHR and SHRM-Certified
✔ Trusted by growing businesses
Practical HR Support for Growing Teams
Most owners I work with have tried to handle HR on their own and done the best they could with the information they had. We’ll build on that, not tear it down.
Ongoing HR Leadership
Core HR Projects
Support for Sensitive Situations
Receive steady, senior HR guidance as your team grows.
Lean In HR supports business owners with employee relations, compliance questions, management coaching, and HR structure so leadership can focus on running the business - without worrying that I’ll “catch” something you handled imperfectly.
Build a strong HR foundation with right‑sized projects - employee handbooks, compliance reviews, hiring frameworks, and HR process improvements that reduce risk and create clarity.
Many businesses start with an HR Compliance Checkup or an employee handbook project and then decide whether ongoing fractional HR support is the right next step.
Navigate employee conflicts, workplace concerns, and complex personnel issues with calm, experienced HR guidance that protects both the business and the team.
Not sure where your HR practices currently stand?
Every client I work with has at least a few HR items that need attention - that’s expected as you grow. A brief HR Compliance Checkup call and the free HR Compliance Checklist simply show us where you’ve already done the right things and where we can tighten things up.
Build a Strong, Compliant Team as Your Business Grows
Fractional HR Leadership
Clear Compliance and Policies
Support for People Challenges
Lean In HR provides experienced HR leadership without the cost of a full-time hire. As your team grows, you'll have steady guidance for employee relations, management support, and HR decision-making.
You stay the hero leading the business; I’m the calm HR guide helping you navigate the people and compliance decisions.
Most clients come to me after years of doing their best with Google, templates, and advice from peers - we turn that effort into a clearer, safer HR foundation.
Put the right HR structure in place with updated policies, employee handbooks, and compliance reviews that reduce risk and keep your business aligned with employment laws - without turning HR into unnecessary bureaucracy.
When employee concerns, workplace conflicts, or sensitive personnel situations arise, Lean In HR provides calm, experienced guidance to help resolve issues professionally.
Flexible HR Support Designed for Growing Businesses
Whether you need ongoing HR leadership, help with a specific project, or guidance through a sensitive people issue, Lean In HR provides practical support that grows with your team.
Ongoing HR Support
Ideal for founders and small businesses that need steady HR leadership without a full-time HR hire.
Lean In HR provides ongoing guidance for employee relations, policies, hiring support, and day‑to‑day HR decisions.
This fractional HR model gives you senior‑level HR leadership without adding a full‑time salary, and it works well for remote and multi‑location teams.
HR Projects & Compliance
For businesses that know their HR foundation needs to catch up with their growth.
Projects include employee handbooks, HR compliance reviews, hiring structure, and other key systems that support sustainable growth.
These projects can be delivered virtually, making it easy to support businesses in any U.S. state.
Employee Relations & Investigations
When sensitive workplace issues arise, Lean In HR provides experienced, neutral guidance to resolve employee concerns, workplace conflicts, and investigations with professionalism and care.
When appropriate, much of this work can be done remotely through structured conversations, documentation review, and coaching for your leaders.
Not sure what you need? Schedule a consultation and we will talk through the best approach for your business.
Meet Kelly Murphy, Founder of Lean In HR
Kelly Murphy is an experienced HR leader who partners with growing businesses to build strong, compliant teams without the need for a full-time HR department.
With more than 18 years of HR leadership experience across multiple industries, Kelly helps business owners navigate employee challenges, strengthen HR systems, and create workplaces where both the business and its people can thrive.
Her approach is practical, calm, and focused on real solutions - giving leaders the confidence that their HR foundation is solid as they grow, even if they’ve been “winging it” until now and are nervous for someone to look under the hood.
Kelly expects to find a mix of good instincts, quick fixes, and a few missed details in every business she supports; the goal is steady improvement, not perfection.
She works primarily with owner‑led businesses with 10 - 50 employees and partners with clients both locally and across the U.S.
A Simple Way to Strengthen Your HR
Working with Lean In HR is straightforward and practical. Most clients start out feeling a bit anxious about what I might find; my process is designed to be calm, confidential, and focused on progress, not blame.
1. Schedule a Consultation
Start with a short conversation about your team, your current HR worries, and where you may need support - knowing that every growing business has some HR gaps or “we’re not sure if this is right” areas.
2. Clarify the Right Support
Together we identify the best approach - whether that’s a specific HR project, ongoing fractional HR support, or guidance through a sensitive people issue.
3. Implement Practical Solutions
Lean In HR implements the policies, systems, and HR guidance your business needs so you stay compliant and make confident people decisions.
Trusted by Growing Businesses
Business owners rely on Lean In HR for clear guidance, steady leadership, and practical HR solutions.
“Kelly combines deep HR expertise with a calm, practical approach. She helped us bring clarity to complex employee issues and strengthened our HR foundation.”
— KEVIN F., CEO
“Outstanding support. Kelly has a rare ability to take complicated HR challenges and turn them into clear, manageable steps for leadership.”
— KYLE N., BUSINESS OWNER
Start with the Free HR Compliance Checklist
Not sure if your HR foundation is fully covered?
This quick checklist helps small business owners spot common compliance gaps.
- Key HR policies every growing business should have in place
- A simple review of common compliance risks
- Practical steps to strengthen your HR foundation
Lean In HR supports growing businesses with practical HR leadership, compliance guidance, and steady support as your team as your team expands - locally or across the U.S..