Fractional HRD is still in demand, but “be present” is now part of the deal.
Fractional HRD is not going away.
If anything, the demand is growing as businesses stay lean and expect more impact per £.
But here’s the CEO-level shift I’m seeing across the UK market right now:
Buyers still want outcomes.
They now also want presence.
Not performative attendance. Not “desk time”.
Real, senior visibility that helps leadership teams move faster, reduce risk, and stabilise culture.
And it makes sense when you look at what’s happening in the wider market.
Why the on-site expectation is rising
A British Chambers of Commerce survey found:
- 48% of UK firms expected staff to be on-site full-time over the following 12 months
- 41% said they’d increased on-site requirements in the past year (British Chambers of Commerce)
Translation: if CEOs want their people more visible, they also want their senior partners visible.
And it doesn’t stop there.
KPMG’s CEO Outlook reported that 63% of UK CEOs predicted a full return to in-office work by 2026. (KPMG)
Translation: whether you agree with it or not, the direction of travel is clear in many larger organisations.
“Hybrid” is tightening into a set pattern
Even where roles are labelled “hybrid”, the reality is becoming more structured.
Indeed’s analysis (reported in UK press) showed that 85% of UK hybrid job postings required two or more in-office days in 2025, and roles offering “one day in” are shrinking fast. (The Guardian)
Translation: hybrid doesn’t mean anywhere. It means predictable presence.
This matters because HR is not a back-office function in a tightening hybrid model. In large businesses, it’s a leadership function that lives where the work happens.
The part most HR leaders won’t say out loud
When the organisation gets messy, HR becomes the shock absorber.
- unclear direction becomes “culture work”
- leadership avoidance becomes “HR escalation”
- operational gaps become “HR to fix”
- rushed change becomes “HR risk management”
- inconsistent management becomes “HR case load”
HR doesn’t need to be the shock absorber for everyone else’s leadership.
But in a tightening hybrid world, HR often becomes exactly that unless stakeholders step up.
So the question for CEOs and HRDs isn’t “Do we want fractional HR support?”
It’s this:
How do we design fractional senior HR support that delivers outcomes and shows up where leadership needs it most?
Why presence matters at senior HR level
Because the work CEOs actually care about is rarely solved in a spreadsheet alone.
Presence unlocks:
- faster decision-making in exec rooms (and fewer “let’s park it” moments)
- real-time pattern spotting on site (not just what gets reported upwards)
- credibility with frontline leaders and managers
- earlier intervention on risk (ER hotspots, absence trends, union noise, capability gaps)
- culture traction (because culture is what people experience, not what leadership decks say)
A strong fractional HRD doesn’t just “advise”.
They stabilise, align, and execute with the business.
What this means for Fractional HRD offers in 2026
If you want to win CEO-level work in large UK businesses, your offer needs to make hybrid and on-site a strength, not an inconvenience.
Here’s the model that’s working.
1) Anchor-days on-site (high trust, high leverage)
Set fixed anchor days for the moments that require senior presence, judgement and influence:
- exec meetings and governance
- site walks and frontline listening
- leadership coaching and reset conversations
- ER risk, unions, consultations
- critical culture moments (post-change, post-restructure, post-acquisition)
This is where speed and trust are built.
2) Remote build-work (deep work that moves the business)
Use remote time for the work that requires focus, analytics and structured thinking:
- people strategy and operating model design
- org design, spans and layers, workforce planning
- performance framework and manager capability uplift
- data and insight packs for the board
- comms, narrative, toolkits and implementation planning
This is where outcomes are engineered.
3) Multi-site cadence (so the frontline feels seen)
In sectors like retail, hospitality, FM, logistics, manufacturing, field operations, multi-site cadence is non-negotiable.
A fractional model works best when it includes:
- a predictable visit rhythm across key sites
- manager standards and visibility checks
- consistent messaging that travels beyond head office
- a clear escalation route that doesn’t dump everything on HR Ops
This is where consistency is protected.
Stakeholder leadership: the non-negotiable ingredient
If you want HR to lead strategically, stakeholders must lead operationally.
CEO
Own direction. Make decisions. Sponsor the people agenda visibly, not only when something breaks.
COO / Operations Director
Own workforce planning and realistic resourcing. HR can support the system, but ops must own the operating discipline.
Commercial and Sales Leaders
Own performance early. Coach consistently. Stop outsourcing accountability to HR when targets slip.
Finance
Treat people metrics like business metrics. Fund capability and systems that reduce risk and raise productivity.
Line managers
Do the basics brilliantly: clarity, fairness, consistency, and courageous conversations.
Because here’s the truth: HR cannot fix what leadership won’t own.
A simple checklist: “Are we set up for strategic HR or constant firefighting?”
If you’re a CEO or HRD, ask:
- Do we have fixed anchor days for senior HR presence where decisions happen?
- Are we clear what work must be done on site vs remotely?
- Are line leaders accountable for performance and behaviour, or do they escalate everything to HR?
- Do we have predictable rhythms across sites, not just head office?
- Are we measuring outcomes (retention, absence, capability, delivery), not activity?
If the answers are vague, HR will keep absorbing the impact.
The bottom line
Fractional HRD is still in demand in the UK.
But the contract is evolving.
CEOs are buying:
- outcomes and
- presence
And that’s not a problem. It’s an opportunity, when designed well.
If you’re a busy CEO and you want strategic HR leadership with real on-the-ground presence, that’s exactly where fractional HR earns its keep.
If your HR team is firefighting and you want them back in strategic mode, let’s talk via lighthousehr.co.uk .
