Human Resources Professionals: Insights & Resources

Best Workforce Planning Consulting Services in the UK

Ryan Stevens
September 4, 2025
All Insights
HR Professionals: Insights & Resources

Best Workforce Planning Consulting Services in the UK

United Kingdom Workforce Planning Consultants

We’re thrilled to present a curated national spotlight showcasing the United Kingdom’s leading outsourced, part-time, fractional, and virtual Workforce Planning consulting firms. These top-tier agencies, proudly rooted in the UK, are distinguished by their deep expertise, research-backed methodologies, and outstanding client satisfaction.

Each featured firm brings a proven track record of helping organisations strategically align their workforce with evolving business objectives whether through long-term planning, rapid transformation, or navigating workforce-related uncertainty. With flexible delivery models ranging from on-demand advisory to embedded fractional consultants, these firms provide agile, cost-effective solutions tailored to organisations of all sizes and sectors.

Methodology: How We Chose These UK‑based Workforce Planning Consulting Services

We only selected agencies that meet all three pillars of our strict vetting process:

🔦 Research-driven – deliverable frameworks, public case studies, white‑papers, or CIPD-aligned tools.

🔦 Client-reviewed – genuine testimonials, proven ROI, or referenceable client outcomes.

🔦 UK‑based leadership – headquartered in the UK, with founders or leadership firmly rooted in local practice.

Each agency featured below excels in at least three distinct strengths, denoted with emoji bullets reflecting signature capabilities.

🌟 UK-Based Workforce Planning Consultants - Provider Spotlights

Evolve HR Solutions

What they do:
Provide fractional workforce planning, organisational design, and strategic HR alignment. Operate with structured diagnostic frameworks and scenario modelling.

Who they work with:
B2B tech/SaaS firms and fast-growth industrial businesses.

Operating model:
Virtual, flexible fractional engagements layered with data‑driven tools.

💡Why they stand out:

  • 🧠 Framework-led planning: Use proprietary demand‑supply gap models adapting CIPD and KPMG structures.

  • 📊 Quantified results: Helped a growing SaaS client reduce time‑to‑fill by 35% and lower recruitment cost‑per‑hire by 20%.

  • 🛠 Change‑ready solutioning: Blend of scenario‑planning + reskilling roadmaps aligned with business pivots.
Jeff Lupinacci, Founder & CEO of Evolve HR Solutions

Jeff has over 15 years in strategic HR consulting, working with FTSE‑listed and mid‑market firms. Known for designing scalable workforce planning systems that anticipate seasonal hiring spikes and skills gaps. Under his leadership, clients see headcount planning integrated with finance forecasting for robust ROI.

SMJ Consulting Services

What they do:
Offer outsourced workforce analytics and planning, part‑time strategic advisory, and bespoke scenario modelling.

Who they work with:
Retail, DTC brands, and manufacturing firms with complex shift patterns.

Operating model:
Part‑time advisory with analytics dashboards and quarterly planning cycles.

💡Why they stand out:

  • 🔍 Deep analytics: Build predictive models for turnover risk and scheduling needs.

  • 🏭 Sector-specific experience: Helped a manufacturing client cut overstaffing by 15% via flexible labour modelling.

  • 💬 Real feedback loop: Clients cite “clear dashboards, no jargon, actionable insight” in independent reviews.
Andrew Jackson, Founder & Managing Director of SMJ Consulting Services

Andrew’s 12‑year career spans HR analytics leadership in retail and industrial settings. Renowned for translating data into decision-ready plans, he’s guided clients to forecast short‑term demand accurately and reduce schedule mismatches.

Clarion HR

What they do:
Workforce strategy consulting, contingency planning, DEI-integrated talent mapping, and capacity forecasting.

Who they work with:
Public sector, higher education, and professional services organisations.

Operating model:
Fractional, interim, or virtual consultancy with sector‑aligned playbooks.

💡 Why they stand out:

  • 🎯 DEI+planning: Embed diversity metrics into workforce scenarios to meet inclusion goals.

  • 📚 Public‑sector protocols: Trained on CIPD’s six‑stage framework aligned with government eligibility standards.

  • 🧾 Policy and compliance expertise: Provide audit-ready planning aligned with Employment Rights Bill updates.
Sarah Horne FCIPD, Founder & HR Consultant of Clarion HR

With over 20 years in public sector HR, Sarah is known for steering large-scale workforce reorganisations reducing staffing redundancies while maintaining compliance. Her leadership blends CIPD-aligned frameworks with pragmatic inclusion strategies.

The HR Dept Highlands, Islands and Moray

What they do:
On-demand, part‑time HR and workforce planning for SMEs, charities, and rural enterprises across northern Scotland.

Who they work with:
Small businesses, social enterprises, and nonprofit sectors.

Operating model:
Local fractional model, part‑time Regionally embedded consultants offering planning support alongside HR delivery.

💡 Why they stand out:

  • 🏞 Regional expertise: Understands rural and seasonal workforce shifts in Highlands & Islands.

  • 🤝 Small‑business focus: Delivers cost‑effective, tailored planning for tight-budget operations.

  • 🌐 Integrated HR services: Combine workforce planning with HR policy, recruitment, and retention support.
Kim Hunter Chartered FCIPD MBA, Founder & Managing Director of The HR Dept Highlands, Islands and Moray

Kim’s strategic HR practice started with hospitality and rural SMEs. She’s known locally for enabling seasonal staffing models and supporting charities in planning their annual headcount sustainably.

HR Analytics Summit

What they do:
Run sector‑specialist workforce planning summits, advisory pods, and bespoke planning workshops.

Who they work with:
Mid‑market UK firms across HR analytics, tech, and logistics aiming to build planning maturity.

Operating model:
Virtual events & fractional expert pods, back by digital frameworks and peer learning.

💡 Why they stand out:

  • 🧭 Peer‑informed strategy: Participants share frameworks and real‑world outcomes—accelerating planning maturity across sectors.

  • 🧩 Action‑oriented sessions: Workshops conclude with hands‑on modeling tools—ready to deploy.

  • 📈 Analytic standards: Framework inputs blend CIPD guidelines with Indeed Flex predictive analytics trends
Douglas Leach, Founder of HR Analytics Summit

Douglas has 10+ years curating workforce analytics knowledge across UK. Known for delivering multi‑sector summits and helping firms implement predictive planning tools that align with DEIB, engagement, and scenario modelling best practices.

Talentology

What they do:
Offer fractional workforce planning consulting, organisational design, talent strategy, and DEIB-aligned mapping.

Who they work with:
B Corp‑certified clients, Social Enterprises, and values-driven tech firms.

Operating model:
Virtual fractional advisors integrated with workforce analytics and stakeholder engagement tools.

💡 Why they stand out:

  • 🌱 Values-centered planning: Combine people strategy with mission alignment and DEIB forecasting.

  • 🔄 Holistic design: Offer both resourcing frameworks and institutional cultural assessments.

  • 🎓 Impact reporting: Provide post‑engagement reports showing retention improvement and staff engagement shift.
Katherine Ray, Founder & Director of Talentology

Katherine’s background spans ethics-focused tech firms and nonprofit talent teams. She’s recognised for weaving mission-aligned workforce design alongside data‑driven planning, helping clients improve retention by 25% through values-matched hiring planning.

UK-Based Workforce Planning Consultants Driving Real Organizational Change

We hope this curated overview of UK-based, research-driven, client-approved Fractional Workforce Planning Consultancies offers a useful starting point in identifying a strategic partner to support your evolving talent and resourcing challenges. Each firm listed combines deep industry knowledge, agile delivery models, and evidence-based methodologies to optimize workforce efficiency and flexibility. With a focus on measurable impact, these consultancies are trusted by leading organisations to provide scalable, expert-led solutions without unnecessary overhead or generic advice.

At Digital Reference, we connect professionals with the most relevant, high-impact resources to support smarter decision-making across teams and departments. From curated tools to expert insights, we help you move from complexity to clarity faster.

If this guide offered you value, explore these targeted insights to dive even deeper into what’s possible for your team and function:

Discover the strategies, tools, and expert advice that move work forward, smarter, faster, and more confidently. Your next smart decision starts with Digital Reference.

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