What Is a Fractional CPO and How Can They Help Your Business?
As small and mid-sized businesses grow, the complexity of managing people, performance, and culture increases. Yet, hiring a full-time Chief People Officer (CPO) may not be practical or financially feasible. That’s where a Fractional CPO can be a strategic game-changer.
A Fractional CPO provides executive-level HR leadership on a part-time, contract, or project basis. They help businesses design and implement scalable People Operations tailored to the unique needs of the team, culture, and growth stage without requiring a full-time hire.
What Does a Fractional CPO Do?
A Fractional CPO focuses on aligning people strategy with business strategy. Their support often includes:
Designing performance management programs
Building or restructuring career path and leveling frameworks
Coaching and developing managers
Creating scalable onboarding and offboarding processes
Supporting HRIS platform selection and optimization
Leading engagement, culture, or DEI initiatives
Developing compensation philosophies and structures
Navigating compliance and employee relations issues
Unlike tactical HR support, a CPO-level consultant brings strategic guidance, executive perspective, and cross-functional alignment.
When to Consider a Fractional CPO
You may benefit from fractional support if your business:
Is adding headcount rapidly and needs scalable HR systems
Has outgrown ad-hoc or administrator-led people management
Is preparing for funding, acquisition, or restructuring
Wants to professionalize performance, culture, or compensation strategy
Needs to bridge a leadership gap while searching for a full-time executive
A Fractional CPO can also provide guidance to internal HR or operations teams, helping them grow into more strategic roles while keeping the organization aligned.
Why This Matters for Remote Teams
Fully remote or hybrid businesses face unique challenges with alignment, communication, and engagement. A Fractional CPO can help define intentional culture, improve remote onboarding and feedback loops, and ensure that distributed teams stay connected and productive.
How The Hazel Group Can Help
At The Hazel Group, we offer Fractional CPO services to help growing companies build strategic, sustainable HR operations. We work closely with founders and leadership teams to design programs that meet your current needs and scale with your business.
Whether you're hiring your first employees, developing a more mature performance strategy, or navigating complex people challenges, our fractional approach offers flexibility, expertise, and results.
Explore what strategic HR support could look like for your business. Book a 30-minute consultation with The Hazel Group to learn more about Fractional CPO services.
