The steady-hand engagement. Ongoing async HR support for clients who need a trusted advisor in their corner every month — without a full-time HR hire. This kit covers onboarding a retainer client, the monthly rhythm, and how to close or transition gracefully.
The retainer runs on a consistent monthly rhythm. Clients know what to expect and when — this predictability is what makes the engagement feel premium and low-friction.
The 48-hour window applies to business days and starts when a request is clearly submitted — not when it's half-mentioned in a long email. If a request is unclear, reply within 24 hours asking for clarification. The clock restarts when clarification arrives.
What qualifies for 48-hour turnaround: direct HR questions, document reviews, template requests, compliance questions, policy drafts.
What does not qualify: new system builds, research-heavy tasks, or anything that requires more than 2–3 hours of work. These are scoped separately.
Be explicit about what the retainer covers from the start. Scope creep is the biggest retainer killer. When a client asks for something outside scope, name it clearly and offer to quote it separately.
The first month sets the tone for the entire relationship. Get this brief filled out before you start any work. It tells you everything you need to be useful from Day 1.
Hi [FIRST NAME],
Your monthly retainer is confirmed and I'm glad to have you.
Before I can be useful, I need to understand your setup. Fill out the onboarding brief below — it takes about 10 minutes and tells me everything I need to hit the ground running.
Onboarding brief: [BRIEF LINK]
Here's how the retainer works:
→ Send requests or questions to info@softhireapp.com anytime
→ I respond within 48 business hours — Loom or written depending on what the question needs
→ At the end of each month you'll get a summary Loom of everything we worked on
→ Every quarter I'll send a health check — a short review of where your HR ops stand
→ Cancel anytime — no contracts, no penalty
Once I have your brief I'll reply with a note on anything I want to address in month one.
— Natacha
Founder, SoftHire Systems · natacha.softhireapp.com
Sent at the end of every month alongside the summary Loom. Keeps the client informed and demonstrates value — even in quiet months.
Hi [FIRST NAME],
Here's your [MONTH] retainer summary.
Summary Loom (10–15 min): [LOOM LINK]
This month we covered:
→ [ITEM 1 — e.g. Reviewed and updated offer letter template for CA]
→ [ITEM 2 — e.g. Answered 3 questions on PTO policy for remote employees]
→ [ITEM 3 — e.g. Drafted manager guide for performance conversation]
[ONE THING I NOTICED THIS MONTH — optional proactive observation. e.g. "Based on the questions coming in, it looks like your managers need clearer guidance on what falls under HR vs what they handle directly. Worth addressing next month."]
Anything pressing heading into [NEXT MONTH]? Reply here and I'll put it at the top of the queue.
— Natacha
Send if a client hasn't submitted any requests for 3+ weeks. Don't wait for them to cancel — reach out first.
Hi [FIRST NAME],
It's been a few weeks — checking in to see if anything's come up that I can help with.
Sometimes the quieter months mean things are running smoothly. But if there's something sitting on your list that you haven't gotten around to sending over, now's a good time.
Common things this time of year: [RELEVANT EXAMPLE — e.g. offer letters for new hires, policy updates before end of year, compliance questions around a new hire in a new state].
Reply whenever you're ready.
— Natacha
Handle cancellations gracefully. Leave the door open — most retainer clients come back after a pause.
Hi [FIRST NAME],
Got it — I've closed out your retainer effective [DATE].
It was good working with you. Here's a summary of everything we covered during the engagement: [BRIEF SUMMARY OR LOOM LINK].
If anything comes up down the road — a new hire sprint, a compliance question, or you want to restart the retainer — reply here and I'll pick it back up.
Wishing you and the team well.
— Natacha
Sent at the end of every third month as a Loom. This is what separates a retainer from a reactive support ticket — you're proactively reviewing the health of their HR operations, not just answering questions.
Hi [FIRST NAME],
It's been 3 months — time for your quarterly HR health check.
Health check Loom: [LOOM LINK]
This covers: what we worked on this quarter, where your HR ops stand right now, any compliance items coming up, and what I'd prioritise in the next 90 days.
One thing worth flagging from this quarter: [MOST IMPORTANT OBSERVATION — e.g. "Your onboarding process is working well for individual contributors but breaking down for manager hires — worth building a separate manager onboarding track."]
Reply with any questions or let me know what you want to focus on next quarter.
— Natacha
Run through this at the end of every retainer month. Reset the checkboxes each month.
$4,500 — all five HR systems built end-to-end, governance framework, executive dashboard, and rollout support. The natural step for retainer clients who've outgrown reactive support.