Comparing providers

What If HR or WorkNest? An honest comparison for small businesses

Based in Caterham, Surrey, and working across London, the South East and the UK.

The short answer. WorkNest is a national provider of employment law, HR, health and safety and cyber resilience services. What If HR is a small consultancy: one named consultant who knows your business, prices on the website and a three-month trial. If you want employment law, safety and cyber from one large supplier, WorkNest may suit you better. If you want someone who knows your team and no long contract, we are built for that.

Book a free 20-minute call See the side by side

Side by side

What If HRWorkNest

PriceOn the website: from £150 a month + VAT, priced by team sizeNo prices on its website. You book a consultation

Who you speak toOne named consultant who knows your business and your teamA "dedicated employment lawyer-led team" with unlimited employment law advice

TribunalsWe handle everything up to an Acas notification. If a claim follows, we stay with you and deal with Acas, a vetted tribunal specialist drafts your response and a solicitor we refer you to represents youIts lawyers run the claim and instruct a barrister to represent you at hearings

Contract length and renewalA three-month trial with no exit fee. Then Advisory runs monthly with one month's notice; the Outsourced HR team runs for 6 or 12 monthsService terms are not published on its website. Ask for the initial term, how it renews and the notice period in writing before you sign

Price risesFees are fixed in your written specification. Our terms have no automatic yearly riseNot published on its website. Ask how and when the fee can rise

ServicesHR, training, culture and coaching, plus health and safety with a specialist partnerPeople (HR and employment law), safety and cyber resilience

WorkNest's side is taken from its own website and published terms, checked on 30 September 2026. Terms change, so ask for the current version before you sign. Sources are listed at the end of this page.

When WorkNest may suit you better

You want employment law, health and safety and cyber resilience from one large supplier.
You want lawyers on the same team as your HR advice, including representation at a tribunal.

When What If HR is the better fit

You want the same named person every time, who knows your team.
You want to see the price before the first call.
You want to try it for three months before you commit.
You want help doing the work: letters drafted, meetings attended, your HR inbox answered.

See the plans and prices

Six questions to ask any HR provider before you sign

Whoever you choose, get the answers in writing. They matter more than the monthly fee.

Ask us all six on a free 20-minute call

How long is the first term, and does it renew automatically?
How much notice do I need to give, and by when?
How and when can the price go up?
What does it cost to leave early?
Will I speak to the same person each time?
What is included, and what is charged on top?

Straight answers

Questions owners ask us

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or email hello@whatifhr.co.uk

Is What If HR cheaper than WorkNest?

It depends on your team size and what you need, and WorkNest does not publish prices to compare against. Ours are on the website: Advisory from £150 a month + VAT, priced by team size. Get a written quote from both and compare the total over the full contract term, including any renewal and price rises.

Can I switch to What If HR while I am still in a contract with WorkNest?

Yes, but check your notice date first. Some provider contracts need notice months before the end of the term. Send us the dates and we will plan the handover around them, so you are not paying twice for longer than you need to.

Do you offer a 24/7 advice line?

No. We work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and we reply the same working day. If you need advice at night or weekends as a matter of course, a national provider may suit you better.

Do you provide insurance for tribunal awards?

No. We are HR specialists, not an insurer or a law firm. We help you get the process right so claims are less likely, support you through Acas and a claim, and tell you when you need a solicitor.