People strategy and organisational design for remote-first companies scaling from 20 to 200 employees
Scaling People Systems in the Age of AI
There’s a moment that happens in start-ups when they begin to scale.It’s subtle at first.Nothing is broken yet, but nothing is intentional either.A manager hesitates to give tough feedback.
Someone in Europe is operating under completely different assumptions than someone in the US, and nobody notices until something breaks.At 25 people, it’s charming.When you get to 120, it’s expensive.I tend to arrive right around here.When nothing is on fire, but it's starting to get a liiiitle smoky.This is the point where proximity stops being enough to hold the next stage of growth.Decisions that used to run on trust and speed need a bit more structure.Culture stops being accidental.And the systems underneath the company finally matter.
And increasingly, another layer has entered the picture.AINot in the dramatic "robots are taking everyone’s jobs” sense.But in the quiet, everyday sense that work itself is changing fast, which raises new questions for leadership.
Hi, I'm Cat
I work with purpose-driven, remote-first companies when they’re crossing that invisible line into scale.Over the last decade I’ve worked inside globally distributed organisations growing from 30 people to more than 300 across APAC, the UK and the Americas.I’ve seen what breaks when scaling happens quickly.I’ve seen what happens when leaders over-correct and bury teams in process.And I’ve learned how to build people systems that protect both performance and humanity.Most of my work sits at the intersection of four things:
Structure
Governance
Leadership maturity
Decision quality
The tools are familiar — org design, performance cycles, benefits & rewards architecture, psychosocial safety and global compliance.But the real work is helping leadership teams think clearly about the culture they want to build before it hardens into habits, all whilst keeping a people-centric, human approach that helps people flourish.
01
Fractional Head of People
Fractional Head of People support for scaling companies (20–100 employees) navigating growth, organisational complexity, and the realities of AI-enabled work. I work directly with founders and leadership teams to bring structure to people strategy, from org design and workforce planning to leadership support and governance, helping companies scale without losing clarity, accountability, or culture.
02
Benefits, Compliance & People Risk Design
This work sits at the intersection of benefits design, regulatory compliance, and psychosocial risk management. I help organisations design people systems that support performance while protecting both the business and the people inside it, creating workplaces that scale without creating hidden risks.
03
AI Adoption & Work Design
Guiding organisations as AI begins reshaping how work gets done. This work focuses on AI governance, skill development, and redesigning workflows so AI augments human performance while maintaining clarity, trust, and healthy ways of working.
04
Performance & Accountability Systems
Designing performance philosophies and accountability systems for companies moving from informal, high-trust cultures to clearer performance standards. This includes decision frameworks, calibration practices, and leadership discipline that make expectations explicit while preserving autonomy and ownership.
05
Functional Breathing for Focus & Performance
Coming Soon
Evidence-based breathing workshops designed to improve focus, stress regulation, and cognitive performance in demanding work environments. Sessions provide practical tools teams can use immediately to regulate pressure, sustain concentration, and support resilient performance. Available online globally and in person across Europe.
Engagement Models
Fractional Retainer
I embed with the leadership team a few days a week and work alongside founders as the organisation scales. That might include organisational design, leadership support, performance systems, multi-country complexity or navigating moments of change. It’s steady partnership during periods where the company is growing faster than its internal systems.
Fixed Scope Strategic Sprints
Sometimes you don't need ongoing support, but clarity on a specific challenge.This might be redesigning the organisation ahead of a growth phase, building a performance framework, reviewing compensation architecture, or introducing AI into the flow of work in a thoughtful way. These engagements are focused, time-bound pieces of work that give leadership teams the structure they need to move forward with confidence.Sprints typically range between 6 and 12 weeks, depending on scope and requirements.
Executive Advisory Partnership
For founders and senior leaders who want a thinking partner as the company evolves.These engagements are lighter touch but deeply strategic. We meet regularly to think through leadership decisions, organisational tensions, growth trade-offs and structural shifts before they become bigger problems. Sometimes the most valuable work is simply having a steady, experienced perspective in the room while decisions are being made.
A Note on How I See the Work
With AI, the admin side of HR is becoming heavily automated. And that's a good thing.What isn’t automated is judgment.The human questions are getting more complex.How do we introduce powerful technology without destabilising trust?How do we redesign work without burning people out?How do we keep culture strong when the nature of work itself is shifting?Those are leadership questions.And they’re becoming more important every year. I want to help build companies that can grow and still feel like places people are proud to belong.
Strategic Sprints
For earlier-stage teams (15–60 employees) who feel the need for structure quickly
People Foundations (8-16 weeks)
Core policiesOnboarding architecturePerformance baselineRole clarity framework
Healthy Work & Psychosocial Risk Design (8-16 weeks)
Psychosocial risk assessment (leadership)Workload and role pressure mappingSustainable performance guidelinesLeadership practices for healthy work (optional training)
Leadership Capability Accelerator (6-12 weeks)
Manager enablement toolkitFeedback discipline frameworksDifficult conversation trainingAccountability coaching
AI & Work Redesign (6-10 weeks)
Improving productivity while protecting clarity and trust.
AI governance and responsible use guidelines
Identification of high-impact AI workflow opportunities
Skills development for human–AI collaboration
Redesign of selected workflows to integrate AI tools
Thank you
Your message just landed in my inbox. I’ll take a look and get back to you within the next day or two.Speak soon!
Fractional Head of People
Embedded executive partnership for scaling companies
Outcome
Clear structure. Stronger leadership maturity. More predictable performance systems. Reduced execution drag.
---For organisations that need experienced People leadership but not yet full-time.I work alongside your CEO and leadership team to:
Design scalable organisational structures
Align workforce planning with commercial strategy
Build performance, benefits and rewards architecture
Strengthen leadership capability and accountability
Navigate multi-country complexity
Prepare board-level people reporting
Engagement
2–3 days per week retainer, 6–12 months.
People Risk & Sustainable Work Design
Designing people systems that scale without hidden risk
Outcome
Reduced regulatory exposure. Healthier work environments. Benefits and wellbeing strategies that reinforce performance rather than operate as standalone initiatives.
---As organisations grow across regions and teams, people risk becomes more complex. Benefits structures evolve unevenly. Compliance requirements multiply. Work intensity increases. And leaders often only see the problem when something breaks.This work focuses on building people systems that support performance while protecting both the organisation and the people inside it.I work with leadership teams to:
Design benefits and rewards structures that scale across regions
Review compliance exposure and people risk areas
Conduct psychosocial risk assessments and mitigation planning
Align wellbeing initiatives with organisational design
Strengthen leadership practices that support sustainable work
Build clarity around people governance and accountability
Engagement
Project-based or integrated into Fractional Head of People partnerships.
Performance and Accountability Systems
Making expectations explicit without losing care
Outcome
Clear expectations. Stronger leadership discipline. A performance culture that maintains autonomy while ensuring accountability.
---Many early-stage companies run on trust, speed and good intentions. As the organisation grows, expectations become inconsistent, feedback becomes uneven and decision-making slows down.Performance systems often appear only when problems emerge.This work helps organisations move from implicit performance cultures to clear, fair and effective accountability systems.I work with leadership teams to:
Define a clear performance philosophy and principles
Establish expectations for leadership and team contribution
Design calibration frameworks that support fairness across teams
Introduce decision-making clarity and ownership models
Strengthen feedback and accountability practices
Align performance conversations with company strategy
Engagement
2–3 days per week retainer, 3–6 months.
AI Adoption & Work Design
Embedding AI into organisations without destabilising how work happens
Outcome
AI integrated into the flow of work in a way that improves productivity, strengthens decision-making and avoids fragmentation across teams.
---AI is beginning to reshape how work gets done across teams. The real challenge is rarely the technology itself. It’s how organisations integrate it into everyday workflows, decision-making and culture.This work focuses on helping companies adopt AI in ways that strengthen performance while maintaining trust, clarity and healthy ways of working.I work with leadership teams to:
Establish AI governance and responsible use frameworks
Identify high-impact opportunities for AI in daily workflows
Redesign selected processes to integrate AI tools effectively
Develop internal skills for human–AI collaboration
Clarify leadership expectations around AI-enabled work
Anticipate organisational risks introduced by new technologies
Engagement
Strategic advisory engagements or focused AI & Work Redesign sprints (6–10 weeks).
Functional Breathing for Focus & Performance
Practical physiology tools for focus, resilience and sustainable performance
Outcome
Individuals and teams equipped with simple physiological tools to regulate stress, sustain focus and perform under pressure.
---Modern work places sustained cognitive pressure on teams. Stress regulation and concentration are becoming critical capabilities in high-performing environments.Functional breathing offers simple, evidence-informed methods that support focus, emotional regulation and cognitive clarity.These workshops introduce practical breathing techniques that participants can apply immediately in their work and daily routines.Sessions include:
Breathing techniques that improve concentration and mental clarity
Nervous system regulation for high-pressure environments
Tools to manage stress and maintain composure during demanding work
Recovery practices that support long-term resilience and performance
Engagement
Workshops delivered online globally or in person across Europe.
Strategic Execution Framework for a Scaling Organisation
Context
Rapid organisational growth created challenges around alignment, prioritisation and decision-making velocity. We needed to establish a clear operating model enabling leadership alignment, cross-team execution and faster decision-making.Deliverables
Implementation of OKRs as the organisation’s goal-setting framework
Delegation of authority and decision-making framework developed with leadership, legal and finance
Agile project toolkit supporting cross-functional collaboration and delivery
Leadership planning and execution rhythms aligned to quarterly operating cycles
Outcomes
Improved cross-team alignment, reducing duplicated work and misaligned priorities
Increased decision-making speed through clearer ownership
Strengthened accountability through transparent tracking of OKRs across teams
Enabled leadership to prioritise effectively, improving execution on key strategic initiatives
Culture Architecture for a Distributed Organisation
Context
In remote-first organisations, culture must be intentionally designed rather than relying on proximity. We needed to create rituals and cultural mechanisms that reinforce values, strengthen connection and support sustainable performance.Deliverables
Monthly town hall structure designed to reinforce organisational values and leadership transparency
Annual global offsite program to support alignment to purpose, connection, and belonging
Quarterly initiative to encourage deep work, reflection and learning
Outcomes
Strengthened connection and alignment across a distributed workforce
Increased participation and engagement in company-wide rituals
Supported sustainable performance by creating space for deep work and reflection
Reinforced an intentional and inclusive culture through consistent leadership communication
Leadership Capability and Workforce Skills Strategy
Context
Scaling organisations frequently encounter leadership capability gaps as teams grow and first-time managers take on broader responsibilities. Strengthening leadership capability was necessary while ensuring the workforce developed the skills required for future growth.Deliverables
Leadership development program combining training and coaching for managers
Psychosocial insights program identifying engagement and attrition drivers
Organisation-wide skills gap evaluation identifying capabilities required for future growth
Learning and development strategy aligned to strategic workforce capabilities
Outcomes
Increased internal capability building through targeted L&D aligned with business needs
Reduced reliance on external hiring for key skills
Enabled leadership to make more informed investment decisions in talent
Up to 15% of roles filled internally vs externally
Organisational Restructure and Change Leadership
Context
The organisation undertook a strategic restructuring to better align teams with evolving priorities. We needed to support leadership through structural change while maintaining trust, transparency and employee wellbeing.Deliverables
Organisational design and restructuring framework
Leadership communication and change management strategy
Transition support for departing employees
Repair and rebuild initiatives for teams following the transition
Outcomes
Delivered organisational change with minimal disruption to ongoing operations
Maintained trust and transparency through structured communication and support
Supported departing employees with clear transition frameworks
Stabilised remaining teams and re-established engagement post-change