For growing businesses & nonprofits
Strategic, tactical, and flexible human resources support for growing businesses and nonprofits across the U.S. — from focused projects to ongoing fractional and outsourced HR support, right-sized to align your people operations with your goals.
Who We Are
Telos is an ancient Greek word meaning purpose or ultimate goal.
It is also a promise. Telos HR Consulting partners with growing businesses and nonprofits across the United States, helping build people operations that actually support the goals of your organization.
Founded by Emily Luke after more than 20 years working within and leading HR teams. Telos is a team of highly experienced HR consultants, built for the gap between growing HR demands and limited internal capacity. Whether you have no HR support or a small HR team that needs senior backup, we provide strategic direction and hands-on operational support, right sized for your organization.
Where Clients Start
Most Telos engagements begin in one of three places: HR needs that have outgrown the cobbled-together approach, a small HR team that needs senior level capacity, or lack of time to focus on HR and concerns about legal exposure.
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No time for HR — or no HR team at all.
Senior HR support that fits your organization — from a focused one-time project to long-term outsourced HR support, and everything in between.
Explore fractional HR ›02
Worried things are slipping through the cracks?
A consultant-led engagement that examines your people practices, identifies the gaps, and leaves you with a prioritized, right-sized plan.
Explore the assessment ›03
Afraid of what you don't know you don't know?
Handbooks, policies, required notices, and investigations — practical compliance support that helps minimize risk without unnecessary friction.
Explore compliance ›Areas of Expertise
Beyond the three pathways, Telos covers the full breadth of people operations — meeting your organization where it is and helping you move toward your goals.
Ongoing or project-based senior HR support — from focused projects to fully outsourced HR.
› 02A consultant-led engagement that identifies gaps and creates a prioritized, right-sized plan.
› 03Compliance with federal, state, and local requirements helps minimize risk to your organization.
› 04Equitable compensation and benefits increase employee satisfaction and retention.
› 05Equipping your team increases productivity and improves job performance.
› 06The success of your organization is directly tied to the performance of your people.
› 07Having the right people in the right seats is critical to maximizing results.
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Our Core Offering
Not every growing organization needs — or is ready for — a full-time HR team. Fractional and outsourced HR support gives you senior-level HR expertise on terms that fit: the strategy, execution, and the steady hands, without the full-time commitment. Telos can own the majority of the lift or collaborate with your people, whichever fits your capacity and budget.
Founder & CEO
After more than 20 years working within and leading HR teams, Emily noticed that growing organizations were experiencing an expanded need for HR support — taxing under-equipped teams and asking leaders to do more with fewer staff and resources.
Emily founded Telos HR Consulting to fill that gap with a team of experienced HR consultants: fractional HR support that is strategic, tactical, and flexible. Together, the Telos team has added significant value across various industries and different vertical markets, with right-sized solutions for businesses and nonprofits alike. Clients are matched with, and introduced to, the consultant who fits their needs best.
“We look forward to partnering with you to align your people strategy with the vision and goals you have for your organization.”
Emily Luke
Founder & CEO · Connect on LinkedIn
What People Are Saying
Telos HR Consulting guided Little Engine through a major transition from 1099 to W2 employees — a complex, high-stakes shift for a small business. Their structured approach, practical tools, and steady guidance turned a daunting process into a clear, manageable path forward. I walked away with confidence, clarity, and a stronger foundation for my team. Telos is a true partner, and I would recommend them to any business navigating significant HR or compliance changes.
As a nearly five-year-old business, we came to Emily with just enough experience under our belts to know that there were some gaps in our policies, procedures, and HR protocols that needed attention but that we couldn’t close on our own. Emily was the perfect partner for this work; brilliant in knowledge, wise in application, and compassionate in approach. She intuitively understood what makes our business unique and how those distinctives are both gifts to cherish as well as challenges to steward.
Without trying to change our DNA, she carefully shepherded us through some adjustments that will help make us stronger as a business, and — more importantly — more consistent and caring for our amazing team. We felt encouraged, celebrated, and supported the entire way. We cannot recommend her highly enough!
Start With Clarity
Our Free HR Readiness Check is a short, practical self-assessment for CEOs, founders, and functional leaders. In about five minutes, you’ll see your organization’s areas of strength and the places worth a closer look — no email required. It’s a quick starting point, distinct from our consultant-led HR Health Assessment.
A handful of questions across compliance, compensation & benefits, compensation, performance, hiring, and more. Get a summary of your HR maturity and suggested next steps.
Start the Free CheckBook a discovery call — a free 30-minute Zoom conversation. Telos works with growing businesses and nonprofits across the U.S., whether you have no HR support yet or a small HR team that needs senior capacity.
Book a Discovery CallInsights
Good performance documentation makes your next conversation with an employee easier — and any final decision more likely fair. What to record, how to write facts another person can verify, how to choose the next step that fits the situation, and a performance improvement plan template you can copy or print.
What a human resources consultant actually does day to day, the common ways organizations engage one — project, retainer, fractional, or outsourced — the signs it's time to bring in help, and how to evaluate the right fit. Includes four interactive consultation-brief worksheets you can fill in before you talk to anyone.
A termination letter documents a decision — it cannot repair a rushed or poorly investigated one. A plain-English guide to what belongs in the letter versus the internal decision record, who should review, how to plan the meeting, and four complete templates with copy and print controls: performance-based, policy violation, layoff, and job abandonment — plus a pre-termination risk check, consistency comparison, and final-pay checklist.
Let’s Connect
If HR has outgrown the cobbled-together stage — or your small HR team needs senior backup — Telos can help you get your HR house in order. We look forward to being in touch.
Prefer to pick a time right now? Choose a slot below — or email us and tell us what’s on your mind.