strategichrinc.com

What It Is

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR is a U.S.-based outsourced human resources service provider founded in 1995, later becoming part of the Clark Schaefer Hackett organization. It is not a typical SaaS product, but a professional services firm that provides outsourced HR, recruiting, training, compliance, and interim HR support for businesses ranging from startups to companies with 15,000+ employees.

Core Capabilities

Its services cover HR strategy, employee communications, full-cycle recruiting, employee relations, training and development, recordkeeping, compensation and benefits, health and safety, and HR compliance. For small businesses without an HR department, it can help build and manage HR functions in phases. For mid-sized and large organizations, it more often takes on specific projects, fills critical functional gaps, or provides interim/fractional HR roles. Services can be delivered virtually or on-site, and the team can work with clients’ existing systems such as ADP, Paycor, Paylocity, Gusto, BambooHR, and QuickBooks.

Pricing and Procurement

The website does not disclose standard package pricing and instead uses a consultative, customized quote model. Its recruiting services explicitly support retained search, contingency fees, and hourly rates. Overall engagements can be structured as monthly plans or project-based fees. The official website offers free HR consultations, making it suitable to start with a needs assessment before defining the scope of work.

Pros and Cons

Its strengths include a comprehensive service scope, deep experience, a team with HR, recruiting, and training credentials, and an emphasis on tailoring services to each client’s culture and stage of business rather than applying generic templates. Its client cases span industries such as nonprofit, healthcare, manufacturing, and professional services. The limitations are that it is not a self-service software platform and lacks common enterprise software information such as standardized product interfaces, permission systems, APIs, data security certifications, and SLAs. There is also no clear explanation of how it supports labor law compliance outside the United States.

Who It’s For

It is better suited for U.S.-based small and mid-sized businesses, growing companies, organizations whose HR compliance needs are centered on the United States, teams with limited HR capacity, and companies needing recruitment outsourcing, HR audits, employee relations support, manager training, or interim HR leadership coverage. It is not suitable for customers simply looking for an HR SaaS system, developer APIs, or a self-hosted deployment option.

Access from China

No information is provided about access to the official website from China, so the status is unknown. If Chinese companies are considering using it, they should focus on confirming cross-border communication, the scope of applicable U.S. labor compliance, data processing methods, and whether services can be delivered remotely.