Who writes
Nick Schäfer, from the generation that learned HR with Excel and carried it on with AI. Six stations in seven years, in four very different worlds: banking, a consumer goods group, software, rapid growth. Self-employed since 2026 as Nick's Advisory, with interim and fractional engagements for companies between 50 and 500 employees. Frankfurt am Main, German and English. Career in detail on LinkedIn, the stations without employer names under About Nick Schäfer.
What he writes about
Three topics, all from his own practice. Interim and fractional HR: how HR leadership on demand works, what it costs and when it fits. Projects with a works council (Betriebsrat, the elected employee representation in German companies): restructuring, carve-out, integration, and the question of how to work with co-determination instead of against it. And AI in daily HR work: which routines can be automated, what the works council says about it, and what the EU AI Act requires. What he does not write: career advice for job seekers, trend pieces without first-hand experience, texts on topics he has not been responsible for himself.
Where the knowledge comes from
From the work itself. The reorganisation across nine countries, the recruiting campaign without an agency, the working-from-abroad policy, the scaling of a region from 70 to over 100 employees, the HR administration cut from 30 to 5 hours: all cases from his own responsibility, anonymised under Case Studies. On legal topics, employment law, works constitution law, GDPR, the EU AI Act, the knowledge comes from applying them in daily HR work and from working alongside employment law firms, not from a law degree. That is stated in every text it concerns.
Where the limits are
Not a lawyer: legal assessments on this website are practical knowledge, not legal advice for an individual case. Not a tax adviser: questions on employment status determination and social security are for a tax adviser or law firm. Not a corporate interim: the experience lies with companies between 50 and 500 employees and international subsidiaries, not with groups that have their own HR board member. How content is created, reviewed, and what role AI tools play in it: Editorial guidelines.
Seven years of HR in banking, consumer goods and software. Nick's Advisory, Frankfurt am Main, since 2026. More about me
Frequently asked questions
Does Nick Schäfer write all texts himself?
Yes. AI tools help with research and drafts, and every published text is reviewed for accuracy and signed off by him. Details under Editorial guidelines.
Is he a lawyer?
No. He knows German employment law and works constitution law from daily HR practice, not as a lawyer. Legal assessments on this website do not replace advice from a law firm.
Where do the numbers in the texts come from?
From his own responsibility in past roles. Where a figure is an estimate or an industry benchmark, it says so.