The Smarter Startup

The five elements of a healthy HR practice we've learned to apply in startups

Guidelines for a healthy HR: evaluating partners who can help you run HR without a glitch in the short and in the long run.

Your CFO: A co-pilot you often need to rely on for handling a healthy HR process.

Sometimes in a startup, your CFO will need to step up to handle non-financial duties and act as an informal COO. The reasons can range from fast growth to a key VP leaving to the need to establish processes, or even to simply not having the team/bandwidth to complete the needed work. Because of his or her familiarity with the daily pulse of the company, the CFO is often in the best position to assist, especially in matters regarding HR.

Several of us at Burkland have been required to take over the HR processes of our clients for some periods of time. This can look like a trial by fire for a CFO, so we created a framework that helps us evaluate the company’s HR options and choose the best path. Limited resources are usually the norm, and the priorities often start with ensuring you can secure payroll and benefits, closely followed by the need to find an HR partner who can handle the recurring process of compensation and give you strategic HR cover.

There’s no quick fix for a function as central to success as HR, which touches everybody in your company. However, you need to find a balance between the urgent and the important so that the path takes you to a well-functioning HR practice. Here are some guidelines you may find useful as you evaluate partners, whether it be your part-time CFO, a 3rd party resource, or a combination of both, who can help you run HR without a glitch in the short and long run.

  1. Compensation and benefits advisory and administration

The ability to set and run compensation & benefits must be at the top of the list when you are evaluating an HR partner/service provider. The five things we look for are: a) does the partner have an employee help desk for all HR/benefits/payroll questions & issues? b) Can they create employee communication materials? c) Will they help you set compensation levels and stock option programs with relevant benchmark data? d) Can they support you regarding compensation and benefits compliance? and d) As you grow, do they have the capacity to organize, coordinate, and run open enrollment meetings and health fairs for your people?

  1. HR policies and procedures

A solid HR partner needs to help you establish written HR policies and procedures that can accommodate your startup’s team growth and help you attract the right talent. In addition, their HR policies and procedures capabilities must include a sound and clear process for hiring, on-boarding and also one for termination. Finally, make sure their policies and procedures include compliance with regulations in your market.

  1. HR Technology

HR is one of the areas where technology has made a huge difference for companies of all sizes over the last few years. A partner needs to have a good Human Resource Management System (HRIS) with integrated HR, benefits and payroll functionality, and benefits enrollment software. It also helps if the system has an employee on boarding self-services portal, and gives you the ability to easily implement and manage payroll.

  1. Recruiting & staffing capabilities

As you grow, you need a partner who can provide expert guidance on recruiting strategy, not just short-term tactics and practices. This strategy often includes a hiring plan and a pipeline of the positions you need to fill over time. Ideally, they will manage this hiring plan and the recruiting pipeline for you. Expert guidance also includes giving you access and helping you make sense of compensation benchmark data that is relevant to your industry and to the stage of your company.

  1. Ability to help you set up a strategic HR practice

Finally, an important but not urgent task for a good HR partner includes an initial strategic HR audit and a review of the big picture with you and your executives. As time goes by, your partner should be able to provide guidance on the strategic HR road map they help you develop, while giving you sound advice and expert guidance with setting the crucial cultural tone for the business that reflects the unique essence of who you are, often, this essence is found through interviews with management and well-designed employee surveys.

These five elements are by no means exhaustive. HR is a complex task. However, evaluating HR help using these five areas as a guide provides the cover you need to have a well-run, healthy HR function that accommodates growth and supports recruitment and retention. Most importantly, solid HR practices designed early on can ensure you nurture and maintain your culture through time, no matter your size.