Top 10 Human Resource Focus Areas for Start Up Companies

Engage a Labor and Employment Attorney – The best time to hire and establish a relationship with an attorney is when you don’t “need” one! The attorney can provide insight, serve as an advisor and legally review your employment documents.

Craft an Employee Handbook – An Employee Handbook is one of the most important documents an employer creates. Well-written handbooks are key communication tools and help mitigate risk. Handbooks outline what employees can expect from their employer, and likewise what the employer expects from employees. Policy Handbooks are foundational in setting tone and culture for an organization. They also provide a foundation for leadership decisions.

Firm up Payroll process and Benefit package offerings – Ensure you have vendor partners you can trust. A broker well versed in benefit plan designs and the current legal benefit environment will be invaluable over time. Likewise, a defined payroll process is essential, since every employee expects to get paid! Selected vendors should be capable of scaling with your company’s growth plan and be knowledgeable of multi-state laws and requirements.

Establish a comprehensive Compensation Philosophy and Structure – Create a set of guiding principles that are based on values that drive compensation decision-making. Articulate job descriptions, market specific salary bands, incentive plans, etc. will help companies recruit the desired talent and decrease the need for off-the-cuff decisions when talking with candidates.

Engage a Background Screening Vendor – Decide what information the company wants to screen for in advance of recruiting candidates. Drug screens, initial credentialing, employment verification, etc. can all be coordinated through a national resource.

Draft Recruiting Marketing Materials – Package the company story including tangible and intangible benefits (i.e., working from home) to help secure top talent.

Prepare an Employment Application – Information in the Application will be used in the background screening process and will be an expectation of candidates.

Prepare an Offer Letter Template – Written offer letters provide a great first impression, serve as documentation for both the employer and the employee, and communicate relevant terms and conditions of employment.

Create an On-boarding Process – Statistics show that longevity with an employer is frequently determined during the first two years of employment.   Providing a smooth and meaningful on-boarding process helps set the desired tone and expectations for employment.

Begin preparing for Annual Appraisals – Fundamentally, the annual appraisal should be a tool to help supervisors increase productivity, communicate expectations, establish goals for the coming year, and report the employee's success in meeting the past year's performance expectations. Appraisals also align individual job responsibilities with the mission of the company/operating unit, encourage open communication between the supervisor and their staff, document employee growth, development needs and achievements, and lastly supports analysis and decision making related to staffing, compensation and training.