This article Sara Devitt is Chief People Officer at Dedrone and argues that HR plays a central role in driving businesses forward into the future.
Leaders are often caught off-guard by the sudden transition from a startup to a fast-growing company. You’re suddenly more concerned with maintaining momentum than improving internal practices. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of solid foundations in HR.
As engineers struggle with the consequences technical credit, those quick fixes which eventually require correction, organisations are faced with what I call HR Debt. Inevitably, rushed or makeshift practices in HR will require attention. This can be expensive when the growth of an organisation is already underway.
It’s not just about the structure, but also a strategy for sustained growth. Early investment in these foundations can save future pain, keep teams aligned and strengthen momentum.
Build your HR department from the start.
Fair compensation and career frameworks are key to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), is an essential component of organisational growth and success. These are not isolated initiatives, but rather integral parts of a vibrant workplace culture. Research shows that building diverse teams can foster innovation and creativity.
The benefits of diversity are only fully realized in an environment that prioritizes equity and inclusion. In compensation and career progression, equity is a critical area that must be embedded. To retain top talent, it is essential that there are transparent advancement opportunities and fair pay. Inequities based on race, gender, ethnicity or other factors can undermine trust and engagement.
Par exemple, disparities can arise when a group is hired consistently at a higher salary or promoted more quickly than another with the same skills and experience. Organisations must work to close pay gaps and establish equitable career frameworks in order to address these issues.
How to build a successful recruitment strategy
A strategic recruitment process will help your business grow. In an ideal world recruitment would be a smooth cycle: attracting the right candidates, selecting them, and quickly onboarding them to start adding value. We know that hiring in the real world is a complex process. Finding the right people and making your organization visible is not easy.
Structured recruitment is important, and it starts with the right infrastructure. A high-quality Application Tracking System will streamline your candidate management and simplify the job posting process. It can also help match candidates to roles. Remember that technology is not enough to drive success. Your ATS will only be as good as your hiring strategy and the processes that it supports.
Ensure your hiring strategy is aligned with your product roadmap, and future requirements to attract candidates that will drive business impact. You can attract and target talent more proactively if you have a clear idea of the upcoming skills requirements.
Another critical component is training hiring managers. Managers who are properly trained can evaluate candidates consistently, collect actionable feedback and make strategic decisions. It is best to start this preparation before the rapid growth begins, when hiring demands are still manageable.
Hiring managers who are aware of their expectations and follow policies that have been clearly defined reduce the risk of making costly mistakes. Organisations who don’t prepare well often end up spending more money on external recruiters, and managing pools of candidates which do not meet their requirements. Solid foundations prevent inefficiencies from occurring tomorrow, and can create a recruitment engine to fuel sustainable growth.
How to create an effective onboarding strategy
Onboarding may not be a top priority when your business is a small group of employees in a comfortable rented office. As the team grows, and the hiring process accelerates an intentional onboarding program quickly becomes invaluable. Not only is it important to welcome a new employee, but also to ensure that they are able contribute as quickly as possible.
Two critical functions are performed by a well-designed onboarding programme. It builds relationships. Introduce key people to new employees early, such as their manager, payroll and benefits contact, and, ideally, an experienced peer who can act as a mentor. These connections create a sense belonging and support that is essential to engagement and retention.
It empowers your employees with the tools they need to be successful. Make sure they know how to use essential tools, such as the company Wiki and internal messaging channels. By making these resources available from the very beginning, you can reduce the time needed for them to gain confidence and start adding value.
A strong onboarding program will not only acclimate employees, but also accelerate their readiness and align them with your company culture. This will ultimately support the growth of your company.
Building a framework for fair compensation and titles
Recruitment is just one part of the equation. Retention requires a thoughtful and strategic approach to compensation as well as career advancement. It’s important to offer competitive salaries, but that is not enough. Employees must feel their salaries are fair, and there should be clear, equitable advancement paths within the organization.
According to a 2021 Pew Research Center study, the three main reasons for people leaving their jobs were compensation, lack advancement opportunities and feeling of disrespect. It can be manifested in different ways. For example, a male employee may start with a higher starting salary than a female colleague who is equally experienced. A man might have a higher position than a female with the same responsibilities. This could result in a more lucrative package, including a higher salary base and more stock options.
Businesses should be proactive in addressing these issues by committing to closing the pay gap between men and women, as well as ensuring a transparent, fair progression. By establishing a framework for promotions, salary expectations and title expectations and applying them consistently, businesses can prevent inequalities and solve them effectively when they occur. Fairness in compensation, advancement and promotion can help organisations create a culture where employees feel valued, respected and motivated to succeed.
Developing managers
Guide managers through the recruitment process has already been discussed. We should also mention the importance of training and supporting managers in their daily roles.
Leadership can play an important role in the onboarding process when a company is small. They will know each new hire, and they can work with them individually. Management becomes more important as the company grows.
I’ve seen what a good manager is capable of. It’s the difference between moving quickly and moving towards a goal. The most effective managers are also those who have the best support, training and expectations.
Your managers will appreciate your clear expectations and goals. Then, you can provide feedback and guidance to make sure the work is done correctly and that the correct people are hired. It can be a game changer to provide them with policies and processes for everyday tasks, such as onboarding new employees and conducting performance evaluations.
The HR department is a complex system.
Many of the factors that drive a high-performing human resources function are hidden and often go unnoticed. Employment verification, policy compliance, and operational workflows may not be the most visible processes, but they form the foundation of a successful business.
These activities are essential to ensuring legal compliance and consistency. They also create an environment that encourages employees to focus on innovation and impact. These systems may not be as obvious as talent acquisition and leadership development but they enable an organisation to scale easily, minimise risk, and support their people effectively.
It’s not just about checking boxes. A solid HR infrastructure creates stability, which allows employees and leaders to focus on strategic goals. The entire organization benefits when these invisible processes are run smoothly.
