Scaling a startup is a wild ride—full of excitement, growth, and a few bumps along the way. One big question you might face is when you hire your first HR person. This decision can shape your company's culture, growth, and overall vibe. So, how do you know when it's time? Let’s dive into the signs that it's time for your startup to bring in an HR pro.
1. You Have More Than 15 Employees 👩🏻💼🧑🏽💼
Once you hit the 15 to 20-employee mark, people management gets complicated—fast. In the early days, founders or senior team members can handle hiring, onboarding, and talking through policies. But as your team grows, so do the challenges. Think about it: keeping everyone happy, managing payroll, juggling benefits—it quickly becomes a lot. This is where an HR person can swoop in, bring order to the chaos, and ensure your growing team is supported.
2. You’re Spending Too Much Time on People Stuff 📆
Are you finding yourself knee-deep in resumes, settling team disputes, and handling endless paperwork? If people issues take up more of your time than growing the business, it’s time to bring in help. An HR pro can handle these tasks so you can get back to focusing on strategy and growth.
3. Employee Happiness is Slipping ⬇️
Startups are all about passion and energy, but as the team grows, things can get messy. Overworked, frustrated, or confused employees can quickly lead to low morale and high turnover. If team happiness is slipping, it’s time for an HR person to jump in, boost communication, and keep everyone engaged and excited to be part of the journey.
4. You Need Policies (Yes, Really) ☑️
Early on, everyone’s wearing all the hats, and policies are pretty loose—if they even exist at all. But as you grow, things like vacation time, benefits, and workplace expectations need some structure. An HR person can help set up fair policies that match your company culture and ensure everyone knows what to expect (without killing the startup vibe).
5. Your Company Culture Needs Some TLC 🤟🏼
Culture isn’t just something that happens—it takes effort, especially as you expand. If the close-knit, fun atmosphere you started with is starting to slip, it’s time to get intentional. An HR specialist can help nurture your culture, ensuring it scales along with your team and stays a great workplace.
6. Compliance Headaches Are on the Rise 🤯
Growing means more people, which means more legal stuff—labor laws, workplace safety, you name it. If you’re losing sleep over compliance, it’s a sure sign you need HR expertise. An HR person can help you stay on the right side of the law and avoid the costly mistakes of non-compliance.
7. You Want to Be Strategic About Hiring 💡
Scaling means you need a steady stream of talent—scrambling to hire every time there’s a need isn’t sustainable. An HR professional can help build a proactive talent pipeline so you’re ready to bring in the right people at the right time, keeping your growth on track without the stress. If your business isn't quite ready for a full-time HR hire, partnering with an external service like Handpicked Talent can be an excellent alternative. We specialize in helping startups like yours find and hire top talent quickly and efficiently, ensuring you have the right people to fuel your growth journey—without the commitment of a full-time HR role. That's where Handpicked Talent comes in—we specialize in helping startups like yours find and hire top talent quickly and efficiently, ensuring you have the right people to fuel your growth journey.
Final Thoughts
Bringing on your first HR person is a significant milestone. It means you’re not just trying to make it through the day-to-day—thinking long-term and ensuring your people are set up for success. If some of these challenges are hitting close to home, it might be time to invest in an HR pro to help your startup thrive, support your culture, and keep your team happy and engaged.
Comments