In our lives there are fewer times more exhilarating, more precarious and scarier, and where the stakes seem impossibly high (this may be an exaggeration but bear with us), than setting up a new business. Everything is on the line. Your reputation, your dreams, your ambitions, and even possibly your home.  You have invested everything you have in your new venture. The people around you have been on this journey with you from the start, and you trust them implicitly. But you need to bring others on board. How do you scale up in the right way? How do you find the right people who will be committed, work hard and help you drive the business forward? How do you organise them in the right way? And critically, how you retain them and keep them focused and engaged? 

In our last article – ‘Let’s Blame HR’ – we discussed the current debate on the value HR makes (or doesn’t make) much of which focusses on HR’s dramatic increase and influence in recent years and the ‘woke’ initiatives we have introduced that some say have had a detrimental impact on business performance. Of course, ‘bad anything’ is bad and that can be applied to every profession. But the notion that HR is a universally bad thing is ridiculous, and the toxic debate that has ensued has the potential to seriously damage businesses and their people especially those businesses at the start of their journeys.   

Embedding good people practices at the early stages of a growing business isn’t about building a big HR department nor is it about implementing policies and processes for the sake of it. It’s about putting the right foundations in place early so that the business drives growth in a way that is sustainable and scalable. Frankly, the notion that the people agenda is distinct from everything else – strategy, brand, operations, infrastructure, business planning, risk management, innovation, market development, sales, finance, legal/contractual, etc.- makes no sense. So, what are the people essentials necessary for growth? Here’s a 10-point plan.

1. Set clear values and culture early: Define what your company stands for—its mission, values, and expected behaviours. These should act as a guide for hiring, decision-making, and performance. Write them down (don’t keep them ‘in your head’) and make sure founders consistently model them.
2. Create a dynamic workforce and recruitment plan: Which roles will be required and when. It is vital that roles are filled with the right people at the right time and this needs to be planned to minimise hiring risks and, therefore, risks to the business. 
3. Hire deliberately, not quickly: At the early stages, every hire is consequential and has a big impact. Create simple but clear role profiles. Use structured interviews (the same core questions for each candidate) and other assessment tools where appropriate. Hire for skills, experience and cultural fit. Bad hires early on can be very costly.
4. Put basic people policies in place: You don’t need a huge handbook, but you do need the essentials including contracts of employment; policies on absence, holidays, and conduct and clear pay and working hours expectations. This helps avoid legal risks and confusion later.
5. Build a simple onboarding process: First impressions matter. Introduce new hires to the business, goals, and team. Set clear expectations for their role. Provide early feedback within the first few weeks. Good onboarding improves retention significantly.
6. Focus on employee development and career planning: Investing in your team and focusing on their progression is critical. They need to visualise their future with you (and not with your competitors).
7. Create a feedback and performance culture: Don’t wait for annual reviews. Encourage regular 1:1 check-ins. Set short-term, clear measurable goals. Give honest, constructive feedback early. This builds trust and improves performance quickly.
8. Stay compliant with employment law: Every business needs to follow legal requirements including right to work checks; living/minimum wage compliance; health and safety; and data protection. If unsure, get advice early—it’s cheaper than fixing mistakes.
9. Prioritise employee wellbeing: It can be intense for everyone in a new business, so balance matters. Encourage reasonable working hours. Watch for burnout. Foster an open, supportive environment. Focusing on wellbeing pays dividends in respect of productivity and retention. It’s also the right thing to do. 
10. Keep HR simple and scalable: Use lightweight systems and processes that can grow with you. Track employee data consistently. Document decisions. Avoid overcomplicating things too early.

None of this is rocket science. But as the founder of a new tech business recently told us, there comes a point when the problems you encounter relate more to the people you have hired (or are about to hire), how they are organised and managed, what they need and the internal politics that can arise. Taking time to focus on this really is business-critical but it need not be over-complicated. The more it is embedded into the DNA of the business the better. HR’s role is to facilitate (rather than dictate) the right approach. 

Our passion is for supporting businesses to make sure they are building and growing in the right way. Growth need not create chaos. With the right people foundations, it becomes a powerful and sustainable advantage. We help businesses build those foundations bringing clarity, structure and capability at the moments when it most matters so they can grow with confidence.