How Can HR Add Value and Provide Cost Advantages in a Small Startup Setting?

Respected Seniors,

I am working for a small startup with increasing responsibilities. I am working on a document where every aspect of HR is involved. Here are two areas where I am stuck. I request all you Senior HR folks to help me accomplish my task as it would be a great support and contribution towards my career growth.

1. What values can HR add for the current situation of our company (startup with a small team of 25 employees) and how can it be accomplished?

2. What role can HR play in providing a cost advantage to the management?

Kindly help me with your contributions and ideas.

Regards,
Vinitha

This is a start-up company, and you have to focus on the acquisition of the best talent in the market if the company has to do well and expand its market in the coming years. Human Resources will be the foundation of success for your organization. What matters in your case is to measure constant performance and quality of output by employees that will ensure retention of the best and separation of the worst or training & development needs, etc., to upgrade the skills of those worst performers. Ultimately, what matters is the performance of employees results in overall business results. Gradually, this will automatically add value because it will enhance your role in the organization. Simultaneously, you have to improve HR services to the employees with timely action on employees' grievances as well as some issues of an administrative nature relating to employees' benefits, etc.

Rashid

Respected Seniors,

I am working for a small startup with increasing responsibilities. I am working on a document where every aspect of HR is involved. Here are two areas where I am stuck. I request all you Senior HR folks to help me accomplish my task, and it would be a great support and contribution towards my career growth.

1. What values can HR add for the current situation of our company (startup with a small team of 25 employees) and how can it be accomplished?
2. What role can HR play in providing a cost advantage to the management?

Kindly help me with your contributions and ideas.

Regards,
Vinitha

Can you share instances from your life where, as a human, you have behaved compassionately and helped someone? First, answer my question, and then we can discuss whether there would be any point in discussing what values HR can add.

HR is not just about paperwork; however, so far, I have not met a single person who has truly made a difference.

Hi Vinitha,

Since it's a startup organization, try to recruit the best talents in the company at the best possible cost. This is also a cost-saving measure. Try to recruit some multipurpose employees who can handle multiple profiles as well.

Hi Vinitha,

HR can add tremendous value for a startup firm. Here are my thoughts on the questions asked by you:

For an HR team to be successful, it is very important that it gets support from the top management. Having the right vision, HR, being the backbone of any organization, lays down the foundation for a better future. All required policies (employee-friendly) and processes need to be in place. Having said that, since the team is small, avoid making policies (e.g., travel) that will allow employees to take advantage.

The HR team can help in inculcating the right culture within the team members, fostering better bonding, which in turn will help increase productivity. Hiring the right talent, training them, and ensuring that there is a good career path for them will be critical. Regular open sessions, transparency, an open culture, and having the right people on board will help HR instill the right values. Being responsive and sensitive to people's issues will be key.

How can the HR team be cost-effective?

Hiring the right people is one of the best ways HR can be cost-effective for an organization. In order to make this happen, HR should have a sound recruiting process in place. Avoid hiring through consultants. Conduct better salary negotiations while making new offers to ensure low payroll costs, and ensure that regular performance feedback is provided to employees to identify non-performers. Have proper manpower planning to avoid any wrong hiring or adding fat to the system.

I hope this helps!!

Thanks,
Rahul

Dear all,

Please remember to always take any action from the management's side and in favor of the organization. Minimize costs by hiring employees with lower salaries but excellent qualifications from the market. Develop a master plan for this and work on implementing it. Set a target date and aim to complete the plan within that time frame. More details on this will be provided later.

Thank you,
Majibul - Gurgaon

Dear Ms. Vinitha,

As an HR professional, we have to have an outsized mind and heart to love people with intention, not for the sake of our benefit.

Everyone should feel that someone is there to take care of them, i.e., you or me. The rest will happen voluntarily.

At the same time, we have to instill that in our organization as well. Then, you will learn to do what is right for the organization.

According to you, since it is the initial stage of the firm, you can slowly study and implement things that suit your organization.

Regards,

ARD

Hello Everybody,

I am a part-time student studying for a BSc in Human Resource Management. I am in the final year and have to write a dissertation. Could you kindly help me by suggesting at least three topics and providing any writing samples you may have?

Vivek Mauritius

Dear friend,

The following are cost actions HR can take:

1) Revisit your policies, and if any policy seems like an extraordinary welfare measure, consider curtailing it.
2) Cut off overtime beyond certain hours because many times, we overlook one side.
3) Strictly implement performance-based systems, as it is an opportunity to highlight those individuals.
4) If you have branches, identify areas where people can be relocated to meet employee needs. This is an ideal situation where refusal may not be an option.
5) Other areas to consider include travel and conveyance policies.

S. Kumar

Mr. Ravi,

It's really unfortunate to have people like you who always demotivate the surrounding and discuss unrelated issues. This is a community where we are expected to maintain the decorum of the forum and respect each other. Especially, areas like "Talk to Seniors" are designed to seek and give advice and knowledge to fellow members, and we need to respect them as our seniors.

STOP talking about others' behavior and try to correct your approach and comment decently first. It's very surprising that moderators do not comment on these kinds of approaches.

Regards,
Vinku