Feeling Lost in My New HR Role at a Start-Up: How Can I Create Meaningful Work?

Hello seniors, I hope everybody is enjoying the vacations. I have recently joined as an HR in a small start-up company. I have had a different experience for the past 5 years that is not related to the present job.

Starting a Career in HR

My concern is, I have completed my MBA in HR through distance mode and have decided to start my career as an HR. Initially, I planned to join some HR training institutes to gain knowledge and guidance. However, I have received two opportunities: one as an HR recruiter (target-based) for a UK-based consultancy and the other as an HR, responsible for all HR tasks within a team of only 6-7 members where I don't have any superior to guide me except my MD.

I chose the second option and joined a start-up company before enrolling in a training institute.

Initial Experiences and Challenges

In the initial days, I interacted with the employees, informed their requirements to the MD, and created joining forms, appointment letters, offer letters, leave policy terms, a holiday tracker, and a pay slip structure by tracking attendance. However, I did not receive any appreciation or confirmation mail to proceed with the norms.

Currently, I have no assigned work, and even when I ask my MD, he does not have any tasks in mind to assign to me. Can you please guide me on how to create work for myself that would be beneficial for me and the management?

This is just a start for you, so I would suggest clearing all your HR norms. Select a topic each day and gather knowledge from sources like CiteHR, Google, and more. There is a long way to go. I understand that the employee strength in your organization is low, so you may not have enough work to do. You can create policies and circulars in your own way. HR involves various processes such as recruitment, HR policies, payroll, statutory compliance, performance appraisal, training & development, and so on. It will take time to cover all these aspects. I recommend completing these tasks and considering other job opportunities.

Regards,
Supriya

As many have suggested, HR is a vast area with numerous possibilities for implementation. How can an HR professional claim to have nothing to do or feel lost? First and foremost, familiarize yourself with your industry, conduct a needs analysis, and establish a schedule for yourself. You will gain ample knowledge through this process, and even mistakes are acceptable; learn from them. Prior to that, ensure a budget is approved for HR expenses and give it your best effort. Aim to establish policies and guidelines for your company and identify someone who can assist you. By making progress in these areas, the knowledge you acquire will stay with you indefinitely.

In a startup company, there is a wide scope of responsibilities, including dealing with government officials, policy making, system implementation, employee relations, and more. Engage in all aspects of HR and work on implementing them one by one. I am confident that 24 hours a day will be sufficient for you, and you will experience great satisfaction. If you choose to quit, similar circumstances may arise later on, so since you have accepted the challenge, take action and make a difference within the company.

As per your query, this is a good time for you to learn many things and implement them in your organization. Yes, you are the master in your organization, so no worries. You can start by framing HR policies and try to implement them. This will enhance your leadership skills.

Establishing a System

An important task is to establish a system in your area. Conduct a thorough study of your company's processes and document everything (which will help you in the future), then get it approved by your boss. Engaging in these types of activities will keep you busy and help you improve as a master. Just give it a try; you can excel in your own area.

"Remember, once you create a platform, everybody should walk on it. But creating a platform is a bit challenging."