New HR in a Startup: How Do I Get Employees on Board with New Policies?

Hello everyone, I am working in a company that is 3 years old. I joined it 2 months ago, and I am new to the HR field. Actually, the problem is that the company didn't have an HR person for the last 3 years. So now, whenever I make any type of policy or rules, all employees behave as if I did something against them. Kindly help me to understand where I should start.

After experiencing three years of indiscipline, if all of a sudden HR joins and starts rolling out some rules, there will be resistance. This is where most startups fail. In order to cut down costs, they do not employ HR. Most of them think that "all this happens in big companies." By the time they realize the importance of HR, it is too late.

Bringing Change in the Organization

While bringing change, did you take into confidence the MD of your company? It is not your job to bring in a new policy. Your job is only to execute it. The introduction of the new policy and an explanation of why it was introduced is the job of the CEO. You could have drafted the policies, but you should have rolled them out under the signature of the MD. Did you do that?

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Hello everyone, I am working in a company that is 3 years old. I joined it 2 months ago, and I am new to the HR field. The problem is that the company didn't have an HR person for the last 3 years. So now, whenever I make any policies or rules, all employees perceive it as if I am acting against them. Kindly help me understand where I should start?

I agree with Mr. Divekar. I have observed quite a few HR professionals not paying attention to designing even basic HR processes. Instead, they suffer from what I call "Obfuscated Growth Vision," which means they lack knowledge, the will to learn, the will to think beyond immediate requirements, and a self-growth roadmap. They work day-to-day, focusing on inbox emails and file management.

Suggestions for HR Managers

My suggestion for any HR manager trying to establish a process that was previously non-existent is to be very clear about their objectives, timelines, organizational support, and the ultimate goal of the organization. Everything will stem from this clarity. It is crucial to proceed slowly and spend time communicating effectively, rather than leaving employees to interpret things incorrectly and feel insecure without reason. Processes should be established regardless of the organization's size, as everyone aims for growth, and every organization inherently holds potential for the same.

There is a similar issue in larger organizations where some managers, initially assigned limited roles, operate under the assumption that new and existing processes are only for those with more significant responsibilities. It is best to start on the right foot, investing ample time in developing robust processes rather than wasting time and effort on frequent mid-course corrections.