Starting from Scratch as the First HR in a Mid-Sized Company: What Should I Focus on in Year One?

Dear All,

I have joined a new company after a break of 2.6 years, and in this organization, I am the first HR, so it's like there are no processes in place. For setting up the entire system, kindly guide me on what things need to be considered for the first year. It seems they don't have even basic things in place, not even job descriptions. It's a mid-sized organization with around 120 employees.

Regards,
Samyuktha

As the first HR professional in a mid-sized organization, start by focusing on foundational processes for your first year:

Compliance: Ensure legal and statutory compliance (labor laws, PF, ESI, etc.).

Policies: Draft key HR policies (leave, attendance, code of conduct, etc.).

Job Descriptions: Work with managers to create JDs for all roles.

Recruitment: Set up a structured recruitment and onboarding process.

Payroll: Establish accurate payroll and benefits administration.

Performance Management: Implement a simple performance appraisal system.

Employee Engagement: Foster a positive culture with regular engagement activities.

HRIS: Explore an HR software to streamline processes as you scale.

Prioritize based on immediate organizational needs and consult leadership for alignment.

Dear Samyuktha,

Greetings! First of all, we appreciate you restarting your career after a long break, especially as a pioneering Human Resources professional in an organization with more than 100 employees. It's truly going to be a challenging role for you. Initially, try to familiarize yourself with the environment, management, and employees. HR is a two-way process where you must align tasks with management's objectives without adversely affecting employees or take a leadership role to guide employees through planned implementations.

Basic Steps to Consider

- Understanding the company culture
- Setting up basic HR policies and procedures
- Ensuring compliance with employment laws
- Building an onboarding process
- Creating a recruitment strategy
- Developing performance management systems
- Fostering a positive employee experience through open communication and engagement initiatives

Additional Considerations

- Gather information and assess needs
- Establish foundational HR practices
- Recruitment and Talent Acquisition
- Performance Management
- Compensation and Benefits
- Employee Engagement and Culture Building
- Training and Development
- Employee Relations

Key Reminders

- Align with company goals
- Collaborate with leadership
- Stay updated on regulations

If you require any assistance with documents or formats, feel free to reach out.

Best regards.

First, you should observe how much effort is needed to implement an HR system in this organization.