EVIL HR LADY
DILEMMA OF THE MONTH
Why Startups Need
HR Help Before
They Launch
BY Suzanne Lucas
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN CHASE
I’m launching my own company this year, with
about 12 employees, and I’m thinking about the
importance of human resources services. Should
I hire someone for that position, or can I use an
outside service or an online site? And what are the
most important things I should do before I launch?
You’re brilliant. How do I know this?
Because you’re thinking about human
resources before you launch your
company instead of waiting until you
have a big problem. It’s always easier to
start with a good, solid HR plan than to
throw one together the first time you
have an issue.
You probably don’t need to hire a
full-time HR person if you’re planning
on 12 employees. You might want to
hire someone part time, but most likely
you can hire a consultant or an HR outsourcing
company. If your business will
require people working on-site — rather
than 12 telecommuters — then hire a
local person. That way, if you need an
HR person for difficult conversations,
the consultant can come in. Plus, a lot
of HR policies and procedures depend
on local laws, so you will want a California
HR specialist. California has lots
of different rules.
Here are the things you’ll want to do
before you launch.
Think about benefits
You’ll want to offer excellent health
benefits, so talk with brokers about
what is and is not reasonable. You may
feel a bit woozy when you first see the
numbers, so be prepared. Check out
what your competitors do and what you
can reasonably afford.
Then think about sick and vacation
time. Federal law doesn’t require vacation
or holiday time, so you’re free to
do what you want. But California con-
22 comstocksmag.com | July 2020