Technology Startups and the Case for HR Leaders

sherrie-suski-tech-startups

Technology start-ups may not be on every corner these days, but depending on your location, they are still prevalent.   The economy is doing well, the DOW crested 26,000 and the VC community has money to spend and to invest in promising series A startups. Entrepreneurs and founders who are fortunate enough to pitch an idea and retain an investment go about the arduous process of actually building a team to grow the business. They strive to build a team of dynamic, qualified and adaptable people. However, the labor market is tight and there is a significant amount of competition for these individuals.  The best and the brightest.  And not only do they have to attract them, they have to retain them.

Few startup companies have the resources or the desire to invest in a senior level Human Resources.  They are normally very focused on hiring the development team and maybe a Operations or Marketing resource, but almost never HR.  Below are a few reasons it makes sense, however, to consider a senior level HR resource, whether regular employee or consultant, earlier rather than later

 

Entrepreneurs and developers often lack the experience handling people 

Tech tends to attract a very young workforce and it’s not unusual to find an average age in the late 20’s to early 30’s.  They lack experience in hiring, training, and retaining people. This is a skill set possessed by seasoned HR leaders who are experienced in multiple industries. An HR resource can ensure that you bring the best talent on board and that you retain that talent through the critical phases.  Nothing halts a software company faster than losing their lead architect.

 

Business Strategies

As new age-ish as it sounds, it is important to develop vision and mission statements focusing on the company’s core philosophies up front.  Getting everyone aligned and moving in the same direction is critical to getting out in front of the competition. An experienced HR leader who has experience synchronizing the overall organizational goals can be of great help in formulating strong business strategies. 

 

Neutral Third Party

It is not unusual to run into divergent views in a startup.  How to execute a business plan, which direction to go, how much money to spend on what are all potential pitfalls.  A neutral HR leader will be able to organize a meeting of the minds and prevent valuable time from being wasted arguing about who is right. 

 

Keep the energy up

HR leaders should be responsible for energizing the organization.  Providing ways for employees to stay engaged, whether it be all night hack-a-thons, nerf gun wars or contest.  It’s easy to be energized in the beginning before the product or process hits multiple snags, but in order to be successful and come to the other side, you need someone to keep that energy flowing right through a profitable exit or IPO.

Although it sounds cliché, people are truly any organizations biggest asset and getting it right from the start will pay huge dividends in the end.  An experienced HR leader, as an employee or consultant, can save startup organizations from a multitude of woes from expensive hiring and firing mistakes, to poor retention to lack of management of change initiatives.

Don’t Make the Classic “Startup Mistakes” – Part 2

startup office

Last month, I started a list of the most common mistakes made by newly formed startups. Starting a business is absolutely a leap of faith, so it’s important that you do as much as you can to set yourself up for success. Let’s go through a few more ways to avoid missteps while trying to build a healthy, strong, viable business.

 

Be Realistic

This is applicable in every aspect of your business model. When your company is finally off of the ground, and it’s time to start taking on clients (or delivering goods), it’s vastly important to make sure that you can deliver on what you promise to your clients. Don’t take on a huge contract just because the money is good; make sure that you have the resources to follow through. The last thing that you want to do is have your first clients be disappointed; the news of bad business practices travels fast. Do everything that you can to ensure that your initial clients are beyond satisfied.

 

On that same note, be realistic about growth and spending. Younger generations are flying to opportunities that promise “startup culture”. There will not be a shortage of applicants looking for the opportunity to be a part of your new (potentially hugely profitable) company. It’s important to be mindful of your growth in terms of hiring. Also, try to avoiding stretching your budgets to offer “perks” like catered lunches and happy hours just to keep up with what everyone else is doing.

 

Find the Correct Investors

As startups begin to grow, it is not uncommon for cash reserves to start diminishing. As you start looking for your second round of funding, you’ll undoubtedly encounter several investors whose interest is piqued by what your startup has to offer. Before you make an agreement, and papers are signed, be sure that you and your investor(s) are on the same page. You want to avoid getting into partnerships where a common interest is mistaken for a common vision. Come up with agreements about expectations, and trust your gut. If you don’t think that an investor will align with your goals and expectations, it’s likely that they will not.

 

For sources & resources, go to these sites: American Express & Forbes & Entrepreneur