HR Foundations for Scaling Businesses
For founders who built the business first and left the paperwork for later.
Somewhere in a shared drive there’s a contract template that was downloaded many years ago. Half the team’s on it, while the other half’s on something else entirely, and nobody’s quite sure what the handbook says because, well, there isn’t one. It hasn’t caused a problem yet. But you’d probably like to sort it out before it does.
Good instinct. Let’s act on it.
Why the basics catch up with you
Early on, skipping the foundations can be the right call. You're building a product and finding customers, so a probation policy can wait.
The trouble is nobody circles back to it later down the road. The team expands, but the setup underneath it stays the same as the day you started.
Then something tests it, be it a dismissal that turns out to be riskier than you thought because the contract never covered it, or maybe it’s a grievance with no process to follow. By that point you’re paying lawyers to fix what a few weeks of thorough setup would have prevented.
What does standardising your HR foundations involve?
We start by finding out what you've got, then fix the riskiest vulnerabilities first. They might be:
- Employment contracts that reflect how your business runs today.
- Strategic advice on how to structure your team to optimise business growth.
- Onboarding that helps get new starters up to speed from day one.
- Pay and progression that holds up when the team doubles.
- The right tools for the size you are now, so admin work stops eating into your week.
There's no 60-page compliance report. Instead, you'll get a clear list of what needs fixing, starting with whatever poses the biggest risk. Then we work through it together.
Scalable HR Support.
COMPANY-WIDE ALIGNMENT & GOAL SETTING
Get everyone pulling in the same direction.
THE ESSENTIALS (FOUNDATIONS & RISK)
Fix the people basics before growth exposes the cracks.
FOUNDER & LEADERSHIP ADVISORY
Experienced guidance when decisions actually matter.
FRACTIONAL HR DIRECTOR
Senior HR leadership without full-time headcount.
MONTHLY RETAINER SUPPORT
Ongoing partnership without permanent cost.
UPSKILLING MANAGERS & PEOPLE TEAMS
Turn willing teams into high-performing ones.
Where does an HR audit come in?
An HR audit is the first step. It's a straight look at your contracts and policies to find out what's missing or out of date, and what would land you in trouble at a tribunal. Most founders are surprised by how much rests on documents that no one has read since they were initially written.
What founders say
HubBox
Founder
The Wellness Pathway
Founder
Seven20.io
Founder
Kate Kerr
Founder
Discourse
People & Legal
Koinly
VP, Operations
Crerar Group
Chief Commercial Officer
Bleach London
CEO
Redtorch
Co-Founder
HR Foundations FAQs
What counts as HR foundations?
The essentials every business needs once it employs people. Contracts, policies, onboarding, pay structure and a way of dealing with problems when they come up. Nobody notices them until they're missing.
What does an HR audit cover?
A review of your contracts, policies, processes and people data to find what's missing or out of date. You get a clear picture of where the risks sit and a plan for tackling them, starting with the ones that could cost you most.
When should we get our HR foundations sorted?
Before you need them, which is sooner than it feels. The best time is when things are calm. The usual time is right after something's gone wrong. Calm is cheaper.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the state of what's there and the size of the team. Book a call and tell me where things stand. I'll give you a straight answer.