How many entrepreneurs do you know that haven’t implemented any HR programs or practices into their businesses? I’m sure many; in fact, I’d have to say that they’re majority stakeholders in non-HR-practicing companies. Why is that do you suppose? We all know, they hate HR and it isn’t really surprising. Most entrepreneurs turn their back on implementing HR programs into their businesses because they never want to find themselves dragged through the corporate, monochrome environments that HR seems to turn them into – it simply would make them lose their will to live.
When I look at the way entrepreneurs view their people needs and the view that misguided HR compliance junkies, Consultants and “PEOple” (pun intended) are handling the needs of smart, effective, entrepreneurs that want to execute against their mission and vision, it honestly makes me cringe. Because entrepreneurs DO need the help, they just don’t want THAT kind of help.
If you’re sitting at the top of a potentially
high growth company, or a company that is interested in fostering the kind of culture that sets you apart from the rest of the pack – not because it makes you money (though invariably it does) – but because you want to live a life less ordinary, there aren’t that many choices out there. I’m astonished at what traditional compliance junkies want to throw out there as human resources, and “sell” their clients based on the compliance pitfalls because they “don’t know what they don’t know.” It’s shameful.
Truth is, turning away from all HR because you don’t want that crap ruining your business isn’t really a good idea – you just need the right HR. Yes, at the risk of sounding like a compliance junkie, you do need to know what you don’t know. But honestly, some of the biggest pitfalls come from not anticipating the pitfalls you’re going to face when you haven’t hired right, trained right, planned right, spent wisely, intentionally built the organization and processes, developed a culture or business persona, or haven’t figured out the whole leadership thing – or maybe yours is just a ship that needs righting – that’s real HR, and that’s what you should be looking to your HR person to provide.
If you want to stop being fearful of compliance, go Google things – I can guarantee traditional HR professionals do. But, don’t write off the right HR if you want help with growth strategies, scaling up, and taking care of the biggest asset (and potential business killer) you’ve got. That would be running in the wrong direction.