We were recently approached by a small charity in its early stages of growth. The charity had recently appointed a Chief Operating Officer to help improve efficiencies and set the foundations for future growth. Like many SME’s, the business was driven by passion, agility, and an ambitious vision for the future.

The Challenge

However, as the team began to expand, the COO realised there was little in place to formally govern the employer employee relationship. Contracts, policies, and basic HR documentation were either outdated, non-existent, or pieced together informally.

This is a common challenge for small, founder-led organisations. In the early stages, attention is rightly focused on product development, customer acquisition, and funding. Yet without the right contracts and policies, businesses expose themselves to unnecessary risks.

Employment law requires even the smallest employers to provide written terms of employment. In addition, we have seen numerous new legislations being introduced in the past two years, and incoming policies will be passed through parliament in the coming eighteen months. The absence of clear documentation can result in legal disputes, financial penalties, and damage to reputation, all of which can be disproportionately damaging for a young business.

Our Role

Our role was to create a start-up HR package which balanced compliance with practicality. We began by developing tailored employment contracts that set out clear expectations, statutory entitlements, and protections for both the employer and employees. We then introduced essential policies such as disciplinary and grievance procedures, annual leave, and sickness absence. These policies not only ensured legal compliance but also provided clarity and consistency, enabling the founder to manage people issues with confidence. We introduced measures to support the new legislation surrounding Sexual Harassment At work, including e-learning and a risk assessment to comply with the new rulings.

Crucially, we took time to explain the "why" behind each element, equipping the founder with knowledge to lead effectively and avoid pitfalls. For example, a probationary period policy gave the business the flexibility to assess new hires, while a confidentiality clause in the contract safeguarded intellectual property.

The Result

By investing in HR foundations early, the organisation is now positioned to scale with confidence. The founder can focus on growth, knowing the essentials are in place to protect the business and its people. We have now continued our work with the charity through our annual bundle offering, where they purchase a block of time which can be used at any point throughout the year for legal advice, employee support and HR related projects. This is a brilliant, flexible offering for smaller businesses, who need ongoing HR support but perhaps don’t have the funding for a fully retained arrangement.