Sherrie Suski, a senior VP of HR, on Technology 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 ag 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.

About the author

Sherrie Suski has spent over two decades leading some of the most successful tech startups in the country. Based in Mission Viejo, California, Sherrie is dedicated to excellence in her field, serving as the senior vice president of human resources at Tricon American Homes. She uses her vast experience and knowledge of current HR trends to facilitate growth and success.

To learn more about Sherrie Suski, click here.