In fast-moving tech businesses, HR can feel like an overhead. Something for “when we’re bigger.” But one misstep with a toxic hire, misclassified contractor, or dodgy dismissal, and suddenly you’re not scaling – you’re firefighting.
This isn’t about bloated handbooks or beige bureaucracy. It’s about clarity, culture, and keeping your business (and reputation) intact.
We need a policy! Don’t we?
The recent high temperatures we’ve had in the UK got me thinking about an ex-civil service colleague who used to monitor a thermometer when the weather warmed up so that he could storm off to HR (making himself warmer in the process) and proclaim that it was an abuse of his rights to be forced to work in such oppressive conditions given there was a policy which stated that staff would not be required as soon as the temperature reached 25C. HR logic, civil-service edition.
In a similar vein, I travelled to Europe with my son last weekend. It was a fair bit hotter than my ex-colleague would have been able to cope with. We flew and maybe I am a little bit unusual, but I always pay attention to the safety briefing. Most people around me were either chatting, listening to music or had their head in a book. Whilst the risk of anything happening on a flight are incredibly small, I do think I’d like to know what to do in the event of an emergency, and surely that is worth 2 minutes of my time each time we take off. I also think it’s common courtesy to give somebody your full attention, given they are doing this for your benefit, and not theirs!
Whilst this was delivered not because the airline we flew with decided they wanted a “passenger onboarding procedure”, rather it’s mandated by international airline authorities, it did get me thinking about what policies smaller tech companies might need to have in place – and when.
✅ What You Need from Day One
Even with a lean team, some things simply aren’t optional:
- Employment contracts with clearly defined terms and pay
- Right to work checks and legally compliant onboarding
- Basic disciplinary & grievance policies (aligned with the ACAS Code)
- Data protection guidance if you’re storing staff info in Loop, Teams, or on your OneDrive
- Named HR contact – even if it’s outsourced or fractional
These aren’t just compliance requirements, they’re your defence mechanism when something goes wrong.
💣 Case in Point: The “Brilliant Jerk” That Blew Up the Culture
A UK-based SaaS startup hired a high-performing backend engineer. Technically gifted, but toxic. He bulldozed junior devs, ignored feedback, and undermined decisions in Slack. Management delayed action because “he ships code.”
Within six months, three team members left, a fourth went on stress-related leave, and the company missed a crucial product deadline. Replacing the talent and rebuilding trust cost more than they care to admit. A brilliant jerk can burn culture faster than any policy can save it.
Moral of the story: protecting culture isn’t fluffy - it’s commercial.
🧩 What Can Wait (But Not Forever)
I recall a conversation with an SME leader on the need for a deeper range of HR policies. After quite a prolonged discussion, it felt like they had submitted to the notion, but it’s a fact that if you are a medium-sized organisation, you aren’t going to get every hire right, and you are going to have staff who want to raise grievances.
As your team grows beyond ten people, you’ll want to establish:
- Sickness and absence policy
- Annual leave tracking & hybrid working agreements
- Parental leave guidelines
- Diversity & inclusion statement
- Progression and performance frameworks
These support your team as it scales, help you retain talent, and send the signal that you’re playing the long game.
🚨 When to Bring in Outside Help
You don’t need an in-house HR manager, and hopefully you won’t have a long list of HR matters to manage, but you do need expert input when:
- You’re hiring for the first time (or scaling fast)
- You’re about to exit an employee or restructure
- Your policies are buried in old SharePoint sites and OneDrive folders
- You want to build culture on purpose—not just hope it “emerges”
Think of it like fractional finance – you wouldn’t file your R&D claims alone, so why wing it on workplace law or people strategy?
🎯 Closing Thought
The best HR doesn’t get in the way. It clears the runway so your people – and your business - can take off. So sit down, strap yourself in and pay close attention to the safety briefing before take-off! ✈️
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