I recently had a conversation with a founder who said; “I’ve never worked with a people ops leader before, and I’m not sure how to engage with them. Where should I start?”

I really struggled to answer this off the cuff and felt sheepish for not having the answer.

You know that feeling when you couldn’t answer a question someone asked you in the moment and then BAM!, the next day the most eloquent and smarty-pants answer comes flooding to you but the moment’s passed?

Well, that didn’t happen to me in this circumstance. The BAM moment took longer than that.

I spent the next few months walking around with what that question meant, then changing my mind about what it meant. I was starting to feel incompetent. I then reminded myself that people are complicated, and so are the People Operations that support them.

My final answer: it’s complicated. 🤔😬😊

You see, every organization is different, and every company is made up of a diverse group of people with different backgrounds and experiences, so the people function is different. Every working relationship I've had with a founder or CxO consisted of a different way of partnering together. There’s no one playbook with all the correct answers.

So while I still don’t have all the answers, I have a good way to start this conversation, and it starts by asking the right questions during the first conversation:

What are your values as an organization?
What does your current employee’s journey look like?
What kind of experience do you want your employees to have (formal, fun, growth-oriented, competitive)? What's your vibe and what do you want it to be?
What are your talent gaps?
What keeps you up at night when you think of your team & culture?

From there, the company and people pro partner to curate a solution and framework that empowers you and your leaders to create an employee experience within your values.

Okay, cool. I've got you. Here are some examples of problems people ops solves for early-stage companies

I need to hire people.

You’re business is growing and you need people to help. A people ops leader will help you with talent acquisition and candidate experience infrastructure, with diversity and inclusion in mind.

They can also serve as the recruiter until hiring needs to get too big to handle (trust me, this will be one of the first hires they’ll request if you’re growing).

I also need to hire people, at the right time, for the right positions.

Seasoned people leaders can help Identify gaps in the organization, challenging when a request for a hire doesn’t make sense. They see through the bull#$%^ and take managers through intake sessions to ensure they're walking through the process with intention and realistic expectations.

I need to pay those people.

People Operations will set up payroll, either live or in-house. They’ll have a roster of technology to explore to automate the process. They may also research and choose a professional employer organization (PEO) to handle payroll and benefits for you.

Oh for the love of…now they need benefits?

Yep, that’s right. If you’re employing people, you’ll need an inclusive benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k), wellness, perks, etc. A People Ops professional will be able to explore what a good total rewards package looks like for your company based on where it is in its journey.

I want to hire people in different regions/countries.

If you’re looking to expand past your state or country borders, a scrappy and resourceful HR pro will use their resources to ensure you’re hiring in those areas compliantly, fairly, and effectively.

Does the team have all the info they need? I’m not sure.

People ops can create key policies and employee guidebooks to help navigate your org (think PTO, leave of absence, communication norms, holiday schedules, etc.)

I need to make sure the team is performing to their potential.

People ops can set up an onboarding program to help new employees create impact at speed while socializing them to the team.

Advanced people & HR pros are going to lean in to develop your people leaders on effective performance conversations. They’ll also work on crafting a culture of feedback (however that best looks for your team). This could include; creating a framework for 1:1s, quarterly check-ins, performance reviews, etc.

I want to make sure the team is happy.

People Operations is always wearing the human hat (not in a gross way). They help keep a pulse on team engagement (happiness). Some examples;

Recognizing employees through milestones and accomplishments
Knowing good swag goes a long way
Strategizing virtual and in-person connection opportunities
Engagement interviews and surveys…then acting on the feedback gathered from them

I want to make sure the team is healthy.

According to McKinsey’s The State of Organizations 2023 report; “Employees facing mental-health and well-being challenges are 4× more likely than others to want to leave their organizations”. You will want to partner with people ops for setting up an environment that promotes employee health.

What do I do if someone leaves?

Your people ops team will ensure you’re processing their exit thoroughly, compliantly, and in a way that ensures a top-notch experience for all employees (even when they're leaving your team). They’ll also get the ball rolling on finding your next big hire, if applicable.

I’m walking through a problem with a team member, who do I talk to?

This person can serve as a skilled and curious listener, usually experienced in coaching conversions (even for their bosses).

As a business leader, your focus is pulled in many directions. The balancing act of building your business, marketing, product or service iteration, and people can be overwhelming. Having someone (people ops) focused inward can help you scale faster and more profitably.

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A Startup's Guide to Working with People Ops