HR Fires Don’t Start in the Boardroom
They start small.
- A contractor who probably should’ve been an employee.
- A handbook last touched when everyone was still remote.
- A “we’ll deal with that later” policy that quietly expired.
- Payroll processes that mostly work, until someone leaves angry.
- Individually, these things seem harmless. Together? They’re a tinderbox.
And here’s the reality: compliance doesn’t care that you’re fundraising, scaling, or running lean. Chaos may be part of startup life, but regulators, courts, and employees won’t wait for your next round to hold you accountable.
The Fire Drill Mindset
You don’t need a six-month HR overhaul. You need a quick inspection that shows you where the sparks are and how to neutralize them.
That’s what I call an HR Fire Drill. It’s not about shame or blame. It’s about giving founders and executive teams a fast, clear picture of:
- Where the biggest risks live right now.
- What needs fixing immediately.
- What can wait and what absolutely can’t.
Think of it like a stress test for your people operations. You’re not committing to a rebuild. You’re making sure the foundation won’t collapse when pressure hits.
Why It Matters
The companies that stay standing aren’t the ones without fires. They’re the ones that prepared:
- They knew their policies weren’t just copy-pasted, but compliant.
- They could show clean data when an investor or auditor asked.
- They avoided fines, claims, and reputation hits because they ran the drill before chaos turned into crisis.
And here’s the part founders rarely hear: prevention isn’t expensive. It’s the aftermath that drains time, money, and trust.
A Founder-Friendly Safety Net
Startups run lean, fast, and under pressure. That’s not a flaw, it’s the reality. But there’s a way to protect yourself without slowing down.
An HR Fire Drill gives you the playbook for staying compliant and sane so you can focus on building, fundraising, and scaling without wondering what’s smoldering in the background.
Because compliance may not be glamorous, but neither is scrambling through a lawsuit while trying to close your next round.
Curious what an HR Fire Drill would look like for your company? Let’s run a 5-day inspection and clear your biggest risks before they burn. Reach out here: marilyn@peoplebridgeadvisory.com
