Human Resources Questions


2 Votes
1 Answers
3.43K Views
Should you provide any bonuses to employees whose ideas make a significant contribution to the bottom line?

We're just getting started with scaling our business and one of the things we want to implement is a 4/1 work day. 4 days are spent working, and 1 day is for individual projects (just like Google's...

asked Jun 6 '14 at 15:27
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William Green
14 points

3 Votes
1 Answers
2.64K Views
Hiring an office manager: how do you deal with account passwords?

As our startup is growing, and in order to provide more time for the founders to work on the business instead of administrative tasks, we'll be hiring an office manager. This person would be...

asked Apr 15 '14 at 01:57
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Donald Keeling
17 points

3 Votes
2 Answers
2.82K Views
Process to let go of an employee?

We made a hiring mistake and need to terminate an employee. It's one of the hardest things I've come across as this will be a first. What the best way to gently let go of someone who isn't the...

asked May 25 '14 at 20:43
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Dorothy Taylor
16 points

1 Votes
2 Answers
3.78K Views
Giving software engineers a small coding challenge prior to actual interview?

What do you think about giving engineers a small software assignment that they complete at home and send over before scheduling an interview. This would really help an employer save both their and...

asked May 9 '14 at 16:40
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Ruth Mercedes
7 points

1 Votes
1 Answers
2.29K Views
Why do recruiters exist if every founder finds them annoying and doesn't want to deal with them?

Almost everyone complains about recruiters hammering them with calls and emails. If I were to call several startups, before I could finish my sentence after saying the word "recruiter", they'd...

asked Mar 21 '14 at 13:11
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Gregory Justice
30 points

1 Votes
1 Answers
2.16K Views
Best tools for small HR team at startup?

What are some helpful tools (both free or paid) for 2-4 person HR department at a startup?

asked Mar 12 '14 at 06:01
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Theodore Taylor
40 points

7 Votes
6 Answers
25K Views
Someone in HR leaked my salary over lunch. Now my team knows that I make 3x they do. What to do?

I work at a small startup (~30 people) and the woman that is responsible for recruiting apparently told my salary to someone while having lunch (I don't know to who).Now my department knows that I...

asked Mar 3 '14 at 20:06
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Esther Rooker
80 points

1 Votes
2 Answers
2.31K Views
Offered employees flexible working hours: now no one shows up on time! What to do?

I have a very small operation (just three employees) and we decided to try out flexible hours when we hired our latest engineer. Now no one shows up on time every day!Usually it's not an issue, but...

asked Mar 1 '14 at 06:41
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Kenya Brouwer
90 points

0 Votes
2 Answers
2.05K Views
Biggest problem companies have hiring sales people?

What would you say is the biggest friction point in hiring good sales people that can sell well?

asked Feb 24 '14 at 20:33
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Shaina Mc Cullough
10 points

9 Votes
7 Answers
4.16K Views
Is there hope for this worker, or should I just get rid of him?

I made arrangements for a recent college grad to come in and help us out with some part time development as an independent contractor. The guy does decent work when he's here, but he rarely can...

asked Aug 13 '13 at 02:23
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Contrazoom
186 points

2 Votes
1 Answers
2.31K Views
What is considered "generous-stock-options" for a start-up company in its early days?

We are a young startup, founded by 3 members about a year and a half ago, and recently closed a seed-stage investment round. We are about to hire our first 3 employees, 2 tech, 1...

asked Dec 18 '12 at 17:25
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Founder
11 points

4 Votes
2 Answers
9.37K Views
Can I hire two CTOs for my Startup?

I would like to prevent being dependant on one CTO, because fast and efficient progress is too important. Is it possible to hire two CTOs at the beginning? Or will it be similar to hiring two...

asked Oct 28 '12 at 03:57
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Daniel Jan Neetzel
21 points

1 Votes
4 Answers
2.6K Views
How do I motivate someone who values his time significantly more than money to come to work on time?

I'm looking for a strategy to negotiate punctuality with an employee who is quite skilled. However, I fear that docking his pay may not have an impact because he values his own time more highly...

asked Feb 20 '12 at 08:58
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User2436
14 points

2 Votes
4 Answers
2.42K Views
Hiring someone as an employee AND contractor

If an employee wanted to clean our buildings above their normal responsibilities, could we hire them as an independent contractor for the cleaning work in addition to them being an employee? Is...

asked Feb 24 '12 at 01:19
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Matthew Rankin
196 points

3 Votes
7 Answers
3.12K Views
Should I hire relatives in my startup?

My sister and I started a small company. I don't mind working with her. So far, we've been doing well and have managed to keep our professional issues separate from our family life. The problem is...

asked Feb 2 '12 at 18:13
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March Robert Philip Serrano
152 points

5 Votes
2 Answers
2.27K Views
How does start-up experience hurt your chances of being hired in a non-startup?

There have been a few OnStartups threads about how an employer could look at your start-up experience. Since this board favors people who are either currently involved in a start-up or are...

asked Nov 19 '11 at 06:19
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Nicko
840 points

1 Votes
2 Answers
1.87K Views
Should I do it all alone or co-operate with others?

I have builded some web startups earlier with medium winnings. I have to say that the whole work was done by myself as I have the ability to do it programmatically. However I think I am not the...

asked Sep 8 '11 at 08:25
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Nikolai
125 points

1 Votes
2 Answers
1.55K Views
Performance management web app for small businesses

Is it a good idea to create a service for reviewing and managing performance appraisals targeted for small businesses? I understand that the service may add more value if I couple it with other HR...

asked Aug 25 '11 at 21:32
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User2306
232 points

4 Votes
1 Answers
4.61K Views
Is it illegal for my employer to ask me for details about my personal expenditure?

When discussing my annual salary increase, my employer wanted me to list all my personal expenditures. They feel I should have plenty of money and I must be spending "frivolously" if I don't....

asked Jun 13 '11 at 23:22
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Meganbliss
21 points

4 Votes
3 Answers
2.57K Views
What to offer key people in my startup?

I have recently launched my small online business(sole proprietorship). I have no funding and this is something I been working on for the last two years on the side at night after work. I am...

asked Jun 5 '11 at 11:07
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User11033
21 points