Hello for Startups
Startups compete for the best talent. People come and go, and turnover is expensive—in raw cost, but also in the loss of cultural and institutional knowledge. Startups need a plan for attracting talent, and for keeping it. Early employees find themselves as first-time managers, and they’ll need support to become true leaders.
Hire with purpose
Setting yourself apart from other companies can be hard, especially early on. Some try to offer shiny perks (remember the ping pong phase?), but we know that novelty wears off fast. And once you get people applying, how do you avoid costly mis-hires? And how do you know they’ll stay? Solving these questions requires an intentional people-first approach that spans your hiring, onboarding, and engagement strategies.
Create feedback loops
Sprints and crunch time are one thing, but your people can’t always be heads-down working. You’ll need a communication strategy that lets them be heard. And not just heard, but listened to. Sending a survey is easy, but turning that feedback into meaningful action and communicating the change back to your team is a bit of an art form.
Speaking of feedback…
We hear “open and honest” a lot, but that’s only part of it. Putting someone on blast—no matter how open and honest!—isn’t feedback: it’s a surefire way to set a relationship ablaze. What teams really want is a healthy culture of feedback that is honest, but also has a positive impact on the listener, the company, and team relationships.
Culture & Foundations Services
YOUR VALUES INFORM EVERYTHING
Most startups have some values, but often they’re high-level ideals or buzzwords that won’t stick with people. Ask yourself how many know them by heart.
We’ll help you refresh—or affirm!—your values, and communicate them in a way that your team will remember—and actually use.
SURVEYS & ACTION PLANS
Sending a survey is easy, but knowing what to do with the responses isn’t always clear. And if you make a change but no one knows…where’s the gain?
We’ll help you run surveys that convert into meaningful action, and message them strategically.
BUILD YOUR CULTURE OF FEEDBACK
Giving and receiving open, honest, and constructive feedback is a skill that we all need to learn. Expecting people—especially first-time managers—to be naturally good at this is a big ask.
We’ll help you create a culture where feedback is expected, valued, and serves to strengthen team relationships.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION TRAINING
With 5 or more employees, Ontario requires employers to provide anti-harassment and discrimination training to their teams.
We’ve got you covered, with online compliance training your people can access from any device.
Talent Cycle Services
JOB POSTING, INTERVIEWING & HIRING
The people experience goes way beyond office perks and occasional swag. You need to stand out, but also validate your hires before extending the offer.
We’ll help you attract the best candidates, and hire the right people for the right seats.
ONE ON ONE COACHING
We all need support sometimes. It could be new skills for a new role, unfamiliar challenges, underperformance, or even an interpersonal situation.
Whatever the case, we’ve got your back.
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