I often get called into organisations when something feels off.
The founder can’t quite put a finger on it.
Attrition feels higher than usual.
Hiring takes longer.
People seem disengaged.
Managers are stretched.
And almost always, one question quietly sits at the centre of it all:
“We don’t really have an HR head right now… could that be the issue?”
The answer, more often than not, is yes.
Not because HR is about policies, paperwork, or compliance alone. But because HR is the invisible spine of an organisation.
When there is no HR head—or when HR exists only as an administrative function—small cracks begin to form. And over time, those cracks widen.
Hiring becomes reactive rather than thoughtful. Roles are filled in urgency, not alignment. There’s no consistent interview framework, no long-term workforce plan, and no real focus on cultural fit. People join, but they don’t always stay.
Employee concerns don’t disappear just because there’s no HR leader to handle them. They simply remain unresolved. Managers try their best, founders get pulled into people issues, and conversations that need structure and sensitivity often get delayed—or avoided altogether.
Policies exist, but they’re outdated or inconsistently applied. Performance reviews happen sporadically. Learning and development feels optional. HR systems are either missing or underutilised. And slowly, quietly, inefficiency becomes the norm.
What worries me most is that none of this shows up overnight.
Businesses continue to grow on the surface. Revenue may rise. Teams expand. But underneath, people feel unheard, managers feel unsupported, and leadership spends more time firefighting than building.
Over the years, as an HR consultant, I’ve worked closely with organisations at different stages of growth—start-ups, scale-ups, and mid-sized businesses. And I’ve seen the shift that happens when HR is brought in strategically, not just operationally.
When hiring becomes structured and intentional.
When managers are coached, not just promoted.
When employees know there is a fair system backing them.
When processes are streamlined, roles are clarified, and expectations are transparent.
Productivity improves—not because people are pushed harder, but because they are supported better.
Culture stops being a buzzword and starts becoming a lived experience.
The truth is simple.
Your people are your biggest investment.
And every gap in HR eventually shows up as a cost—sometimes financial, sometimes emotional, sometimes cultural.
HR is not about control. It’s about clarity.
It’s not about rules. It’s about rhythm.
And it’s not about ticking boxes. It’s about building workplaces where people can do their best work—and want to stay.
If you’re growing and wondering why things feel heavier than they should, it might be time to look at what’s missing, not just what’s moving.
Because when HR is done right, it doesn’t slow a business down. It allows it to grow—stronger, steadier, and more sustainably.
Warmly,
Kiran