HR metrics every small business should track aren't complicated — but if you're not tracking them, you're making people decisions based on feelings instead of data. In this solo episode, Kerri Roberts walks through five categories of essential HR metrics, what each one is telling you about your hiring, onboarding, manager effectiveness, and compensation, and exactly what to do when the numbers reveal a problem.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Retention and turnover — turnover rate: people who left ÷ average headcount × 100; time to turnover: 0–30 days = hiring problem; 31–90 days = onboarding problem; 90+ days = manager or culture problem; retention by manager (one manager with 3× the turnover of everyone else is your finding — coach up or coach out)
2. Hiring metrics — time to fill (~30-day industry standard; longer = candidates taking other offers); quality of hire measured at the 90-day review (not a probationary period — those don't actually protect you); source of hire (where are your best hires coming from? double down there)
3. Engagement and absenteeism — absenteeism rate: days absent ÷ total scheduled days; a spike signals a morale concern before anyone says anything; burning through vacation time when your policy doesn't pay it out = someone's getting ready to leave; annual engagement surveys administered by a third party; quarterly pulse: do you feel valued, do you have what you need, would you recommend working here?
4. Performance and compensation metrics — % of employees with documented goals; % who got a review in the last 12 months; rating distribution (average 4–5 on a 5-point scale = too generous; meeting expectations is a 3); pay equity ratio across same job title; compa-ratio (where each employee falls relative to the midpoint of their pay range)
5. Why this matters — 4 people leaving at $50K average = $60–100K in replacement cost; HR metrics are finance metrics; if you don't have an HR person, your finance person should own this; action item: open a spreadsheet right now — hire date, exit date, manager

CHAPTERS:

00:00 How Many People Left Your Business Last Year — And When?
 00:36 This Data Tells a Story — Whether You Like It or Not
 04:07 Most Owners Don't Think They Have an HR Metric Problem
 04:28 Feelings Are Not Strategies
 05:28 Turnover Rate Formula
 06:34 Time to Turnover — This One Tells You Everything
 07:02 0–30 Days = Hiring Problem
 07:09 31–90 Days = Onboarding Problem
 07:21 90+ Days = Manager or Culture Problem
 07:36 Retention by Manager — 3× the Turnover Is Your Finding
 08:01 Hiring Metrics — Time to Fill
 09:26 Quality of Hire — The 90-Day Review
 09:55 Why Probationary Periods Don't Actually Protect You
 10:42 Source of Hire — Double Down on What's Working
 11:17 Engagement and Absenteeism
 11:35 Absenteeism Rate Formula
 12:40 Burning Through Vacation = Someone's Getting Ready to Leave
 12:56 Annual Engagement Surveys — Use a Third Party
 16:57 Quarterly Pulse — Three Simple Questions
 17:38 Performance Metrics — Goals and Review Completion
 19:05 Average 4–5 on a 5-Point Scale = Too Generous
 19:43 Compensation Metrics — Pay Equity and Compa-Ratio
 26:27 HR Metrics Are Finance Metrics
 26:55 4 People at $50K = $60–100K in Replacement Cost
 27:37 Action Item — Open a Spreadsheet Right Now

Your HR data can tell you exactly where your problems are — the free HR Audit shows where your foundation is missing structure: saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are. 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎙️ Listen to Don't Waste the Chaos — The podcast for small business owners building strong people operations. 👉 kerrimroberts.com/podcast

📖 Get The HR Easy Button — Kerri's book on building HR systems that actually work for small businesses. 👉 https://amzn.to/4cPyrFh

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter — Weekly HR insights for founders, in your inbox every Monday. 👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors

—

Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge? 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact

Ready to build foundational HR systems on your own? 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Strategic HR course (launching August 2026, includes HR metrics module) — saltandlightadvisors.com/resources
• The HR Easy Button by Kerri Roberts — Amazon; amzn.to/4cPyrFh
• Free HR Audit — saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

📝 Full show notes + transcript: https://kerrimroberts.com/dontwastethechaos/hr-metrics-small-business

Support the show

Small business benefits can compete with larger organizations — and if you think you're failing your employees because you can't offer a Fortune 500 package, this episode is for you. In this solo episode, Kerri Roberts reframes what benefits actually are, walks through five benefit categories, and gives practical guidance on how to build a total rewards strategy that fits your stage, your cash flow, and what your employees actually want.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Five benefit categories — foundational (health, retirement, PTO, disability); voluntary (employee-paid at group pricing — dental, vision, pet insurance, legal; you absorb minimal cost and employees still say "my employer offers benefits"); lifestyle (most requested right now: flexible scheduling, remote options, summer hours); wellness (gym, mental health, EAP); cultural (recognition, development, psychological safety — supports culture, not replaces it)
2. Health insurance alternatives — ICHRA: employees pick marketplace plan, you reimburse tax-free; QSEHRA: group plan chassis; both give tax benefits a healthcare stipend doesn't; direct primary care memberships ($50–$125/month); don't bankrupt your business competing with companies that have 10,000 employees
3. Retirement for any size business — "too small for a 401k" is not true; SIMPLE IRA, STEP IRA, traditional and Safe Harbor 401k available to any employer; Kerri's firm contributes ~$43 per paycheck — small and meaningful; even without a match, access says "we care about your future"
4. High-impact perks where small businesses outperform — flexibility is the #1 most valued benefit; handwritten notes land harder than gift cards; family-friendly scheduling; development budgets with clear access criteria (formalize it or it looks like favoritism); financial wellness (80%+ of employees have work performance impacted by financial stress)
5. Total rewards statements — a $58K employee may represent $80,772 in total employer investment; employees see $58K, they should see $80,772; unused PTO is a liability on your P&L — one client got hit with $18K in surprise payout in a single year

CHAPTERS:

00:00 You're Not Failing Your Employees — Small Business Can Compete
 01:00 Benefits Are More Than Health Insurance
 04:38 Five Benefit Categories
 05:55 Category 2 — Voluntary (Group Pricing, No Cost to You)
 06:37 Category 3 — Lifestyle (Most Requested Right Now)
 07:34 Category 5 — Cultural (Recognition, Development, Psychological Safety)
 09:44 Communicate What You Offer — Employees Don't Know
 10:47 Total Rewards — Show Employees What You're Spending
 12:24 No Traditional Insurance? You're Not a Bad Employer
 13:23 ICHRA — Individual Coverage HRA Explained
 14:00 QSEHRA — Qualified Small Employer HRA Explained
 14:25 Tax Benefits vs. a Healthcare Stipend
 15:56 Direct Primary Care Memberships — $50–$125/Month
 16:43 Voluntary Benefits — The Hidden Opportunity
 17:03 Don't Bankrupt Your Business Competing With Fortune 500s
 18:08 Retirement for Any Size Business
 18:39 SIMPLE IRA, STEP IRA, Traditional and Safe Harbor 401k
 19:31 ~$43 Per Paycheck — Small and It Matters
 21:44 High-Impact Perks Where Small Businesses Outperform
 22:02 Flexibility — #1 Most Valued Benefit Right Now
 23:59 Family-Friendly Support
 25:46 Development — Strongest Retention Tool
 27:45 Financial Wellness — 80%+ Impacted by Financial Stress
 29:00 Total Rewards — Make the Invisible Visible
 30:01 $58K Salary = $80,772 Total Employer Investment
 30:50 Unused PTO Is a Liability on Your P&L
 32:42 Run a Benefits Survey
 33:17 Action 1 — Communicate Three Benefits You Already Have
 34:01 Action 2 — Activate Total Rewards in Your HR Software

Your benefits are part of your HR foundation — the free HR Audit will show you where your people systems need attention so you can build benefits that actually drive retention: saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are. 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎙️ Listen to Don't Waste the Chaos — The podcast for small business owners building strong people operations. 👉 kerrimroberts.com/podcast

📖 Get The HR Easy Button — Kerri's book on building HR systems that actually work for small businesses. 👉 https://amzn.to/4cPyrFh

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter — Weekly HR insights for founders, in your inbox every Monday. 👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors

—

Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge? 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact

Ready to build foundational HR systems on your own? 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• ICHRA and QSEHRA information — healthcare.gov or your benefits broker
• Strategic HR course (launching August 2026) and benefits survey template — saltandlightadvisors.com/resources
• HR Foundations course ($49) — saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations
• The HR Easy Button by Kerri Roberts — Amazon; amzn.to/4cPyrFh
• Free HR Audit — saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

📝 Full show notes + transcript: https://kerrimroberts.com/dontwastethechaos/small-business-benefits

Support the show

The five root causes of underperformance have nothing to do with laziness, attitude, or bad hiring — and in four out of five cases, the fix isn't a write-up. In this solo episode, Kerri Roberts walks through the root cause analysis you need to do before any performance conversation, how to set expectations that hold up legally, three feedback models for different situations, and the four-part performance rhythm that makes the annual review a confirmation instead of a surprise.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Five root causes of underperformance — skill gap (training problem, not discipline); will gap (they know how but aren't doing it — the one that can lead to discipline); capacity overload (reprioritize, don't write up); role misalignment (wrong person or role evolved past them); and personal life interference (grace + clear timeline + EAP resources)
2. Three defined markers every role needs — what does good look like, what does great look like, what does not meeting expectations look like; if employees don't know what winning looks like, they can't win; verbal expectations don't hold up in a wrongful termination case — document every step
3. Four performance tiers — support task expert (accurate, timely, follows process); subject matter professional (problem-solving, initiative, expertise); management tier (team output, delegation, coaching); leadership tier (strategic alignment, cultural impact, revenue accountability); one-size-fits-all reviews fail
4. Three feedback models — SBI: situation, behavior, impact; COIN: context, observation, impact, next step (Kerri's preferred — adds the committed action); Feed Forward: future-focused for employees who would be crushed by backward feedback
5. Four-part performance rhythm — monthly one-on-ones (build trust; the reason you have no data for the annual review is because you skipped these); quarterly check-ins (accountability; start/stop/continue); optional biannual; annual (tiered, five-point Likert scale, attached to compensation); monthly = trust, quarterly = accountability, annual = documentation

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Performance Management Is Not About Reviews — It's About Clarity
 00:44 You Probably Have Someone Underperforming Right Now
 04:03 Most Performance Issues Are Systems Problems, Not People Problems
 04:44 Three Defined Markers Every Role Needs
 06:00 Four Performance Tiers
 08:30 Set Expectations at Hiring, Reinforce in Onboarding
 10:16 Diagnose the Root Cause Before You Write Anyone Up
 11:00 GWC Framework From Traction by Gino Wickman
 11:07 Root Cause 1 — Skill Gap (Training, Not Discipline)
 12:13 Root Cause 2 — Will Gap (Motivation Issue)
 12:39 Root Cause 3 — Capacity Overload
 13:19 Root Cause 4 — Role Misalignment
 13:27 The CFO Example — Promoted Beyond Skills
 14:54 Only the Will Gap Leads to Discipline
 15:52 Root Cause 5 — Personal Life Interference
 18:58 The Diagnostic Conversation Framework
 19:24 State Behavior and Impact — Then Ask Curious Questions
 20:01 Most Managers Skip Curious and Go Straight to Dictator
 21:13 Top Performers Are Watching — And They're Judging
 22:38 Three Feedback Models
 22:44 SBI — Situation, Behavior, Impact
 24:59 COIN — Context, Observation, Impact, Next Step
 25:56 Feed Forward — Future-Focused Feedback
 28:10 The Four-Part Performance Rhythm
 28:27 Monthly One-on-Ones — Build Trust
 32:00 Quarterly Check-Ins — Start/Stop/Continue
 33:17 Annual Review — Tiered, Formal, Tied to Compensation
 34:52 Five-Point Rating Scale
 37:49 Three Rating Biases — Leniency, Recency, Comparison
 38:52 Calibration Meetings
 39:35 Action Item — Schedule the Conversation With Your Underperformer Now

If your team is underperforming and you're not sure which root cause you're dealing with, the free HR Audit shows where your people foundation needs structure: saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are.
👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎙️ Listen to Don't Waste the Chaos — The podcast for small business owners building strong people operations.
👉 kerrimroberts.com/podcast

📖 Get The HR Easy Button — Kerri's book on building HR systems that actually work for small businesses.
👉 https://amzn.to/4cPyrFh

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter — Weekly HR insights for founders, in your inbox every Monday.
👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors

—

Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact

Ready to build foundational HR systems on your own?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Traction by Gino Wickman — GWC framework
• HR Operating System course ($69) — saltandlightadvisors.com/hr-operating-system
• The HR Easy Button by Kerri Roberts — Amazon; amzn.to/4cPyrFh
• Free HR Audit — saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

📝 Full show notes + transcript: https://kerrimroberts.com/dontwastethechaos/5-root-causes-of-underperformance

Support the show

Handling employee leave incorrectly is one of the most common sources of lawsuits Kerri Roberts sees — and almost none of it is intentional. In this solo episode — HR Systems Series Ep. 6 — she walks through FMLA, ADA, bereavement, intermittent leave, and the consistency mistakes that turn a routine leave decision into a discrimination claim your company can't defend.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. FMLA and the biggest mistakes employers make — applies at 50+ employees within a 75-mile radius; employees must have worked 12 months and 1,250 hours; most common mistakes: not designating FMLA when it qualifies; giving a role away during maternity leave (it must be reinstated at same pay and level); and not tracking intermittent FMLA cumulatively; FMLA retaliation claims are some of the most winnable plaintiff claims in employment law
2. ADA — what small businesses don't know — applies at 15 employees, not 50; even if an employee doesn't qualify for FMLA, extended leave may still be required under ADA; you must engage in an interactive process; you cannot permanently give their work away while they're out
3. How inconsistency creates discrimination claims — two employees make the same leave request, one gets approved and one doesn't; if those employees are different genders, races, or ages, that inconsistency is a discrimination claim; "case by case basis" is not a policy, it's an invitation to get sued
4. The leave request process that protects you — written request; manager acknowledgement in writing; logged every time; document the request date, leave type, approved dates, who approved it, and whether FMLA or ADA was designated; keep leave records completely separate from the general personnel file
5. The bereavement policy action item — employees should never have to ask their manager for a blessing at their worst moment; decide what relationships qualify and how many days before you are ever asked; document it; make sure every manager answers the same questions with the same answers

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Two Employees, Same Leave Request, Different Answers — That's a Lawsuit
 00:34 Leave Creates More Lawsuits Than Almost Any Other HR Topic
 04:11 FMLA — Family Medical Leave Act Explained
 09:24 FMLA Deep Dive — Threshold and 75-Mile Radius Rule
 11:06 Biggest FMLA Mistake 1 — Not Designating It When It Qualifies
 14:54 Maternity Leave Client Story — Role Was Gone When She Got Back
 17:50 Intermittent FMLA — Most Complicated and Most Often Mismanaged
 18:40 FMLA Retaliation Claims Are Winnable — Documentation Gaps Are Why
 19:43 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act — Applies at 15 Employees
 20:18 Inconsistency — Where the Discrimination Claims Really Come From
 21:01 Inconsistent Leave Is One of the Fastest Paths to a Discrimination Claim
 23:04 The Fix — Written Leave Policy That Answers Every Question Before You're Asked
 24:54 Written Request, Approved in Writing, Logged and Secured
 26:01 ADA — Applies at 15 Employees
 26:35 The Interactive Process — What It Actually Means
 30:58 What to Document for Every Single Leave Event
 31:44 Keep Leave Records Separate From the General Personnel File
 34:50 Action Item — Check Your Bereavement Leave Policy Right Now
 35:01 "Case by Case Basis" Is a Liability, Not a Policy

If your leave is currently managed on a case-by-case basis, the free HR Audit will show you where your people foundation is creating legal risk: saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are.
👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎙️ Listen to Don't Waste the Chaos — The podcast for small business owners building strong people operations.
👉 kerrimroberts.com/podcast

📖 Get The HR Easy Button — Kerri's book on building HR systems that actually work for small businesses.
👉 https://amzn.to/4cPyrFh

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter — Weekly HR insights for founders, in your inbox every Monday.
👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors

—

Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact

Ready to build foundational HR systems on your own?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Department of Labor — FMLA and ADA guidance; dol.gov
• Pregnant Workers Fairness Act — effective June 2023; applies at 15+ employees
• HR Foundations course ($49) — saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations
• The HR Easy Button by Kerri Roberts — Amazon; amzn.to/4cPyrFh
• Free HR Audit — saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

📝 Full show notes + transcript: https://kerrimroberts.com/dontwastethechaos/employee-leave-management

Support the show

Employee classification is the HR issue Kerri Roberts has seen mishandled at every single company in her 20-year career — and the Department of Labor does not care whether it was intentional. In this solo episode — HR Systems Series Ep. 5 — she walks through the three-part FLSA exemption test every employer is required to apply, the most common classification mistakes she sees weekly, what pay equity actually requires, and how to build a compensation structure that's benchmarked, documented, and defensible.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. The three-part exemption test — most employees default to non-exempt and must be paid overtime; to qualify as exempt, an employee must meet all three: salary basis (fixed pay, cannot be docked for partial day absences); salary level ($684/week or $35,568/year minimum federal threshold); and duties test (executive, administrative, or professional duties — not just the title); salary alone does not make someone exempt
2. The most common classification mistakes — putting someone on salary because it's easy; letting someone be a 1099 because they prefer it even though you control their work; giving a manager title without actual management duties; and docking salary which blocks exempt status and triggers overtime liability
3. What pay equity actually requires — pay equity is not a DEI program, it is audited by regulators; pay differences must be explainable and defensible; the Equal Pay Act and Title VII both apply; if lower-paid employees in the same role all happen to be women, that pattern has to be justified by documented tenure, education, or performance — without documentation it looks like a discriminatory practice; pay equity doesn't stay hidden — employees are legally protected when they discuss compensation
4. How to build a comp structure — benchmark the role (BLS.gov, LinkedIn Salary, Indeed, Glassdoor, AI); build a range around the midpoint (80% = entry level; 100% = fully competent; 120% = expert); define a compensation philosophy you can communicate and apply consistently — whatever it is, own it
5. Three audit questions to ask right now — what is each employee's classification and is it appropriate? can I explain every person's pay relative to others in the same role and is it documented? do I have documented rationale for where they fall in the range? if you answered no to any of those, start with roles where multiple people share the same title

CHAPTERS:

00:00 No Company in 20 Years Has Had Every Employee Classified Correctly
 04:47 Exempt vs. Non-Exempt — The Three-Part Exemption Test
 07:01 Test 1 — Salary Basis (Fixed Pay, Not Docked for Partial Days)
 07:19 Test 2 — Salary Level ($35,568/Year Minimum Federal Threshold)
 07:57 Test 3 — The Duties Test (Where the Gray Area Is)
 09:00 Most Common Classification Mistakes
 09:10 1099 by Preference Is Not Legal If You Control Their Work
 09:53 Docking Salary Blocks Exempt Status — Overtime Liability
 11:28 Use AI With the FLSA Statute to Audit Your Classifications Now
 12:23 Pay Equity — What It Actually Means (Not DEI)
 13:00 Equal Pay Act, Title VII, and Pattern Discrimination Risk
 13:50 70% of Small Businesses With an Employment Claim Never Financially Recover
 14:52 Pay Equity Doesn't Stay Hidden — Employees Are Protected
 17:08 Pay Equity Means Differences Are Explainable and Defensible
 18:43 The Pattern Problem — When Pay Disparities Break on Gender Lines
 19:44 Post a Pay Range Even If Your State Doesn't Require It
 20:48 Three Things to Build a Comp Structure
 21:03 Step 1 — Benchmark the Role (BLS.gov, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, AI)
 22:25 Step 2 — Build the Range Around the Midpoint (80%/100%/120%)
 23:12 Step 3 — Define and Communicate Your Compensation Philosophy
 29:12 The Compression Problem — Newer Staff Making $15K More Than Tenured Staff
 30:36 Three-Year Equity Plan Instead of Instant Level-Setting
 32:35 Three Audit Questions for Every Employee on Your Team
 34:04 Pull Up Your Team List Right Now — That's Your Action Item

If you can't explain every person's pay relative to others in the same role, the free HR Audit will show you where your people foundation needs documentation and structure: saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are.
👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎙️ Listen to Don't Waste the Chaos — The podcast for small business owners building strong people operations.
👉 kerrimroberts.com/podcast

📖 Get The HR Easy Button — Kerri's book on building HR systems that actually work for small businesses.
👉 https://amzn.to/4cPyrFh

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter — Weekly HR insights for founders, in your inbox every Monday.
👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors

—

Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact

Ready to build foundational HR systems on your own?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• BLS.gov — Bureau of Labor Statistics; free compensation benchmarking data
• Department of Labor FLSA duties test — dol.gov
• HR Foundations course ($49) — saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations
• The HR Easy Button by Kerri Roberts — Amazon; amzn.to/4cPyrFh
• Compensation data study — saltandlightadvisors.com/contact
• Free HR Audit — saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

📝 Full show notes + transcript: https://kerrimroberts.com/dontwastethechaos/compensation

Support the show

When was the last time something happened on your team and you said "we don't have a policy for that"? In this solo episode — HR Systems Series Ep. 4 — Kerri Roberts covers exactly what should be in your employee handbook, which policies are legally required for every business including micro businesses, which ones are strongly recommended, and what happens when you skip this step entirely.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why "we're like family, we don't need a handbook" is wrong — without policies, every situation gets decided ad hoc; one manager gives three days of bereavement, another gives one — inconsistency claim; you discipline one employee for being late but not another — potential discrimination claim; the handbook is not a binder nobody reads, it's a communication tool that happens to have legal weight
2. Five required policies — anti-discrimination and anti-harassment (Title VII, ADA, ADEA — applies even to micro businesses; must be written, communicated, and enforced consistently); at-will employment statement; equal opportunity employer statement; pay practices (when, how, overtime, FLSA compliance); and leave policies (PTO, sick, bereavement, jury duty, military, FMLA if applicable)
3. Five strongly recommended policies — code of conduct and social media policy (Kerri trained a public school district after an employee made a controversial post — they had no policy); attendance and punctuality with a progressive response; performance expectations and progressive discipline (employees should know this process before they're ever in it); confidentiality and data protection; and drug and alcohol policy for safety-sensitive environments
4. How to structure the handbook — eight sections: welcome and values (lead with mission before rules); employment basics; pay and hours; time off and leave; workplace conduct; performance and discipline; separation; and an acknowledgement page — do not skip this; get it electronically acknowledged every year; review and update annually
5. The action item — what three calls have you made in the last 90 days without a policy to back them up? those are your first three policies to write; use AI to draft a starting point, then make sure it reflects how you actually operate

CHAPTERS:

00:00 "We Don't Have a Policy for That" Is Not a Defense
 00:29 The Handbook Is a Standard for Everyone — Not a Binder Nobody Reads
 04:28 "We're Like Family, We Don't Need a Handbook" — Let's Address That
 05:13 What Happens Without Policies — Inconsistency and Legal Liability
 06:24 Five Required Policies
 06:30 Required 1 — Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination
 07:21 Must Be Written, Communicated, and Enforced Consistently
 07:38 Required 2 — At-Will Employment Statement
 08:04 Required 3 — Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
 08:31 Required 4 — Pay Practices
 09:16 Required 5 — Leave Policies
 10:42 Five Strongly Recommended Policies
 11:02 Recommended 1 — Code of Conduct and Social Media Policy
 11:37 The Public School District Social Media Story
 13:19 Recommended 2 — Attendance and Punctuality
 14:00 Recommended 3 — Performance Expectations and Progressive Discipline
 14:43 Recommended 4 — Confidentiality and Data Protection
 15:01 Recommended 5 — Drug and Alcohol Policy
 15:20 The Handbook Structure — Eight Sections
 16:35 Section 1 — Welcome and Values (Lead With Mission Before Rules)
 20:01 Section 8 — The Acknowledgement Page — Do Not Skip This
 20:38 Get Electronic Acknowledgement Through Your HR Payroll System
 21:51 Review and Re-Acknowledge Annually
 22:34 Write It in Your Voice — The Brand New Employee Test
 24:10 The AI Tip for Drafting Policies
 26:07 Action Item — What Three Calls Have You Made Without a Policy?
 27:08 The Relocation Policy Client Story
 28:40 Relocation Reimbursement Is Taxable Income

When your policies are solid, your whole HR foundation holds — the free HR Audit shows you where your systems need the most work: saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are.
👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎙️ Listen to Don't Waste the Chaos — The podcast for small business owners building strong people operations.
👉 kerrimroberts.com/podcast

📖 Get The HR Easy Button — Kerri's book on building HR systems that actually work for small businesses.
👉 https://amzn.to/4cPyrFh

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter — Weekly HR insights for founders, in your inbox every Monday.
👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors

—

Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact

Ready to build foundational HR systems on your own?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• HR Foundations course ($49, includes policies and compliance module with templates) — saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations
• The HR Easy Button by Kerri Roberts — Amazon; amzn.to/4cPyrFh
• Free HR Audit — saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

📝 Full show notes + transcript: https://kerrimroberts.com/dontwastethechaos/employee-handbooks

Support the show

Onboarding isn't paperwork — and if your process looks like a quick tour and a "figure it out" attitude, you're handing someone a welcome sign while setting them up to fail. In this solo episode — HR Systems Series Ep. 3 — Kerri Roberts walks through exactly what should happen from the moment an offer is accepted through day 90, and why the first 30 days have nothing to do with output and everything to do with making someone feel like they made the right decision.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why bad onboarding costs you — a bad hire costs roughly 50% of annualized salary in year one, and most of that comes from failed onboarding, not a bad hire; 90-day turnover is almost never about the job — it's about the experience of starting the job; your top performers are also watching how you onboard new people, and handing them a new hire to train while they're already at capacity isn't help, it's more work
2. Pre-boarding — what should happen from accepted offer to day one: send all paperwork electronically (direct deposit, emergency contact, tax forms, I-9, handbook) before they arrive so day one is not about paperwork; communicate every three to four days; send a one-pager or short video outlining what their first day will look like; confirm ID documents needed for the I-9 are coming; silence during pre-boarding is a missed opportunity to prevent buyer's remorse
3. Day one through 30 — orientation and foundation; day one is for culture, connection, and clarity — not paperwork; walk through three to five job description bullet points each week and explain not just what but why it matters to the organization; schedule intentional 15–30 minute introductions with every key leader; create early wins so the new hire feels useful; complete the I-9 within three days (non-negotiable); benefits enrollment must happen in the first 30 days
4. Days 31 to 60 — building competence; schedule a real 30-day check-in (not a hallway chat, not a Slack message — a calendar event with undivided attention); ask where they're confident, where they're uncertain, what's different than expected; assign a go-to buddy for questions after day 30 (and compensate that person for the responsibility); start measuring against the job description and address gaps now — early feedback is a gift and late feedback is a problem
5. Days 61 to 90 and the 90-day review — independence and evaluation; the key question every manager should answer for themselves: if I was hiring for this role today, would I hire this person again? if yes, tell them explicitly — they need to hear it; if no, address it now, not next quarter; send a 10–15 question review beforehand; ask what would have made onboarding better — the best feedback you'll ever get is from someone who just went through it; transition to a regular monthly performance rhythm

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Onboarding Is Whether the House Is Ready When They Walk In
 00:29 Most Onboarding = Paperwork, Tour, Silence
 03:31 A Bad Hire Costs 50% of Annualized Salary — Most From Bad Onboarding, Not Bad Hiring
 04:02 Top Performers Are Watching How You Onboard New People
 05:01 Hiring Is the Front Door — Onboarding Is Whether the House Is Ready
 05:20 Pre-Boarding — From Offer Accepted to Day One
 05:48 Send All Paperwork Before Day One — Day One Is Not for Paperwork
 06:19 Direct Deposit, Tax Forms, I-9, Handbook — Done Before They Arrive
 06:50 Communicate Every Three to Four Days During Pre-Boarding
 07:00 One-Pager or Video — What to Expect on Day One
 07:48 Day One Is for Culture, Connection, and Clarity
 08:20 Days 1 to 30 — Orientation and Foundation
 08:45 The Job of the First 30 Days Is to Make Them Feel Like They Made the Right Decision
 09:10 Go Through the Job Description Line by Line — Three Bullets Per Week
 10:21 Explain the Why — Why Does This Role Matter Here?
 11:00 Intentional Introductions — 15 to 30 Minutes With Every Key Leader
 12:10 Role Clarity and Early Wins — Give Them Something to Contribute
 13:22 I-9 Must Be Completed Within Three Days — Non-Negotiable
 14:30 Benefits Enrollment Needs to Happen in the First 30 Days
 15:45 Days 31 to 60 — Building Competence
 16:45 Schedule a Real 30-Day Check-In — Not a Hallway Chat
 17:00 Where Are They Confident? Where Uncertain? What's Different Than Expected?
 17:27 Early Feedback Is a Gift — Late Feedback Is a Problem
 18:00 Assign a Go-To Buddy After Day 30 — And Compensate Them
 19:24 Start Measuring Against the Job Description
 19:54 Days 61 to 90 — Gaining Independence
 20:30 The 90-Day Review — It's a Real Conversation, Not a Formality
 21:40 The Question Every Manager Needs to Answer: Would I Hire This Person Again?
 22:01 If Yes — Tell Them Explicitly; If No — Address It Now, Not Next Quarter
 23:47 Ask What Would Have Made Onboarding Better — Best Feedback You'll Get
 24:12 Businesses That Don't Onboard Well Have the Most Employee Issues
 26:07 What You Actually Need — Pre-Boarding Checklist, Week One Plan, Three Check-Ins Scheduled
 27:00 Action Item — Schedule the 30, 60, and 90-Day Check-Ins Right Now

If your onboarding is informal and inconsistent, the free HR Audit will show you where your people foundation needs structure: saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are.
👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎙️ Listen to Don't Waste the Chaos — The podcast for small business owners building strong people operations.
👉 kerrimroberts.com/podcast

📖 Get The HR Easy Button — Kerri's book on building HR systems that actually work for small businesses.
👉 https://amzn.to/4cPyrFh

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter — Weekly HR insights for founders, in your inbox every Monday.
👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors

—

Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact

Ready to build foundational HR systems on your own?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• HR Foundations course ($49, includes 30/60/90-day templates, job description template, and pre-boarding email templates) — saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations
• The HR Easy Button by Kerri Roberts — Amazon; amzn.to/4cPyrFh
• Free HR Audit — saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

📝 Full show notes + transcript: https://kerrimroberts.com/dontwastethechaos/onboarding

Support the show

Building a hiring process for your small business isn't about software or fancy systems — it's about having five components that work together so the most capable candidate wins, not the most charming one. In this solo episode — HR Systems Series Ep. 2 — Kerri Roberts breaks down the HR chaos cycle that starts with a bad hire, why going with your gut is expensive, and the five components every small business hiring system needs to have.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. The five components of a solid hiring system — a job description that actually works (triple duty: interview rubric, onboarding guide, and performance baseline all in one document); a sourcing strategy, not just a job post (where does your ideal candidate actually hang out — don't just default to Indeed); a structured, standardized interview process (10 situational questions asked consistently to every candidate for the same role — the most charming person should not win); compliance built in from the start (nothing about age, family status, national origin, religion, or disability — not even in small talk; background checks applied consistently); and a decision framework, not a gut check (score every candidate against the same criteria before comparing them to each other — and keep that documentation for seven years)
2. Why personality is a bonus, not a baseline — if you're hiring on vibes, you're comparing apples to oranges and the best communicator wins, not the best person for the job; unstructured interviews are likely discriminatory on accident; situational questions ("tell me about a time when...") separate people who have actually done the work from people who just know how to talk about it
3. The offer letter essentials — job title, start date, compensation, exempt or non-exempt status, at-will language if your state supports it, and a clear statement that the offer is contingent on background check, drug screening, and I-9 verification; a poorly worded offer can look like a contract; verbal offers should not happen
4. The pre-boarding window — hiring does not stop when the candidate says yes; the time between accepted offer and day one is mission critical and most businesses are completely silent during it; buyer's remorse sets in, counter-offers happen, and you need to be communicating; hiring and onboarding are one continuous experience, not two separate systems
5. The seven-year hiring records requirement — every job posting, every resume, every interview question asked, every score, and every declination reason needs to be kept for seven years; Kerri had a discrimination suit filed against her as an HR manager and had to produce all of it; if you're not using an HR payroll system to store this, you probably don't know where your stuff is

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Was That a People Problem or a Process Problem?
 01:10 EP 2 of the 13-Part HR Systems Series — Hiring
 03:37 The HR Chaos Cycle — Why Hiring Is Where It All Starts
 04:28 Why Your Current Process Is Probably Broken
 05:44 Most Common Hiring Mistakes — No Job Description, Gut Decisions, Skipping Compliance
 07:55 Personality Is a Bonus, Not a Baseline — Stop Hiring on Vibes
 09:28 Five Components of a Solid Hiring System
 10:50 Component 1 — A Job Description That Actually Works (Triple Duty)
 13:23 One Document: Interview Rubric, Onboarding Guide, Performance Baseline
 14:00 Component 2 — A Sourcing Strategy, Not Just a Job Post
 14:57 Don't Post and Hope — Where Does Your Ideal Candidate Hang Out?
 15:48 Component 3 — Structured, Standardized, Consistent Interview Process
 16:43 The Vibe Interview Problem — The Most Charming Person Wins, Not the Most Capable
 19:28 Stick to the Guide — Set Expectations at the Start of the Interview
 20:13 Use Situational Questions — "Tell Me About a Time When..."
 21:47 If They Speak in Generalities, They Probably Haven't Done It
 21:59 Component 4 — Compliance Built In From the Start
 22:07 What You Cannot Ask — Age, Family Status, Religion, National Origin, Disability
 22:34 Background Checks Applied Consistently to All Candidates for the Same Role
 22:44 Written Offer Letter — Not Verbal, Not a Contract
 23:28 Component 5 — A Decision Framework, Not a Gut Check
 24:00 Score Every Candidate Against the Same Criteria Before Comparing
 24:27 Discrimination Suit Filed Against Kerri — She Had to Produce Seven Years of Records
 25:03 You Need Hiring Documentation for Seven Years
 25:38 Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down — Force the Decision Before Comparing Candidates
 26:35 Five Components Recap — Start With Job Descriptions and Work Down
 26:57 The Offer and What Comes Next
 27:12 Hiring Does Not Stop When the Candidate Says Yes
 28:46 The Pre-Boarding Window — Don't Go Silent Between Offer and Start Date
 29:54 Offer Letter Essentials — Title, Start Date, Comp, Status, At-Will, Contingencies
 33:23 What You Actually Need to Start — One Page JD, 10 Questions, Offer Letter Template, Day One Checklist
 35:40 Action Item — Standardize Your Interview Questions Right Now

If your hiring process is informal and your documentation is scattered, the free HR Audit will show you where your people foundation needs the most work: saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are.
👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎙️ Listen to Don't Waste the Chaos — The podcast for small business owners building strong people operations.
👉 kerrimroberts.com/podcast

📖 Get The HR Easy Button — Kerri's book on building HR systems that actually work for small businesses.
👉 https://amzn.to/4cPyrFh

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter — Weekly HR insights for founders, in your inbox every Monday.
👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors

—

Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact

Ready to build foundational HR systems on your own?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• HR Foundations course ($49, includes hiring module with job description template, interview question guide, and offer letter template) — saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations
• The HR Easy Button by Kerri Roberts — Amazon; amzn.to/4cPyrFh
• Free HR Audit — saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

📝 Full show notes + transcript: https://kerrimroberts.com/dontwastethechaos/small-business-hiring-process-hr-systems

Support the show

Every small business owner who says "we'll deal with HR later" is one lawsuit, one resignation, or one DOL audit away from finding out exactly what that delay costs. In this series-launch episode, Kerri Roberts maps out all 13 HR systems a small business needs to build, organizes them into four operational buckets, and walks through the six employer responsibility categories most owners are either ignoring or executing by accident.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why "we don't have HR" is not a legal defense — the moment you hired your first employee, you took on obligations most owners don't know exist; most small businesses are already out of compliance in ways they aren't aware of; 70% of businesses that face an employment lawsuit never financially recover
2. The four HR buckets — foundational (employer responsibilities, hiring, onboarding, policies, compliance — if this isn't solid, nothing built on top will hold); operational (comp, classification, leave, performance, discipline — where most businesses get stuck because the foundation wasn't built first); strategic (HR metrics, workforce planning, leadership development, culture — where real business impact happens); and infrastructure (HR payroll tech, tools, SOPs — what holds everything together)
3. Six employer responsibility categories — compliance and legal (I-9 within three days, classification, FLSA); people leadership (your team watches what you do, not what you say); hiring and onboarding (a bad first 30 days undoes every good hiring decision); compensation and benefits (pay inequity doesn't stay hidden — if disparities break along gender or race lines without documentation, you have a legal problem); performance and development (your top performers watch you tolerate underperformance and judge your leadership accordingly); and transitions, terminations, and promotions (how you let someone go tells your team more about your values than any poster on the wall)
4. How to get out of operational firefighting — most small businesses get stuck in the operational bucket because they never built the foundational systems; the strategic work becomes figureoutable once the foundation is solid; the free Employer Responsibility Checklist is where to start
5. How to use this series — pull each episode transcript into AI after listening and prompt it with your state, industry, and employee count; the free mini HR audit and HR Foundations course are companion resources designed to go alongside the content

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Most Small Businesses Put HR Off Until It Becomes a Crisis
 00:44 Launching the 13 HR Systems Series
 01:07 Free Employer Responsibility Checklist — Get It Now
 03:55 The Four HR Buckets — Overview
 04:20 Bucket 1 — Foundational Systems
 04:51 Bucket 2 — Operational Systems (Where Most Get Stuck)
 06:00 Bucket 3 — Strategic Systems (Where Real Impact Happens)
 07:50 Bucket 4 — Infrastructure
 12:24 How to Use AI to Apply Each Episode to Your Business
 13:26 System 1 — What Does It Actually Mean to Be an Employer?
 14:55 Six Employer Responsibility Categories
 15:13 Category 1 — Compliance and Legal
 17:10 70% of Businesses That Face a Lawsuit Never Financially Recover
 17:43 Category 2 — People Leadership
 18:12 Category 3 — Hiring and Onboarding
 19:52 Category 4 — Compensation and Benefits
 21:21 Category 5 — Performance and Development
 22:34 Category 6 — Transitions, Terminations, Demotions, Promotions
 23:48 You Don't Need Permission or an HR Degree to Start
 25:00 The Audit Lifts the Hood on All 13 Areas
 26:50 Next Episode — Hiring

The free HR Audit is built around the same 13 systems Kerri covers in this series — take it now to find out exactly where your foundation stands: saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are.
👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎙️ Listen to Don't Waste the Chaos — The podcast for small business owners building strong people operations.
👉 kerrimroberts.com/podcast

📖 Get The HR Easy Button — Kerri's book on building HR systems that actually work for small businesses.
👉 https://amzn.to/4cPyrFh

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter — Weekly HR insights for founders, in your inbox every Monday.
👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors

—

Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact

Ready to build foundational HR systems on your own?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Free Employer Responsibility Checklist — saltandlightadvisors.com/employerresponsibilitychecklist
• HR Foundations course ($49) — saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations
• The HR Easy Button by Kerri Roberts — Amazon; amzn.to/4cPyrFh
• Gusto — basic payroll platform; Kerri has a discount code (link in show notes)
• Rippling — HR payroll platform; Kerri is a partner
• Free HR Audit — saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

📝 Full show notes + transcript: https://kerrimroberts.com/dontwastethechaos/13-hr-systems-small-business-series-launch

Support the show

Having a performance conversation with an employee is one of the most consistently avoided things in small business leadership — and the longer you wait, the more it costs you. In this solo episode, Kerri Roberts ends the avoidance by giving you the exact five-step framework for having a performance conversation that is clear, professional, and actually changes something — plus what to do when they get defensive, when they cry, when they walk out, and when nothing changes after the conversation.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why 69% of managers are uncomfortable giving feedback — and what avoidance actually costs — your silence signals that the behavior is acceptable to you; your high performers are watching and starting to disengage; the problem compounds from a small issue into a documented pattern that's now harder to address; you start becoming the bottleneck; and when it finally blows up, you have no paper trail, no documentation, and you're legally exposed for wrongful termination even in an at-will state
2. The five-step performance conversation framework — step 1: set the meeting with intention (schedule a private one-on-one and tell them it's a check-in on their role; don't ambush and don't pull someone aside in a hallway); step 2: lead with observation not accusation (use "I've noticed" — not "you always" or "someone told me"); step 3: get curious before you get directive (ask "what's getting in the way?" and then wait — you might learn something that changes your approach entirely); step 4: be clear about what needs to change (don't hint at it, don't soften it to the point it disappears — state the expectation directly); step 5: agree on next steps and document it (send a follow-up email summarizing what you discussed — this is your paper trail and it ensures clarity on both sides)
3. What to do when the employee gets defensive or emotional — stay regulated and don't match their energy; you are the professional in the room; say "I hear that this is hard to hear — I still need us to reach a clear agreement before we leave this conversation"; keep a Kleenex box in your office; if they cry, give them a moment but don't abandon the message; if they walk out, make clear they still need to return to the conversation
4. What happens when nothing changes after the conversation — that's when HR documentation and a formal performance improvement plan (PIP) become the tools; if you've had the conversation once and nothing changed and you haven't come back around, you've done the right first step — now it needs to be escalated and documented
5. An imperfect conversation had is better than a perfect conversation avoided — Kerri's real current client story: a manager avoided addressing an issue so long that when he finally did, he came in frustrated and heated; the employee went to HR, HR hadn't been notified of any of the performance issues, and what started as a performance problem became a potential hostile work environment complaint and a retaliation problem because the termination would look retaliatory

CHAPTERS:

00:00 The Conversation You've Been Putting Off for Weeks
 00:52 Why Leaders Avoid Giving Feedback — The Real Reasons
 02:32 69% of Managers Uncomfortable Giving Feedback
 02:44 What Avoidance Actually Costs Your Business
 03:04 Your High Performers Are Already Watching — and Looking to Leave
 03:40 The Problem Compounds — Small Issue Becomes a Pattern
 04:07 No Paper Trail and You're Legally Exposed
 05:43 The Five-Step Framework — Here's Exactly What to Say
 05:59 Step 1 — Set the Meeting With Intention (Don't Ambush)
 06:34 Schedule Private; Tell Them It's a Check-In on Their Role
 07:01 Step 2 — Lead With Observation, Not Accusation
 07:15 Use "I've Noticed" — Not "You Always" or "Someone Told Me"
 08:02 Step 3 — Get Curious Before You Get Directive
 08:22 Ask "What's Getting in the Way?" and Then Wait
 09:25 Step 4 — Be Clear About What Needs to Change
 09:41 Don't Hint at It — State the Expectation Directly
 10:00 Step 5 — Agree on Next Steps and Document It
 10:14 Send a Follow-Up Email — This Is Your Paper Trail
 10:33 What the Follow-Up Email Should Actually Say
 11:34 What to Do When They Get Defensive
 12:07 Don't Match Their Energy — You Are the Professional
 12:47 "I Hear That This Is Hard — I Still Need a Clear Agreement"
 13:40 What If They Cry?
 14:19 If They Walk Out — They Still Have to Return to the Conversation
 15:20 If Nothing Changes — Performance Improvement Plan
 15:47 What Happens When You Say It Wrong?
 16:10 An Imperfect Conversation Had Is Better Than One Avoided
 16:14 The Client Story — Manager Came in Hot; Employee Went to HR
 18:05 It Became a Potential Retaliation Problem
 18:33 Schedule This Conversation Before Friday
 19:20 You're Costing Yourself Sleep, Credibility, and Money
 20:06 HR Foundations Course — Templates for Exactly This

If you've been avoiding this conversation, the free HR Audit will show you where your people systems need structure before things escalate further: saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

— Resources to keep building —

🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are.
👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

🎙️ Listen to Don't Waste the Chaos — The podcast for small business owners building strong people operations.
👉 kerrimroberts.com/podcast

📖 Get The HR Easy Button — Kerri's book on building HR systems that actually work for small businesses.
👉 https://amzn.to/4cPyrFh

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter — Weekly HR insights for founders, in your inbox every Monday.
👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors

—

Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact

Ready to build foundational HR systems on your own?
 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• HR Foundations Course (under $400, four modules, downloadable templates for performance conversations and PIPs) — saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations
• Free DIY HR Audit — saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit

📝 Full show notes + transcript: https://kerrimroberts.com/dontwastethechaos/how-to-have-a-performance-conversation-with-an-employee

Support the show