Building Stronger Businesses Through HR: Hiring, Retention, and Leadership for Growth
Human resources can feel like one of the most complex and overwhelming aspects of running a business. Yet when managed well, HR is not only about compliance or paperwork. It becomes the foundation for building a company that attracts the right people, develops them effectively, retains them longer, and strengthens enterprise value.
At our September Skill Lab, three HR leaders joined us for an honest conversation on what business owners need to know about people management: Tami Parker of UNIcycle Consulting, Cveta Chydzinski of theFace HR, and Katie Spadoro of CYB Human Resources. Their insights covered hiring, onboarding, performance, compliance, and leadership. The central theme was clear: businesses that invest in HR systems and people practices position themselves for long-term growth and resilience.
Why Hiring Mistakes Cost So Much
Owners often feel pressure to hire quickly. Growth creates gaps, and the temptation is to bring someone in immediately. The panel reminded us that this is one of the most expensive mistakes a business can make. The wrong hire can result in turnover, unemployment claims, cultural disruption, and even legal risk.
One of the first lessons is to get job descriptions right. A strong job description should highlight intangibles like culture, mission, vision, and values. Skills can be taught, but alignment and integrity cannot.
Another phrase that resonated was the call to stop looking for “unicorn employees.” Unicorns do not exist. No hire can read your mind, be autonomous in every way, and fit every expectation. Instead, businesses should hire stallions. Stallions are strong, reliable, and coachable. They bring grit, they get things done, and they stay the course.
Hiring should also be transparent and practical. Many applicants read job postings on their phones and spend only a few seconds deciding whether to apply. That means descriptions must be clear, mobile friendly, and free of unnecessary detail.
Onboarding as a Growth Strategy
Hiring is only the beginning. The first 90 days often determine whether an employee stays and thrives or leaves.
The statistics speak for themselves. Thirty percent of employees leave within their first 90 days. Yet companies that build a structured onboarding process improve retention by 82 percent. Productivity increases by 52 to 60 percent when onboarding is intentional.
One of the most important lessons from the panel was the 80/20 rule. On day one, 80 percent of an employee’s success is on the company, and only 20 percent is on the new hire. Over the first 90 days those numbers reverse. Business owners must recognize that the early burden of success lies with leadership.
Practical recommendations included:
Develop a 30-60-90 day plan and share it with the employee at the start.
Put 30, 60, and 90 day check-ins on the calendar during the first day.
Allow employees to shadow leaders and observe how business is conducted.
Teach internal customer care, the idea that doing your job well is the first way to support your colleagues.
Always explain the why. Employees who understand the reason behind decisions adapt more quickly and deliver better results.
Performance Management and Documentation
Performance management is not about annual reviews. It is about building a culture of clarity and accountability.
The panel shared several guiding principles. First, start difficult conversations with curiosity. Assume employees want to do well and ask, “Are you okay? What is going on?” Sometimes performance problems reveal larger issues such as system failures or personal hardship.
Second, document everything. Even a quick follow-up email can serve as important documentation. Use the word commitments when confirming next steps: “Here is what I heard you commit to, and here is what I commit to.”
Third, remember that clear is kind. Employees deserve to know what is at stake. A phrase that captured this point was: “If improvement is not immediate and sustained, you will be choosing to no longer work here.”
Finally, understand that the best way to protect your business is to let employees fire themselves. When expectations are clear and consistent, poor performers self-select out. Surprises are what create lawsuits and claims.
Compliance as a Foundation
Compliance is rarely exciting, but it is critical. Ignoring it can create enormous cost.
Cveta stressed the need to audit systems regularly. Federal law provides the baseline, but state and city laws often require more. Employers must know the rules for every location where employees work, especially with remote and hybrid teams.
Another recurring issue is misclassification. If you tell someone what to do, how to do it, and when to do it, that person is not a contractor. They are an employee. Treating them as a 1099 when they should be a W-2 can result in fines, back pay, and penalties.
The group also cautioned against over-reliance on technology for compliance. “ChatGPT is a tool, not an expert.” HR and legal expertise are essential for protecting a business.
Leadership and Culture
Strong leadership sets the tone for culture, accountability, and retention.
Key lessons included:
Feedback should never come as a surprise. If employees are caught off guard in a review, leadership has failed.
Vulnerability matters. Leaders who admit mistakes, clarify their own commitments, and show a willingness to improve build trust.
Employees should see leaders as assets, just as leaders see employees as assets. This is the essence of internal customer care.
Tone and approach matter. “The way you come at somebody will determine whether they come back to you again.” Respect and consistency are critical for long-term relationships.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The panel closed by identifying two areas that business owners need to prepare for in the year ahead.
First is AI regulation. HR will play a central role in designing responsible policies, vetting vendors, and working with legal and IT to ensure accountability.
Second is future-focused hiring. Businesses must use accountability charts, not org charts. Accountability charts clarify responsibilities and make it easier to see where gaps exist. They also prevent companies from hiring based on titles rather than needs. Sometimes a business does not need a COO but instead needs an operations manager with a clear growth path.
Tools and Resources
To help business owners put these lessons into practice, we are sharing a full suite of resources mentioned in the Skill Lab:
All of these tools will be linked along with the video recording of the session so you can revisit the conversation, share it with your team, and start implementing the practices right away.
Practical Steps for Business Owners
Write better job descriptions that highlight intangibles.
Stop searching for unicorns. Hire stallions instead.
Apply the 80/20 rule in onboarding. Early success depends on you.
Put 30, 60, and 90 day check-ins on the calendar during the first day.
Document every conversation and use the word “commitments.”
Remember that clear is kind. Say what you mean directly.
Conduct quarterly compliance audits. Federal law is only the floor.
Build accountability charts to plan future hires.
Lead with vulnerability and always explain the why.
Let employees fire themselves by making expectations explicit.
Positioning HR as a Growth Engine
HR is not an administrative burden. It is a strategic lever. Companies that invest in HR build stronger cultures, retain talent longer, avoid costly compliance mistakes, and increase enterprise value.
At Athena Advisory Collective, we work directly with business owners to strengthen systems, leadership, and accountability. We also partner with trusted experts like UNIcycle Consulting, theFace HR, and CYB Human Resources. Together we create an ecosystem of support that gives owners access to the services, tools, and knowledge that can meaningfully grow their businesses.
When owners are connected to the right partners, they solve problems faster, build stronger teams, and scale with confidence. Athena’s role is to bring these resources together, helping business leaders cut through the noise, focus on what matters, and leverage expert support to create long-term enterprise value.
The companies that thrive in 2026 and beyond will be those that treat HR not as an afterthought, but as a foundation for growth, supported by the right partners.
