Startups move fast but culture tends to break first. Here are the top 5 common failures we see (and how HR can get ahead of them):

1. Hiring for Headcount, Not Culture
Its exciting – the pressure’s on to hire quickly. But bringing in people who don’t align with your values or style will cost you more in the long run.

HR fix: Help define what “good” looks like beyond the CV. Build it into interviews and onboarding – not just a vibe check, but real structure.  Its easy to overlook this but be firm!

2. Founders Disappear from the Culture
As things scale, founders step out of the day-to-day – but culture still follows their lead (good or bad).

HR fix: Keep them visible. Help them build small, repeatable moments to reinforce values – whether that’s how they open team meetings or the behaviours they reward.

3. No Clear Culture to Scale in the First Place
If it’s not defined early, it’ll drift fast.

HR fix: Don’t overcomplicate it. Work with the team to lock in core values and expected behaviours, then bake them into hiring, performance, and comms.

4. Layering in Managers Too Quickly
Promoting too fast or hiring in managers who don’t get the culture causes major disconnects.

HR fix: Set new managers up for success. Train them, buddy them up, and give feedback quickly if it’s not working. Don’t just throw them in and hope.

5. Stopping Listening
In busy times, feedback drops off. You stop asking, people stop talking, and suddenly your best people are gone.

HR fix: Pulse check, talk to people, track what’s going on. But more importantly, do something with what you hear.

Growth is exciting and its easy to get caught up in the buzz – as an HR specialist this can be a fantastic growth and escalation of your skills but make sure you keep abreast of the long term and how decision now will impact down the line.

Looking for a consultant to help you navigate this path check out our Featured Contractor – a Senior HR Expert – on our TA/HR contractor page: https://www.intuitiverecruit.com/contractor/senior-hr-expert-available-organisational-design-workforce-planning/