Questions we hear often

The earlier the better, but most companies come to us when they're experiencing growing pains. Common triggers include: you're about to scale significantly after funding, your current structure is breaking, you're making hiring mistakes, or culture is feeling diluted.

That said, we're also happy to work with earlier-stage companies who want to be proactive. Building good foundations early saves pain later.

It depends on the scope and type of engagement. Project work is typically scoped based on the specific challenge and deliverables. Strategic advisory relationships are usually monthly retainers. Workshops are day-rate based.

We're transparent about costs and will always scope work properly before starting. Get in touch and we can discuss your specific situation.

No, we're not employment solicitors and we don't provide legal counsel. We focus on strategic advisory around people management, organisational design, and culture.

When legal questions arise, we'll help you understand what you need and recommend qualified employment solicitors. We work alongside legal counsel, not instead of them.

Flat structures work well early on, but start to break somewhere between 20-40 people. Signs you need more structure include: decisions taking too long, unclear accountability, founders becoming bottlenecks, or people not knowing who to go to for what.

The transition doesn't have to be dramatic. Often it starts with creating team leads or functional heads while keeping things relatively flat overall.

There's no single right answer. Some companies organise around product areas, others around customer segments or technology layers. The key is aligning structure with strategy.

We help you think through the trade-offs of different models and design something that fits your specific context, stage, and goals.

It depends on what you need. A Head of People is typically more strategic, focusing on organisational design, culture, and people strategy. An HR Manager is more operational, focusing on processes, policies, and employee relations.

Most startups need someone who can do a bit of both initially. We can help you define the role properly and decide on seniority level.

You can't always match big tech salaries, but you can offer things they can't: impact, learning, autonomy, and culture. The key is being clear about your employee value proposition and finding people who value what you offer.

We help you articulate what makes you compelling and design hiring processes that attract the right people, not just anyone.

Long enough to make good decisions, short enough to not lose great candidates. We typically recommend 2-3 interview stages for most roles, completed within 2-3 weeks total.

More important than length is quality. Each stage should test something specific and give candidates a realistic view of the role and company.

Both, but frame it properly. "Cultural fit" often becomes an excuse for hiring people just like us. "Cultural add" recognises that diversity of thought and background makes teams stronger.

We help you define what values and behaviours actually matter, then hire people who share those values while bringing different perspectives and experiences.

Culture becomes more intentional as you scale. What was implicit needs to become explicit. This means defining your values clearly, hiring and promoting based on them, and building rituals and systems that reinforce them.

Some aspects of culture will naturally evolve as you grow. The key is being intentional about what you want to preserve and what needs to change.

Values are only useful if they actually influence decisions and behaviour. Many companies have generic values on the wall that nobody pays attention to.

We help you define values that are specific to you, that reflect how you want to work, and that you're willing to hire and fire based on. If you're not ready to do that, it's better to wait.

Engagement isn't about perks and benefits. It comes from people feeling like their work matters, having clarity on goals, getting regular feedback, and seeing opportunities to grow.

We help you build the systems and practices that drive engagement: clear goals, regular check-ins, career conversations, and meaningful recognition.

Irish employment legislation requires certain policies around areas like dignity at work, grievance procedures, and health and safety. But this is legal territory, so you should consult employment solicitors for specific requirements.

We can help you understand what good practice looks like and develop policies that go beyond minimum compliance, but always recommend legal review before finalising.

Ireland has specific employment legislation, tribunal processes, and cultural norms. Employee protections are generally strong. Notice periods are typically longer than in some other jurisdictions. The Workplace Relations Commission handles employment disputes.

We help you understand the Irish employment landscape and build practices that align with local expectations and best practices.

Yes, written contracts of employment are legally required in Ireland. You must provide employees with a written statement of their core terms within five days of starting work.

This is a legal compliance matter, so you should have employment solicitors draft or review your contracts. We can help you think through what roles and terms you need, but the contracts themselves need legal input.

Project work typically runs 4-12 weeks depending on scope. Strategic advisory relationships are usually ongoing, often 6-12 months initially then reviewed. Workshops are usually single or multi-day sessions.

We're flexible and will scope work to fit your needs and budget. Some clients need intensive short-term support, others prefer ongoing partnership.

Communication is everything. People can handle change if they understand why it's happening and how it affects them. Be clear about the rationale, involve people where possible, communicate early and often, and support people through the transition.

We help you plan and execute reorganisations in ways that maintain trust and momentum, with proper communication strategies and transition support.

Your employer brand exists whether you're intentional about it or not. It's what people say about you as a place to work. The question is whether you want to shape that narrative or leave it to chance.

You don't need fancy campaigns early on. Start by being clear about who you are, what you value, and what it's like to work with you. Authenticity matters more than polish.

Culture in remote or hybrid teams requires more intention. You can't rely on osmosis and hallway conversations. You need to create explicit opportunities for connection, clear communication norms, and rituals that work across locations.

We help remote and hybrid teams build culture deliberately, from onboarding to communication practices to team rituals.