-

 

The 5 Most Common HR Misalignments I See in Growing Businesses

by Purciarele Group



After 30+ years working in HR, I’ve noticed something consistent:

Most small businesses are not doing HR “wrong.”

They’re just growing faster than their structure.

And when growth outpaces structure, small misalignments start to show up.

Not dramatic ones.

Subtle ones.

But subtle misalignment is where tension begins.

Here are the five most common HR misalignments I see in businesses with 2–50 employees.

1. Policy Doesn’t Match Practice

The handbook says one thing.

Managers do another.

Employees experience something slightly different.

No one intends for this to happen. It usually occurs because:

  • The handbook hasn’t been reviewed in years.

  • Processes evolved informally.

  • Leadership made practical adjustments over time.

  • No one circled back to document the changes.

When policy and practice drift apart, confusion follows.

And confusion erodes trust faster than most business owners realize.

2. Payroll Is Accurate — But Not Explainable

There’s a difference between payroll being correct and payroll being clear.

If a manager can’t confidently explain:

  • How pay periods work

  • How PTO is calculated

  • Why a paycheck looks slightly different

  • When something accrues vs. when it can be used

Then accuracy doesn’t eliminate doubt.

Transparency builds confidence. Documentation protects it.

3. Managers Are Promoted — But Not Trained

In growing businesses, strong employees become managers.

That’s normal.

What’s less common? Formal manager training.

Without guidance, managers:

  • Handle discipline differently.

  • Approve time off inconsistently.

  • Avoid documentation.

  • Rely on personality instead of process.

This doesn’t make them bad leaders.

It makes them unsupported leaders.

And unsupported managers create inconsistent environments.

4. Systems Exist — But No One Owns Them

Many businesses have:

  • A payroll system.

  • A PTO tracking method.

  • Offer letter templates.

  • Some documentation process.

But no one is actively responsible for maintaining alignment between:

  • Policy

  • Practice

  • Payroll system

  • Manager behavior

When ownership is unclear, gaps widen quietly.

5. Structure Feels “Corporate,” So It Gets Avoided

Small businesses pride themselves on culture.

On flexibility.

On relationships.

And sometimes structure gets mistaken for bureaucracy.

But structure does not kill culture.

Structure protects culture.

Clear expectations reduce conflict.
Consistency reduces resentment.
Transparency builds loyalty.

The most stable teams are rarely the most rigid — they’re the most aligned.

Why This Matters

HR misalignment doesn’t usually show up as a lawsuit.

It shows up as:

  • Frustration.

  • Hesitation.

  • Manager discomfort.

  • Employee uncertainty.

  • Owner second-guessing.

And over time, that friction slows growth.

The goal of strong HR isn’t control.

It’s clarity.

When your policies match your practice, your systems match your growth, and your managers understand expectations — HR becomes quiet.

And quiet HR is healthy HR.

If you haven’t reviewed your structure recently, it doesn’t mean something is wrong.

It may simply mean your business has evolved.

And when your business evolves, your HR foundation should evolve with it. Reach out to us today: info@purciarelegroup.com, www.PurciareleGroup.com

We love HR so you don’t have to™.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HR Red Flags You're Ignoring—Until It's Too Late

-
Image
HR Red Flags You're Ignoring—Until It's Too Late By Purciarele Group – HR Simplified! Some business problems announce themselves with sirens. Others start with a whisper: a missed deadline, a frustrated employee, an awkward silence in a meeting. Too often, leaders dismiss these as “normal growing pains” or “people stuff that will work itself out.” Spoiler alert: it won’t. And by the time you're forced to act, it’s already cost you— in morale, productivity, reputation, or turnover. We've seen it all. These five HR red flags are the quiet killers of great teams. And if you're seeing any of them? It's time to stop ignoring and start addressing. 🚩 1. Your Best Employee Has Gone Quiet They used to take initiative, offer ideas, and mentor others. Now? They’re doing the bare minimum, logging off early, or making passive comments like, “I’m just keeping my head down these days.” What it really means: Disengagement is setting in. They’ve lost trust in lea...
Read more

HR & the Spirit of Summer

-
Image
 ☀️ HR & the Spirit of Summer: Bringing a Little Sunshine Back to the Workplace Do you remember what June used to feel like? The countdown to the last day of school. The sound of flip-flops smacking against the pavement. Ice cream trucks blaring their music down suburban streets. Sleepovers. Sprinklers. Fireflies. Long days at the pool followed by even longer nights of freedom. Summer wasn’t just a season—it was a feeling. Then… you grew up. And June became just another month on the calendar—packed with meetings, deadlines, and quarterly goals. Summer break turned into “business as usual,” with the whimsy buried under piles of paperwork, overflowing inboxes, and calendars blocked from 9 to 5. But what if summer didn’t have to vanish? What if we could bring some of that childhood magic back—right into the workplace? As an HR consulting firm that partners with businesses across the country, we hear the same thing over and over again from leaders and employees alike: burnout does...
Read more

Unmasking Passive Toxicity Before It Undermines Your Culture

-
Image
The Most Dangerous Person in Your Workplace Might Be ‘Nice’ Unmasking Passive Toxicity Before It Undermines Your Culture When you hear “toxic employee,” you probably picture someone who yells, resists authority, or blatantly pushes boundaries. They’re disruptive, loud, and unmistakable. But there’s another kind of toxicity—one that’s far more dangerous because it hides in plain sight. It’s the employee who smiles in meetings, avoids conflict, and presents as “easygoing” or “supportive.” They’re often described as nice —and on the surface, they probably are. But dig deeper, and you may discover that this same person is quietly derailing your team through passive-aggressive behaviors, manipulation, or strategic avoidance. This is passive toxicity —and it can do just as much damage, if not more, than overt misconduct. What Passive Toxicity Looks Like This kind of behavior doesn’t always leave obvious footprints, but over time, it corrodes trust, collaboration, and performance. You...
Read more