Staff Administration
(Or: "How to avoid your best employee suing you because you forgot to document their promotion.")
2.3.1 Attendance Systems
What It’s All About:
"Tracking attendance is like brushing your teeth—skip it, and things get ugly fast. No system = Salary disputes + legal nightmares."
💡 Pro Tips:
• Biometric Systems: ₹5K–15K one-time cost. Pro: Foolproof. Con: Employees hate fingerprint scans at 9 AM.
• Mobile Apps: Zoho People, Kredily (Free–₹50/employee/month). Best for: Remote teams.
• Excel (The "I Like to Live Dangerously" Option): Only for teams <5. Risk: One "accidental" delete = Lost data.
🔥 Horror Story:
A Kolkata startup used Excel for attendance. An employee edited the sheet to show extra 30 days worked. Legal battle cost ₹3L+.
Self-Assessment:
"Does your attendance system have…"
✅ Tamper-proof logs?
✅ Overtime tracking?
✅ Integration with payroll?
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2.3.2 Leave Records
💡 Landmines to Avoid:
• Casual Leave: Max 12 days/year (India norm). Beyond that = Deduct from salary.
• Sick Leave: 6 days/year standard. Tip: Require doctor’s note after 2 days.
• Earned Leave: 15 days/year. Must: Carry over or encash if unused.
🔥 Horror Story #2:
A Bangalore employee took 42 "sick leaves" in a year. Founder later discovered he was running a side business. Firing him cost ₹2L in legal fees (no documentation).
Pro Move:
Use greytHR (₹30/employee/month) to auto-track leave balances.
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2.3.3 Employee Contracts
(The "Cover Your Ass" Files)
💡 Must-Have Clauses:
1. Notice Period: 30–90 days (enforceable if documented).
2. Non-Compete: 6 months–1 year (valid only if paid during this period).
3. IP Ownership: Everything they create = Yours. Else, your dev could patent your core tech.
Scam Alert:
A Mumbai designer sold company logos on Shutterstock because her contract didn’t mention IP rights.
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🛠️ Staff Admin Health Check
"Rate your HR game:"
Area 😱 Disaster 🛠️ Needs Work 🛡️ Pro-Level
Attendance "Trust system" (lol) Excel sheets Biometric + cloud backup
Leave Verbal approvals Tracked but not centralized Automated system + policy
Contracts "We shook hands" Basic offer letter NDA + IP clause + non-compete
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🚨 Crisis Protocols
"When HR hell breaks loose:"
Scenario Immediate Action Long-Term Fix
Employee fakes attendance Freeze salary + legal notice Install biometric system ASAP
Leave abuse Demand medical proof + warn in writing Implement leave management software
No contract for old employee Backdate signed agreement Use e-sign tools (Digio, SignEasy)
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📌 Pro Tips for Founders
1. Offer Letters: Always include probation period (3–6 months). Makes firing easier if needed.
2. NDAs: Use separate docs for NDAs (not buried in offer letters). Courts take them more seriously.
3. Remote Work: Add "work from home" policies in contracts. Avoids "But you never said I couldn’t work from Goa!" fights.
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🎯 Final Thought
"HR paperwork is like a parachute—you don’t need it until you really need it."
