Per Wickstrom Looks at the Importance of HR When Starting a Company

In this age of automation, it is altogether too easy to forget the human element when starting a company. Yes, you may be a startup that produces a product that can be manufactured by CNC automated machines with very little human intervention, but that is actually only one small aspect of your business. Lest we forget just how important the human element is when starting a company, Per Wickstrom of A Forever Recovery reminds us that companies are run by people, for people, and there is no way you can organize without a strong HR presence.

Automation Is Creating Fear in the Workforce

According to Per Wickstrom, it seems as though technology has been focused on automation for so long that many of today’s blue collar workers are feeling as though they are becoming obsolete. This has led to high levels of stress which in turn has led to heroin addiction as well as addiction to other opioids that elevate levels of dopamine in the body. “We are seeing a significant increase in the number of men and women coming through our doors at A Forever Recovery who fear for their financial futures.”

He explains that, “Many have been working for more than a decade at the same job, day after day, only to be told that a new automated machine is going to soon be doing what they have done for years. Even though they are being reassured that there will be another place for them in the company, they are terrified that their families will be left without the means to survive. These workers, the backbone of America, are literally frightened for their survival and have turned to self-medicating as a result.”

Machines Don’t Make Buying Decisions

When starting a company, it is vital to keep in mind that machines don’t make buying decisions, people do. You can automate almost every function within your company but you cannot automate the consumer on the other end who will be buying your products. Also, when it comes to quality control, it is a person who is doing the inspection and either passing the products along or rejecting them if needed. These humans are vital to your survival and that’s why Human Resources, HR, is a necessary component to any startup. “Choosing the right people for the job, people who ‘fit’ the team are as important to your success as the products you will be producing,” Per reminds us.

HR to the Rescue

Many of the clients who walk through the doors of A Forever Recovery have been referred by strong HR departments. The HR team interacts with staff daily and is on the front lines when a problem is recognized. They are the ones who get to the bottom of what is troubling the team but even beyond that, they are the ones responsible for recruiting staff in the first place. No one knows the inner workings of your company like Human Resources and without a strong HR presence you could find your company floundering in the dark. “Whether referring team members to our Drug Rehab for treatment with Vivitrol or recruiting new talent, HR is the department that deals with humans and is a necessary component to any flourishing business.”

Per Wickstrom is a strong advocate for getting back in touch with the importance of people and that’s why he promotes organizing a strong HR team from the very beginning of any new company. Human Resources puts the team together, keeps the team together and mends fences along the way. He concludes by saying, “Before you open your doors, make sure you have this department fully staffed and all else will fall into place. You are a company owned and run by people, producing products to be sold to and used by people so you can see why HR is so important to your survival.” And that’s just the way it is.