HR Best Practices Every New School Should Know

Quick look: Starting a new school means making countless decisions before the first student ever walks through the doors. Your HR strategy should be one of them. From hiring and payroll to compliance and benefits, putting the right processes in place early can give your school a strong foundation for years to come. Keep the following HR best practices in mind as you get started.

Opening a new school is an impressive feat that comes with a long checklist of responsibilities. Curriculum and governance tasks may come naturally, but what about creating an HR strategy?

The policies, processes, and systems you establish for your employees can shape how your school operates as it grows, while giving your staff the structure they need to support your mission and students.

So, where should a new school begin? Here are the HR best practices to consider as you build your people management strategy from the ground up.

Mastering compliance

designated entity that reviews and approves school applications, may also assign charter schools and other institutions additional requirements for governance rules, financial oversight, annual performance reports, and other operational standards.

Education is a highly regulated industry, and new schools must comply with different mandates across three specific categories.

• Federal laws: National government regulations, like the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
• State laws: Requirements set by specific states, including employee classification, wage and labor, job-protected leave, workers’ comp, and at-will employment
• Local laws: Municipal or school district ordinances, such as health and safety rules, property management guidelines, and zoning and licensing

An authorizer, such as a state department or other designated entity that reviews and approves school applications, may also assign charter schools and other institutions additional requirements for governance rules, financial oversight, annual performance reports, and other operational standards.

Best practice tips:

√ Create your core HR policies before hiring begins, then review them regularly as laws and school requirements change.

√ Keep everything in one accessible employee handbook, so staff can easily understand workplace policies and expectations.

Choosing compatible HR tech

The right HR technology can help new schools streamline daily administrative tasks across payroll, compliance, employee benefits, and people management. Instead of relying on manual paper filing, schools can use a secure system to organize employee information and keep important records in one place.

But many HR platforms are typically built for traditional corporate environments. Before choosing a system, it’s important to determine whether its features and functions meet your school’s needs.

Best practice tips:

√ Look for an HR platform that can grow with your school and accommodate the way your school operates.

√ Consider how easily it can handle different employee types, pay schedules, benefits, leave, and reporting needs, as well as how simple it will be for administrators and employees to use day to day.

Hiring and onboarding top talent

People are at the heart of every school, supporting mission goals and academic success with their skills and expertise.

As competition for education talent continues to grow, new schools need recruiting strategies that help them reach the right candidates. After filling a position, a structured onboarding experience is vital, making new hires 2.6 times more likely to be satisfied at work.

Best practice tips:

√ Build a consistent hiring process before you start recruiting.

√ Use clear job descriptions, standardized interview questions, and a simple evaluation process so everyone involved in hiring knows what to look for and how candidates will be assessed.

√ Expand your talent pipeline by sourcing applicants from online job boards, job fairs, staff referrals, and social media.

√ Once someone is hired, set 30-, 60-, and 90-day goals to help them get settled and understand what success looks like in their new role.

Want more hiring tips for new schools?

Download our School Hiring Handbook today>>

Competitive employee benefits

Today’s workforce expects employee benefits packages to address various healthcare and wellness needs. Outside of medical, dental, and vision insurance, some offerings that can help attract talent in the education sector include:

• Health advocacy and telehealth options
• 401(k) retirement savings for non-pensioned staff
• Short- and long-term disability
• Life insurance coverage
• Flexible spending accounts (FSA)
• Health savings accounts (HSA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Family-forming care services

For new schools, it’s critical to find a balance between providing competitive options and not overextending limited budgets and resources.

Best practice tips:

√ Start by identifying the benefits that matter most to your employees, then build a package that fits your school’s budget.

√ Offer a range of plan options to give employees more flexibility while helping your school manage costs.

Supportive leave management

Life happens, and school employees may need time away from work for personal or family matters. A clear leave management policy gives employees and administrators a consistent process to follow when that happens.

Your policy should outline available types of leave, including paid time off (PTO), sick leave, jury duty, parental leave, bereavement, and other options based on applicable federal and state requirements, including the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Best practice tips:

√ Put a clear process in place for requesting and tracking leave before your staff needs it.

√ Define who handles requests, how employees submit them, and how time off is recorded so everyone knows what to expect when an employee needs to step away.

Flexible time and labor management

Staff schedules consistently change, especially in new school environments. Part-time coaches may work longer hours when a sports season starts. If a teacher calls out sick, administrators need a substitute to cover classes. When a school forms an after-school tutoring program, it may require rotating shifts for participating employees.

Flexible time and labor management procedures allow administrators to make staffing decisions based on current demands while keeping labor costs more predictable. 

Best practice tips:

√ Establish a consistent way to track employee hours and schedules, including overtime and changes to planned hours.

√ Review this information regularly to spot staffing gaps, adjust schedules, and keep payroll accurate.

Accurate payroll and tax administration

New schools manage a variety of compensation structures, from per diem payments for substitute teachers to 10-,11-, and 12-month staff schedules. They also need protocols for handling pay changes when employees are promoted or take on dual roles.

Best practice tip:

√ Don’t wait until your first payroll to work out the details. Establish processes for different pay schedules, employee classifications, stipends, and compensation changes early; then use HR and payroll technology to keep everything accurate and organized.

Continued professional development for staff

Even the most experienced employees benefit from opportunities to refresh their skills and learn something new. A learning and development (L&D) program can encourage continued growth while helping staff stay current with trends, requirements, and practices within education.

Best practice tips:

√ Build professional development into your school’s annual planning rather than treating it as a one-time training requirement.

√ Give employees opportunities to build skills that connect to their roles and create time for ongoing learning throughout the school year.

A strong HR foundation from day one

There’s a lot to build before a new school opens its doors, and HR is an important part of that foundation. Establishing the right employee operations early can help your school stay organized, meet its responsibilities, and create a workplace where staff can do their best work.

ExtensisHR helps put those processes in place.

Our professional employer organization (PEO) solution for schools brings HR expertise, dedicated support, and technology together to simplify the administrative side of running your school.

Each school is paired with a dedicated service team, including a School Account Manager (SAM), HR Business Partner, Implementation Manager, and Leave of Absence (LOA) specialists, to help your school:

• Develop compliant policies and employee handbooks
• Streamline admin tasks via our SchoolCloud® technology platform
• Find top talent with interview guidance and recruiting support
• Set and track employee goals with an optional 15Five performance management tool
• Offer flexible, competitive employee benefits at large-group pricing
• Manage employee leave and recordkeeping
• Navigate payroll and scheduling with a dedicated Payroll Specialist
• Build professional development strategies with access to 500+ K-12 courses from Vector Solutions

With ExtensisHR as your PEO partner, you can put the HR infrastructure in place to support your school from opening day and as your community grows.