Why choose an HR process audit?

Human resource management is one of the key pillars of any company, whether it is a dynamically growing business or an already established market player. For growing companies, it is important to build a strategic, planned approach to HR management so that the team and processes can keep pace with growth. For established companies, on the other hand, it is important to regularly adapt HR management systems to changing conditions and market shifts, and to evaluate their alignment with the business direction and strategy.

An HR management process evaluation, led by DarbaGuru's HR management experts, is a practical way for a company to gain a clear and objective view of the effectiveness of its human resource management.

An HR management process evaluation helps the company's management team to:

  • identify HR processes that may hinder the company's growth;
  • align human resource management with the business's strategic goals;
  • reduce risks in labor law and personnel documentation;
  • use the HR budget and resources more efficiently;
  • strengthen team engagement and build a resilient, motivated work environment;
  • obtain a clear development roadmap for improving HR management functions.

Regular process review allows risks to be identified and addressed early, improves efficiency, and helps maintain competitiveness in a rapidly changing environment. Thoroughly evaluated HR processes are not just a formality – they determine how quickly a company can react, adapt, and seize opportunities.

The DarbaGuru agency provides all human resource management competencies in one place

Our team brings together trusted professionals with many years of experience in HR management in both the private and public sectors, as well as in global management consulting companies. Our experts specialize in strategic HR management, labor law, the development of compensation and motivation systems, talent attraction, and organizational development.

Our team's experts provide in-depth consultations and practical solutions for a company's specific challenges.

  • Compensation and performance management expert – assesses the internal fairness and external competitiveness of a company's compensation system, and develops effective compensation and motivation systems based on market data.
  • Labor law and administrative process experts – ensure that personnel documentation complies with legislation, reducing legal risks by addressing potential violations before they affect the employer.
  • Recruitment project managers (headhunters) – precisely source and assess candidates, specializing in direct approach methods and targeted recruitment marketing strategies.  
  • Internal culture and sustainability consultants – build a motivating organizational culture, develop employee wellbeing and emotional intelligence, and design sustainability strategies. 
  • Employee and management development growth coaches– provide tailored training programs, masterclasses, and growth sessions for the development of teams and leaders. 
  • Certified candidate and employee assessment practitioners – we offer Genos International emotional intelligence assessments, team emotional climate analysis, 180° and 360° manager evaluations, personality and competency tests, as well as satisfaction and engagement surveys, helping you make informed recruitment and development decisions.

The key HR management processes we evaluate to give the company a clear and objective view of its current situation and provide recommendations for improvement:

1. PERSONNEL RECORDS MANAGEMENT, LABOR LAW REGULATIONS, WORK SAFETY

Properly developed personnel documentation that complies with current legislation is an essential foundation for a company's legal security and management transparency. It ensures that employment relationships are clearly structured, managed, and demonstrable in the event of any dispute. Non-compliant or missing documents can create serious legal and reputational risks.

Indicators that suggest a need to focus on this area:

  • You don't know where to start when building a personnel records management system
  • You are unsure whether your documentation complies with current regulatory requirements (especially in the area of employment relationships)
  • There have been legal disputes due to significant errors in employer documents
  • Employees are dissatisfied and complain about deadlines not being met during the employment relationship
  • You are unsure about the qualifications of responsible employees and the quality of work in personnel document management

Evaluation result:
Risks are identified and practical recommendations for organizing processes are provided, including document templates, schedules, process descriptions, and more. Professional recommendations and consultations are provided for improving documentation and processes, serving as the basis for developing structured solutions or the necessary documents.

2. EMPLOYEE ATTRACTION, RETENTION, AND TURNOVER

The effectiveness of attraction and retention is crucial for a company to meet its capacity requirements, avoid turnover costs, and achieve business results. Employee retention is influenced by the entire HR management chain – from recruitment and onboarding to motivation and the quality of the work environment. A timely evaluation helps prevent costly mistakes and strengthen team stability.

Indicators that suggest a need to focus on this area:

  • A short employee “lifecycle” at the company – averaging up to one year.
  • Increased employee turnover during the probationary period.
  • Long-serving employees, including key specialists and experts, are leaving the company.
  • The recruitment process is time-consuming and ineffective – difficulty attracting suitable candidates.
  • A structured onboarding process is missing or ineffective.
  • Low employee engagement and motivation are observed.
  • New employees do not meet the previously defined job requirements or fit the organizational culture.

Result:
The key retention risks are identified, and practical recommendations are provided for improving recruitment, adaptation, motivation, and engagement processes. The evaluation results serve as a basis for building a more stable team, more effective onboarding, targeted communication and motivation, while reducing turnover costs and strengthening employee loyalty.

3. EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS SYSTEM

A structured and transparent compensation system is essential for employee motivation, retention, and a sense of fairness. It enables managers to make informed decisions based on data rather than feelings, and provides clarity in both everyday situations and times of crisis. A well-organized system also strengthens employee trust in the company and helps plan the compensation budget more accurately.

Indicators that suggest a need to focus on this area:

  • Complaints about unfair compensation are increasing.
  • Employees are leaving and citing compensation as the main reason.
  • There is no clear procedure for awarding bonuses/premiums.
  • Difficulty attracting candidates due to a lack of competitive compensation.
  • You are unsure about compliance with the EU directive on pay transparency* 

*In 2023, the European Parliament and Council adopted a directive stating that, starting in 2027, companies with more than 250 employees will be required to regularly report to the relevant national authority on the pay differences between men and women in their organization. These differences must also be disclosed and explained to employees within the company.

Result:

  • Risks and compliance gaps identified.
  • A clear action plan and specific recommendations for improving an internally fair, transparent, and market-aligned compensation system. This serves as a basis for strengthening employee motivation and compliance with EU regulations on pay transparency and equality.

4. STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Developing competencies in line with business requirements and management development programs form the foundation of a sustainable and competitive workforce. Clear development directions, structured talent management, and succession planning help a company adapt to a changing market environment while building a motivated, loyal, and growth-oriented team.

Indicators that suggest a need to focus on this area:

  • Difficulty attracting and retaining managers and talent
  • Employees leave or stagnate because they don't feel growth opportunities
  • There is no shared understanding of the company's goals and employees' role in achieving them
  • Training takes place irregularly, unplanned, or not at all
  • Managers don't feel confident managing employee development
  • A lack of team knowledge hinders the company's growth

Result:
The evaluation identifies the key risks and provides targeted recommendations for improving the employee development system. It strengthens mutual trust between managers and employees, ensures a level of competence aligned with business needs, and develops solutions for talent identification, succession planning, and employee retention.

5. EMPLOYEE RELATIONS, INTERNAL COMMUNICATION, WORK ENVIRONMENT, WELLBEING

Employee relationships, trust in management, and effective internal communication significantly affect team cohesion, job satisfaction, and productivity. A well-organized internal environment fosters employee engagement and reduces psychosocial risks, while uncertainty, conflicts, and a lack of communication increase turnover and damage the company's reputation in the labor market.

Indicators that suggest a need to focus on this area:

  • Tension within the team is increasing, or there are frequent complaints about the work climate.
  • Management does not have access to regular feedback on employee experience and engagement.
  • Employee turnover and low engagement are observed.
  • Conflicts are not resolved in a timely manner or remain unresolved.
  • Employees avoid expressing their opinions 
  • Communication is dominated by informal rumors and assumptions rather than official, transparent information.

Result:

  • Risks and compliance gaps identified 
  • A clear action plan and specific recommendations for improving an internally fair, transparent, and market-aligned compensation system. This serves as a basis for strengthening employee motivation and compliance with EU regulations on pay transparency and equality.

6. STRATEGIC HR MANAGEMENT

Strategic HR management ensures that the organizational structure, human resource capacity, and HR functions are closely aligned with the company's long-term goals and business strategy. A lack of HR planning or an inflexible structure hinders the company's growth and reduces its competitiveness.

Indicators that suggest a need to focus on this area:

  • The company's results are stagnating or declining.
  • There is no clear HR  and company management strategy.
  • The HR budget is not linked to business goals or does not include human resource development expenses.
  • The current organizational structure does not match the actual functional logic or business needs.
  • A reorganization, merger, strategy change, or acquisition/sale of a new company is being planned.

Result:
A strategically grounded HR management action plan with an optimized structure, including an assessment and optimization of the organizational structure, ensuring the achievement of the company's long-term goals.

7. VALUES-BASED ORGANIZATIONAL  CULTURE

A globally recognized and certified organizational culture values measurement – the Culture Values Assessment, developed by the Barrett Values Centre and used in more than 90 countries. This method analyzes a company's culture based on values and behaviors across 7 levels of consciousness, identifying both strengths and areas that limit potential. Data-driven analysis reveals the strengths and risks of an organization's culture, providing a foundation for the targeted and sustainable development of the work environment.

An integral culture assessment helps companies understand which values truly guide their people in their everyday work, how these align with the company's stated values and strategy, and the extent to which employees feel motivated and experience wellbeing. Based on the results, customized recommendations and development activities are developed to strengthen an integrated, purposeful, and values-based organizational culture that supports the company's growth and employee wellbeing.

Indicators that suggest a need to focus on this area:

  • The organization is going through a growth or restructuring phase and needs to ensure a unified cultural direction.
  • Employee engagement or trust in management is declining.
  • High employee turnover is observed, or there is difficulty attracting and retaining talent.
  • There is a need to confirm that the stated values are being implemented in everyday work.
  • The company's values have not been defined, or they need to be reviewed to support strategy and collaboration.
  • Sustainability or change initiatives requiring high employee engagement are being planned.

Result: 
The assessment results turn organizational culture data into a practical roadmap for development. They enable management to make decisions based on facts rather than assumptions, clearly showing where the culture supports the business strategy and where changes are needed. Graphical reports and analytical indicators show both the strengths and the areas that limit the company's potential, while the recommendations help to purposefully reduce unproductive processes and strengthen trust, employee wellbeing, and readiness for change. By repeating the measurement, it is possible to assess progress over time and confirm that the initiatives undertaken are moving the organization toward the desired direction of cultural and business development.

8. EMPLOYER BRAND

A company's reputation in the labor market is one of the most powerful tools for attracting and retaining talent. A clear match between the public image and the actual employee experience increases trust, loyalty, and competitiveness. The brand is not just external communication – it is the overall picture of values, experience, and culture perceived by both current employees and candidates.

Indicators that suggest a need to focus on this area:

  • Candidate surveys reveal doubts about the company's public image
  • Social media communication about the work environment is inconsistent with employees' stories
  • Competitors are actively building their employer brand while your company remains unnoticed
  • Job postings attract the wrong candidates because the brand is not clearly defined
  • Employees don't talk about the company publicly, or do so without enthusiasm

Result:
The employer brand assessment provides a clear analysis of the situation and practical recommendations for improvement. Targeted solutions are defined – from marketing and PR activities to specific internal and external communication tasks – to build a consistent, values-based, and market-competitive brand. An improved employer brand strengthens the company's reputation, attracts more suitable candidates, fosters employee loyalty and trust, and serves as the foundation for a long-term brand strategy aligned with the company's internal culture and values.

9. SUSTAINABILITY INTEGRATION ASSESSMENT IN THE ORGANIZATION

Sustainability is no longer optional – it is at the core of competitiveness and reputation. A sustainability approach to human resource management helps an organization balance employee needs, societal interests, and business development goals over the long term. It includes ethical conduct, promoting wellbeing, an inclusive culture, and integrating ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles into HR management processes.

  • 26+ years of experience in developing and implementing sustainability strategies.
  • A holistic approach – we evaluate human resources as a key driver of sustainability.
  • Practical solutions – from auditing to specific action plans and employee training.

Indicators that suggest a need to focus on this area:

  • The company does not have a clear sustainability policy for employees.
  • Sustainability indicators in the HR area (e.g., gender equality) are not measured or analyzed.
  • Employee wellbeing and health initiatives are sporadic or insufficient.
  • There are no internal guidelines for respecting human rights and diversity principles.
  • The company is not ready to comply with CSRD or ESG requirements in the HR section.

Result: 
After the audit, you will receive a clear action plan for implementing sustainability principles in HR processes, strengthening reputation, employee loyalty, and compliance with ESG and CSRD requirements. The assessment is carried out using the Eco Strategy 360 approach – a holistic and results-oriented method that allows you to: meet CSRD and ESG requirements, reduce risks and costs, and strengthen employee loyalty and brand value.

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