RS

HR for startups that don't have an HR team yet.

I'm Richard Santos. I help founders set up payroll, benefits, compliance and the people processes a growing team needs, as a one-time project or ongoing support.

Get in touch

Services

Pick what you need. Most teams start with one area and add more as they grow.

  • HR foundations

    Setting up the basics for a team without HR: employee handbook and core policies, offer letter templates, personnel files, and onboarding and offboarding processes.

  • HRIS and payroll

    Choosing, implementing or cleaning up your HRIS and payroll system, migrating employee data, managing your PEO, and running payroll reconciliations and audits so the numbers are right.

  • AI and HR workflows

    Cutting manual HR work with automation and AI: automated onboarding, offboarding and approval workflows in your HRIS, and practical AI tools for drafting documents and answering routine employee questions.

  • Benefits and leave

    Open enrollment, 401(k) administration, COBRA, PTO and sick leave policies, and leave administration including FMLA, CFRA, California PFL and New York PFL.

  • Compliance

    Multi-state employment compliance, I-9 audits, harassment prevention training, and policy rollouts with tracked employee acknowledgments.

  • International teams

    Hiring and paying people outside the U.S. through an employer of record, contractor agreements, and keeping international employment details organized.

  • Hiring and onboarding

    Interview processes and scheduling, interview training for managers, offer letters, background checks, and onboarding programs that get new hires up to speed quickly.

  • Compensation and equity

    Running compensation review cycles and keeping equity grant documentation and tracking accurate.

  • Performance and employee relations

    Performance review cycles, engagement surveys, performance improvement plans and workplace investigations.

How we can work together

Hourly help

Bring me in when a question or task comes up, like reviewing an offer letter, working through a leave request or fixing a payroll issue.

Good for teams that need HR now and then.

Monthly retainer

An ongoing HR partner with a set number of hours each month, covering day-to-day questions, payroll and benefits, hiring and employee issues as they come up.

Good for growing teams without a full-time HR hire.

Fixed project

A defined piece of work with a clear scope and end date, like building your handbook, implementing an HRIS or running open enrollment.

Good for a specific need with a deadline.

About

Richard Santos

HR professional helping startups build the people side of the business, in the U.S. and internationally.

  • SHRM-CP certified
  • 8 years of HR experience with fintech and AI teams
  • Experienced supporting startups from bootstrapped to later-stage funding rounds

Let's talk

Tell me a bit about your team and what you need help with. I'll reply by email.

Or email me at arjosantos22 [at] gmail.com, or find me on LinkedIn.