Startup Employee Vows

July 30, 2010

My husband and I just got back from our wedding and honeymoon, and at our reception, my Maids of Honor’s speeches were my friends’ vows to me. I was really touched by the gesture, and today I thought to myself that every expansion stage company should give similar vows to their employees. Therefore, I have put together the following list of Startup Employee Vows that I feel every startup CEO should be able to give to their employees. The first nine have been taken directly from the Workplace Bill of Rights.

We promise...

  1. To treat you with honesty and respect.
  2. That working full-time will guarantee a basic standard of living.
  3. That our workplace will be free of discrimination.
  4. That if you work here, you will have health insurance.
  5. That you should be able to leave a job with dignity.
  6. That our office will be as safe as possible.
  7. That we understand there is more to life than work.
  8. That you are entitled to work together.
  9. That you should be able to stand up for your rights and will not face punishment from management teams for doing so.
  10. That you will be paid on time each month.
  11. To define your role and objectives to the best of our ability.
  12. That you will have the opportunity (and will be encouraged!) to help out in other areas.
  13. To give you regular feedback (at least every 90 days) on your performance.
  14. That, as we grow, we will work hard to maintain our company culture.
  15. That your success is vital to this company’s success, and we are invested in it!

VP, Human Capital

<strong>Diana Martz</strong> is Vice President, Human Capital at<a href="http://www.ta.com/">TA Associates</a>. She was previously the Director of Talent at OpenView.