The Cash Flow Contractor 296 - Why Contractors Shouldn't DIY Their HR with Tena Jolley
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Mar 12, 2026 Tena Jolley, a 30-year HR veteran and founder of Apela Strategic Solutions, helps small and mid-sized employers with HR strategy. She explains why DIY HR is risky and what true HR covers. Tena outlines progressive discipline steps, how to handle attitude and unemployment claims, and recommends forward-looking, quarterly reviews and objective bonus metrics.
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Bring An HR Pro In Early To Avoid Costly Mistakes
- Do engage an HR professional rather than assuming you can DIY complex HR tasks.
- Tena describes rescuing a small manufacturer from a potentially litigious wrongful termination by guiding progressive discipline and documentation.
HR Is End To End Not Just Hiring And Firing
- HR covers hiring, firing, handbooks, job descriptions, compensation, training, organizational design and compliance.
- Tena emphasizes HR is end-to-end, from pre-onboarding through offboarding, not just hiring and firing.
Handle Unemployment Claims With Documentation Not Fear
- Do respond to unemployment claims with facts, documentation and appeals rather than avoiding terminations.
- Tena explains state UI funds pay claims but employer rates rise with claims and good documentation can reduce long-term cost.
