Five HR Policy Mistakes Growing Companies Make — And How to Fix Them

There is a predictable moment in the life of a growing Nigerian company when HR becomes a crisis. A key employee leaves and takes institutional knowledge with them. A disciplinary issue escalates because there is no documented process. A new hire joins and has no idea what is expected. The company has been operating on goodwill and founder relationships — and those stop scaling at around 20 to 30 people.

At that point, most organizations reach for HR documentation. The problem is they often reach for the wrong version of it.

Mistake 1: Using a Template Downloaded from the Internet

HR policy templates are widely available. Most of them are built for UK or US employment contexts, reference legislation that does not apply in Nigeria, and contain provisions that would be unenforceable under Nigerian Labour Law. We have reviewed handbooks that referenced the Employment Rights Act 1996 — a British statute — as the governing framework for a Lagos-based company.

A policy document that does not reflect Nigerian law, your sector, and your actual operating context is not a policy document. It is a liability.

Mistake 2: Writing Policies That Describe an Ideal Company, Not the Real One

Policies should describe how your organization actually operates — or intends to operate with specific, realistic commitments. When there is a gap between the written policy and the lived reality, employees notice. And in a disciplinary or legal situation, that gap can be used against the company.

Mistake 3: No Grievance or Disciplinary Framework

This is the most common gap we find. Companies have general conduct expectations but no documented process for handling violations. When a disciplinary situation arises — and it will — there is no fair, consistent procedure to follow. This exposes the company to claims of victimization, wrongful termination, and reputational damage.

A proper disciplinary framework does not need to be punitive. It needs to be clear, consistent, and fair — and it needs to exist before the situation that requires it.

Mistake 4: Treating the Employee Handbook as a One-Time Exercise

HR policies need to be reviewed when the business changes significantly — new headcount thresholds, new sectors, new employment structures (such as contractors or remote staff), or changes in legislation. A handbook written in 2020 for a 15-person company does not serve a 60-person company in 2025.

Mistake 5: Not Getting Legal Sign-Off

HR documentation with employment law implications should be reviewed by someone who understands Nigerian Labour Law before it is issued to staff. This is not a formality. It is protection. The cost of legal review is a fraction of the cost of an unenforceable clause in a dismissal situation.

The Standard to Aim For

A good HR policy suite covers: employment terms and conditions, leave management, performance management, disciplinary and grievance procedures, code of conduct, data protection, and health and safety. Each of these should be written clearly, signed off by legal, communicated to staff, and reviewed annually.

It is not complicated. But it requires someone who knows what they are doing.

BlueFort Consulting develops HR policy suites, employee handbooks, and people systems for organizations across Nigeria. Our documentation is built to perform — legally sound, operationally practical, and written to your company's reality.