Your first 10 hires set your culture for the next 100. In Indonesia, scaling from solo to team isn't just about talent — it's about compliance (PKWT/PKWTT, BPJS, THR), clarity and cash.
The Hiring Sequence (Don't Hire 10 at Once)
- Hires 1-2: Operators — Admin/CS & finance to free founder from ops (Rp 5-7M).
- Hires 3-5: Revenue — Sales/marketing with variable comp 30%.
- Hires 6-10: System — Ops lead, tech/freelance, QA.
Compensation That Keeps You Lean
Use 70/30 fixed-variable for sales, ESOP 5-10% pool for early team (4-year vest, 1-year cliff). Benchmark via Glints/Jobstreet, not gut. Always include BPJS Kesehatan + Ketenagakerjaan (±10% on top).
Contract & Compliance Checklist
- PKWT for project (max 5 years), PKWTT for permanent — SP ditulis.
- THR wajib H-7 Lebaran: 1× salary if 12 months, pro-rata if <12.
- Probation max 3 months (PKWTT only), with written KPIs: 30-60-90 days.
“Hire for slope, not y-intercept — fast learners beat pedigrees in SME.”
Culture = How You Fire
Document values via working agreements, weekly 1-1, and “no-BS Friday” retrospective. First wrong hire? Cut fast within probation — slow fire kills momentum.
Bottom line: Hire sequenced, pay transparently, document everything. Your team is your moat.