The People & Culture Audit
Clarity before action. A structured 2-3 week assessment that tells you exactly what's working in your people function, what's broken, what's putting you at risk, and what to fix first — prioritized by impact and urgency.
Most founders and CEOs know something in their HR function isn't right. What they don't know is what to fix first, what it'll cost if they don't, and whether the problem is their people, their processes, or their managers. The Sunstone People & Culture Audit gives you that answer in three weeks, backed by a written roadmap you can act on with or without us.
The Audit Is Built For Leaders Who Are Tired of Guessing
We built this offering because we saw the same scenario over and over: a founder or CFO knew their HR function wasn't where it needed to be, but every conversation with a consultant ended in a pitch for a long retainer before anyone had actually diagnosed the problem. This is the diagnosis.
You're scaling and HR hasn't kept up. You've grown past 25, 50, maybe 100 employees. What worked before isn't working now. You need to know what to build first.
You just lost your HR person — or never had a real one. Your HR lead quit, your office manager has been wearing the HR hat, or a junior coordinator is doing their best. You need a senior read on where things actually stand.
You're worried about compliance exposure. You suspect there are gaps — outdated policies, misclassifications, documentation that wouldn't hold up. You want to know what's actually at risk before it becomes a lawsuit.
You're about to raise, sell, or acquire. Due diligence is coming and HR is a known weak spot. You need a clear picture of where you stand and a plan to close the gaps fast.
Why this works: These are the four buying triggers for an audit. Each one names a specific situation so a buyer thinks "that's me" within 5 seconds. The fourth one (diligence readiness) is a hidden high-value segment — founders about to raise or exit pay premium for this work and rarely find firms who speak to it directly.
How the Audit Works
Three weeks from start to finish. Here's how we get to a roadmap.
We start with a 90-minute kickoff to understand your business, your growth stage, and the problems you're already aware of. We collect relevant documents (handbook, org chart, current policies, turnover data, recent exits, performance review materials) and review them against current best practice and compliance standards.
Week 1 — Discovery & Document Review
We conduct confidential interviews with your leadership team and a representative sample of your employees. These are structured conversations that surface what's actually happening — not what gets said in meetings. Typically 8-15 interviews depending on company size.
Week 1-2 — Leadership & Employee Interviews
We analyze everything we've gathered, identify patterns, quantify risks where possible, and build your roadmap. We cross-check findings against compliance standards, industry benchmarks, and what we've seen work at similarly-sized companies.
Week 2-3 — Analysis & Synthesis
You get a written audit report and a 90-minute walkthrough with your leadership team. We present findings, priorities, and recommendations — and answer every question. You leave the meeting knowing exactly what to do next.
Week 3 — Delivery & Walkthrough
Your Deliverables
A complete findings document covering all five assessment areas, including current-state analysis, risk ratings, specific observations from interviews and documents, and recommendations. Designed for leadership consumption — direct, concrete, and free of HR jargon.
1. A Written Audit Report
You’re part of the process. We keep communication open and decisions shared—no black boxes or surprises.
2. A Prioritized Roadmap
The top priorities translated into a week-by-week execution plan. Specific owners, specific deliverables, specific success metrics. You can run it internally, run it with us, or combine both.
3. A 90-Day Action Plan
FAQs
Questions founders and CEOs ask us most often before starting an audit.
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How long does the audit take?
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Three weeks from kickoff to final delivery. We've done it faster for due diligence timelines and longer for companies with multiple locations, but three weeks is the standard.
How big does my company need to be?
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We've done audits for companies as small as 5 employees and as large as 250. The sweet spot is 25 to 150 employees — that's when HR complexity typically outpaces internal capacity. Below 15, the audit may be more than you need. Above 200, we scope accordingly.
Do I need to have an HR person already?
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What industries do you work with?
No. Many of our audit clients don't have dedicated HR — their office manager, CFO, or founder has been carrying it. That's often why they need the audit.
Will you make my team feel attacked or exposed?
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No. We've done this for years. Our interviews are confidential, our tone is constructive, and our goal is to help your business — not create drama. Employees and managers almost always find the process useful.
What happens after the audit?
Most clients do one of three things: execute the roadmap internally, engage us on a fractional or retainer basis to implement with them, or hire us for specific projects pulled from the roadmap. There's no obligation to continue working with us — the roadmap is yours either way.
Can the audit be used for due diligence?
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Yes. We've run audits specifically to prepare companies for capital raises, acquisitions, and exits. If you have a specific transaction timeline, tell us up front and we'll scope accordingly.
What if we already know what's broken?
Sometimes you do. More often, you know the symptoms but not the root cause — or you know one problem but not the three underneath it. The audit either confirms what you already believe (and gives you the documentation to act on it) or reveals things you didn't know were issues.
How is this different from a compliance audit from an employment lawyer?
Do you work with companies outside of Florida?
An employment lawyer will tell you your legal risks. We'll tell you that plus your performance, culture, leadership, and retention risks — and the specific actions to fix all of them. Compliance is one of five pillars we assess, not the whole picture.
Yes. We're based in Miami and work with companies across the country. Most of the work is done remotely, with on-site visits scoped to the engagement.
We've done audits across professional services, tech and SaaS, healthcare, construction, hospitality, and nonprofits. Our approach adapts to industry specifics (for example, multi-state wage compliance in hospitality, equity and role-scoping in tech), but the five pillars apply everywhere.
Chris Wei | Creative Solutions LLC "The HR Health Check was eye opening and gave us a clear roadmap aligned with our growth objectives. Their support has been invaluable as we work toward becoming an employer of choice."
After the Audit
Specific deliverables from your roadmap — handbook, recruiting system, manager training — scoped as one-time projects.
Project-Based Support
Ongoing HR support for day-to-day issues, starting at $500/month.
Fractional HR Leadership
Embedded senior HR expertise to execute the roadmap and lead your people function ongoing.
Monthly HR Retainer
Ready to Know Exactly What to Fix?
Book a free 30-minute discovery call. We'll talk through what's going on in your business, whether the audit is the right starting point, and what the scope and investment would look like. No pressure, no pitch — if we're not the right fit, we'll tell you.
(305) 859-1763 | melissa@sunstonehradvisors.com | Based in Miami, serving companies nationwide