Question 1

What is Startup Staffing?

Accepted Answer

Startup Staffing is a permanent recruitment service for international technology startups and scaleups — software, deep tech and other technically complex businesses — with a different way of paying the recruitment fee. We find and place the right people for your team, and instead of one large fee at the point of hire you pay an agreed monthly percentage of that employee's gross monthly salary for as long as they remain employed by you.

Question 2

What does SUS stand for?

Accepted Answer

SUS is simply the short form of Startup Staffing used across this site and in our commercial documents. Startup Staffing and SUS refer to the same service and the same commercial model.

Question 3

Who runs Startup Staffing?

Accepted Answer

Startup Staffing is operated by Humand Talent Solutions Limited (company number 12379847), a UK-registered company. Humand is the recruitment business that carries out the search and introduction work for international technology startups and scaleups, and it is the company you contract with. Startup Staffing is the brand and commercial model.

Question 4

Is SUS a recruitment agency?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in the ordinary sense: Humand Talent Solutions Limited is a recruitment business and SUS placements are permanent recruitment. What differs from a conventional agency is when and how the fee is paid. SUS is not a loan, a finance product or an employment or umbrella arrangement.

Question 5

How does the monthly fee work?

Accepted Answer

Once your new employee starts, you are invoiced monthly at the agreed percentage of their gross monthly salary. Billing runs from their start date and continues while they remain employed by you, unless you agree a buy-out. There is no single large placement invoice at the point of hire.

Question 6

What percentage do we pay?

Accepted Answer

Your percentage is agreed with you individually and confirmed in writing before any work begins. It is not published, because it depends on the roles, the salaries and the shape of your hiring.

Question 7

Is 17.5 percent the standard SUS rate?

Accepted Answer

No. The 17.5% of gross monthly salary used in the examples and calculator on this site is an illustration to show how the mechanics work. It is not a standard or advertised SUS rate, and the same applies to the 20% traditional fee we compare against.

Question 8

Does SUS always cost less?

Accepted Answer

No, and we would rather say so plainly. Depending on how long the employee stays and the percentages agreed, the cumulative monthly payments can add up to more than a conventional one-off fee. Our calculator shows the crossover point openly. SUS is built around cash flow, predictability and sharing recruitment risk differently, not around a promise of the lowest total cost.

Question 9

What happens if someone stays for several years?

Accepted Answer

Monthly billing continues at the agreed percentage while they remain employed, unless you agree a buy-out. Over a long tenure the cumulative total can exceed a traditional one-off fee, which is exactly why the buy-out option exists and why the calculator shows the crossover month rather than hiding it.

Question 10

Is VAT added?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Fees are quoted exclusive of VAT and VAT is added where applicable.

Question 11

When are invoices issued?

Accepted Answer

Invoices are issued monthly in arrears at the agreed percentage of the employee's gross monthly salary, starting from their start date with your business.

Question 12

What are the payment terms?

Accepted Answer

Invoices are payable within 14 days of the invoice date under the standard terms, exclusive of VAT. Anything different for your business would be set out in the terms agreed with you in writing.

Question 13

Who employs the candidate?

Accepted Answer

You do. The person is employed directly by your business on your own employment contract and your own terms. Humand Talent Solutions Limited is not the employer, and the person is not supplied on a contract, secondment or umbrella basis.

Question 14

Does SUS only cover permanent hiring?

Accepted Answer

The SUS monthly model applies to permanent placements. Fixed-term, part-time or other non-permanent engagements are handled as a one-off placement fee at an agreed percentage of the total remuneration package, confirmed before any work begins.

Question 15

Can SUS recruit several people for us?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each placement is treated separately, with its own monthly payment linked to that employee, so billing for one hire is unaffected by what happens to another. You can model a multi-role hiring plan in the team hiring planner before you speak to us.

Question 16

Can we use SUS for different salaries and roles?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each role has its own salary, so each placement has its own monthly figure. The team hiring planner lets you set a different salary and number of hires for each role line.

Question 17

What happens if a candidate leaves?

Accepted Answer

Tell us and billing stops from their final date of employment, whether they resign, are dismissed, are made redundant or leave by mutual agreement. Payments already made are not refunded. You are not left paying for someone who is no longer with the business.

Question 18

Can we buy out the agreement?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can pay the agreed buy-out value at any point and all future monthly billing for that placement ceases. The buy-out figure is agreed with you up front as part of your commercial terms, so you always know what it is before you commit.

Question 19

Are previous monthly payments deducted from the buyout?

Accepted Answer

No. Under the standard terms the buy-out value is payable in addition to the monthly payments already made, not offset against them. The exact figure is confirmed with you in writing before you commit.

Question 20

How long does candidate ownership last?

Accepted Answer

If your business or a related entity employs a candidate we introduced within 12 months of that introduction, the SUS fee model or the agreed one-off fee applies to that hire.

Question 21

What commercial terms are agreed before hiring?

Accepted Answer

Before any work begins we confirm in writing the monthly percentage, the buy-out value, how invoicing works and anything specific to your business. Nothing about your commercial position is set by this website or the calculator.

Question 22

Do I need a live vacancy?

Accepted Answer

No. Plenty of first conversations are about hiring that has not been signed off yet. If you are still shaping the role or the budget, that is a perfectly good place to start.

Question 23

Can we talk about future hiring plans?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Early conversations about the next few months of hiring are welcome, including whether SUS is the right fit for your business at all.

Question 24

Can you model several hires?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The team hiring planner models up to ten role lines with their own salaries and numbers of hires, gives you plan-level totals and month-one cash comparisons, and produces a link and a printable summary you can share internally.

Question 25

How do I get a rate?

Accepted Answer

Model what you are planning in the calculator and send it to us with the enquiry form, or just tell us what you are hiring. We confirm your percentage and buy-out value in writing before any work begins.

Question 26

Is there a minimum period or notice?

Accepted Answer

Under the standard model billing follows the employment: it starts on the start date and stops when the employment ends. Any minimum term or notice arrangement would form part of the terms agreed with you in writing. Talk to us about your requirement and we can confirm the appropriate arrangement.

Every question we get asked about SUS.

About SUS

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