Matt McFarlane

I’ve had a career leading People Operations functions across companies small and large, some that achieved acquisition and others that saw unicorn valuations. Now I help startup Head's of People to be successful, through two key businesses: FNDN: Building startup compensation practices that are clear, fair and competitive. Startup People Summit: An online summit, resources and community, giving you everything you need to build and scale a successful people function.

The 3 Building Blocks of a Brand People Actually Believe

Most employer brand efforts are campaigns. Stock photos, values posters, a careers page nobody on the team actually wrote. But the startups winning talent right now aren't running campaigns. They're building community. I sat down with a community builder to unpack the three things that make it work: trust signals, niche language, and manual rituals that no Slack plugin can replicate.

Mar 8, 2026

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15 min read

How to Pay Global Teams Fairly When You Can't Afford Parity

The location pay debate has two camps, and they're both wrong. One says pay everyone the same. The other says pay the local rate. Neither accounts for what it actually takes to run a startup with a real budget and real people in multiple countries. This week I break down how to find your answer.

Mar 1, 2026

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22 min read

We need to talk about the menstrual cycle

Over 80% of women report reduced productivity at work due to their menstrual cycle — averaging 23 days per year. That's not a health problem. It's a business problem hiding in plain sight. Here's a practical framework for addressing it without needing a degree in reproductive health.

Feb 22, 2026

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13 min read

How Small Compensation Decisions Create Big Pay Equity Problems

The biggest pay gaps don't come from bad intentions. They come from systems that weren't built to prevent them. Negotiation rewards confidence, not capability. Merit raises compound into inequity. And salary-linked equity carries those imbalances into ownership. Three changes can fix this — and none of them require a massive overhaul.

Feb 15, 2026

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12 min read

One Change That Can Reduce Burnout Without People Programs

Wellness programs don't prevent burnout. Clarity does. Decision rights, priorities, and clear ownership do more for energy than any other wellbeing initiative ever will. This article breaks down the real cause of startup burnout — and the structural interventions that actually work.

Feb 8, 2026

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10 min read

This 70/30 Rule Stops Your Best People From Leaving

Know when roles become hybrid and how to benchmark them. Learn the biggest mistake I made, and what it cost. Use this simple decision framework to benchmark fairly, and keep your best people from walking out the door.

Feb 1, 2026

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10 min read

3 Steps for Building Exceptional Leadership on a ‘Zero Dollar’ L&D Budget

Where we cover how startups can build lightweight leadership, fast and for free. INSIDE: How to use the WAGOLL framework for clarifying excellence. Building a lightweight program, without dependency on the HR team. Integrating new managers into your program of excellence.

Jan 25, 2026

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11 min read

Entering Flow State

You've heard of it, but how do you actually *get* to it? Guest author Dave Murphy takes us through the practical steps you can take to kick 2026 off as your most productive self.

Jan 18, 2026

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12 min read

How to Build a Portfolio HR Career

Services + Brand Partnerships + Coaching + Digital Products + Events. This was year I tried them all in a bid to build a portfolio career that will give me the time, place and financial freedom to do whatever I want in life. All in the launch of a new publication!

Jan 11, 2026

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35 min read

The Hardest Pay Conversations

And how to actually have them. For those battling through the end of year, or upcoming pay review convo's, this chat is a must. A little wrap up of 2025 for the FNDN Series. PLUS: a sneak peak of something for the current, aspiring, or curious solopreneur.

Dec 21, 2025

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9 min read

The Breakdown: Christmas Edition

Where we talk about the fabled Christmas bonus. Five experts from the People & Comp world weigh in on the role of Christmas bonuses in the modern organisation. So grab your festive food and drink of choice (for me it's a slice of Panettone and a gin & tonic) and enjoy.

Dec 14, 2025

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12 min read

When Budget's Tight, Get Personal

How to design fair, flexible rewards when cash is tight. Why one-size-fits-all no longer works. Learn how Sarika Lamont builds custom compensation using real employee data, not guesses, so you can build trust, stay transparent and personalise without losing control.

Dec 7, 2025

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8 min read

How to Build a Headcount Plan That Actually Works

A simple three step process. Starting with clarity. Look from the top down AND the bottom up. Then reconciling for best results. These steps plus HOW to actually do it, all from a 4x startup Head of People Ops.

Nov 30, 2025

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13 min read

When HR Becomes the AI Co‐Pilot

AI isn't just tools. It's mindset, flow of work, and culture. Learn how the Chief People Officer at Vidyard cuts admin, builds trust, and drives adoption (without the overwhelm).

Nov 23, 2025

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9 min read

Future-proofing your Pay Practices

Will a 3.5% raise keep your team in 2026? Here’s what 243 companies say on that, plus: Job hugging, pay transparency, and more to help you prepare for the upcoming merit cycle. My friends at Pave are here to help you navigate the chaos of pay season.

Nov 16, 2025

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10 min read

The Wrap Up

Global companies soaking up APAC region talent. A new model for startup reward? Startup people teams working like solopreneurs. Exploring a model for AI adoption. PLUS the scariest chart in the world?

Nov 9, 2025

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9 min read

Building Your First Compensation Cycle: A Startup Roadmap That Works

Exciting update for People people. PLUS: A tactical guide to running your first startup compensation cycle. We cover a foundation of clean data, merit matrices, band exceptions, and measuring whether your philosophy actually landed.

Nov 2, 2025

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9 min read

How to Become a Product-led People Team, Part 2

Monday.com's first Product Manager takes us beyond the hype of 'product-led thinking' and gaining buy-in. We explore how People teams can successfully embrace product management principles in the day to day. PLUS: how to know when it's successful (and how the business will know it)

Oct 26, 2025

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9 min read

How to Become a Product-led People Team, Part 1

Monday.com's first Product Manager on how People teams can use the best parts of product teams to future-proof the people experience. We dive into why taking a page out of the product team's book can unlock greater outputs and impact, and how to prepare for the shift.

Oct 19, 2025

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8 min read

Why You Shouldn’t Measure Compensation Effectiveness with Engagement Surveys

Comp questions in engagement surveys create more problems than answers. We look at better ways to measure impact that ensures you know how comp is performing. Not just for your team, but for your business. PLUS: I'm in London for one night only. Come say hi.

Oct 12, 2025

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9 min read

The Wrap Up

The rise of 996(?). AI premium explosion. Grad roles down. A gentle reminder that money isn't everything. And are we done with LinkedIn yet?

Oct 5, 2025

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8 min read

Driving Exponential Impact from a Tight Comp Budget

Hear from veteran CPO, Andrew Bartlow, on why realistic distribution and ruthless differentiation are the levers every startup HR leader need to master. Plus a bonus tool from my latest AI exploits.

Sep 28, 2025

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9 min read

Stop Pay Chaos: 3 Mistakes Companies Make (and How to Fix Them Fast)

Meta's former Snr Compensation Manager runs us through some of the most common challenges undermining your pay practices. We'll explore three main scenarios, how to diagnose them, and how to fix them.

Sep 21, 2025

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10 min read

Why PE-backed startups are stealing your best people (and how they structure comp to do it)

A veteran CPO reveals why private equity incentives outperform, and how Heads of People can borrow the playbook.

Sep 14, 2025

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9 min read

You've Got a Compensation Philosophy. Now What?

With 5x startup CPO, Vaso Parisinou

Sep 7, 2025

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9 min read

Matt McFarlane

The 3 Building Blocks of a Brand People Actually Believe

How to Pay Global Teams Fairly When You Can't Afford Parity

We need to talk about the menstrual cycle

How Small Compensation Decisions Create Big Pay Equity Problems

One Change That Can Reduce Burnout *Without* People Programs

This 70/30 Rule Stops Your Best People From Leaving

3 Steps for Building Exceptional Leadership on a ‘Zero Dollar’ L&D Budget

Entering Flow State

How to Build a Portfolio HR Career

The Hardest Pay Conversations

The Breakdown: Christmas Edition

When Budget's Tight, Get Personal

How to Build a Headcount Plan That Actually Works

When HR Becomes the AI Co‐Pilot

Future-proofing your Pay Practices

The Wrap Up

Building Your First Compensation Cycle: A Startup Roadmap That Works

How to Become a Product-led People Team, Part 2

How to Become a Product-led People Team, Part 1

Why You Shouldn’t Measure Compensation Effectiveness with Engagement Surveys

The Wrap Up

Driving Exponential Impact from a Tight Comp Budget

Stop Pay Chaos: 3 Mistakes Companies Make (and How to Fix Them Fast)

Why PE-backed startups are stealing your best people (and how they structure comp to do it)

You've Got a Compensation Philosophy. Now What?

The leading newsletter for startup People leaders across the world

One Change That Can Reduce Burnout Without People Programs