The People Processes Gold Standard
A published standard for employers people stay with. Verified systems in ten areas, and results that beat the industry. Earned, never bought.
What it is
Earned, never bought.
Most “best place to work” awards are popularity contests: a survey, a fee, a logo. The Gold Standard is different. It checks two things: whether the systems behind a great workplace are actually built and running, and whether they're producing results — people who stay, pay and benefits that compete, managers who are trained, and employees who'd recommend working there.
It's built on the method from Rhamy Alejeal's book People Processes and seventeen years of running HR for growing companies. The full standard is published here, so anyone can see exactly what it takes.
The ten areas
What the standard requires.
Every area must be written down and used everywhere, with some measurement.
- 1
Organization, roles and hiring
A current org chart; a job description, job advertisement and hiring guide for every role; structured interviews with scorecards; time-to-hire tracked
- 2
Onboarding and ramp-up
Role-based onboarding for every hire; a 30-60-90 plan; managers own the check-ins
- 3
Pay
A written range for every role, from a named market source; exceptions documented
- 4
Benefits
A written package with the employer share set as policy; reviewed at every renewal; explained to employees
- 5
Manager capability
Every manager completes an assessed program; people issues reach HR the same day
- 6
Performance and career growth
Regular reviews tied to goals; a documented process before any termination; development plans
- 7
Culture, communication and direction
Mission, values and goals shared with every manager; communication that reaches every employee; a yearly employee survey
- 8
Compliance and employee relations
A current handbook for every state, signed; I-9s and classification audited; training logged; complaints investigated
- 9
People operations and data
One system for payroll, time and HR records; controls on time edits; standard monthly reports
- 10
Retention practices
An exit interview for every leaver; reasons reviewed; turnover reported by manager and role
How certification works
Four steps to the Gold Standard.
- Step 1
Rate yourself.
The free self-assessment takes about three minutes and shows where you stand in all ten areas.
- Step 2
Build the systems.
Close the gaps on your own or with us.
- Step 3
Pass the systems check.
We verify every area from your records. The audit is scored by an independent reviewer at People Processes, never by the HR partner who works with your company.
- Step 4
Prove the results.
After at least twelve months of data, we measure your results against the industry. Meet the bar and you're certified, then re-measured every year.
Silver and Gold
The results that decide your level.
| Result |  Silver |  Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | 40th–60th percentile of your market | 60th percentile or higher |
| Benefits | 40th–60th percentile of your market | 60th percentile or higher |
| Voluntary turnover | At or below your industry's average | At least 25% below your industry's average |
| Manager training | 50% of managers hold the PPCL (or an approved equivalent) within a year | 80% within eight months |
| Employee NPS | Positive | +25 or higher |
To be certified, every area must also pass the systems check.
What makes it credible
A standard you can check.
- Published.
- Every area and every threshold is on this page.
- Independent scoring.
- Your own HR partner never scores your audit.
- Measured, not claimed.
- Results come from your payroll, benefits and survey data, not a questionnaire.
- Renewed every year.
- Gold has to be kept, not just won once.
What certified employers get
Proof people can see.
- A certificate at Silver or Gold level
- The Gold Standard badge for your website, careers page, job ads and trucks
- Your own verification page, linked from your badge: third-party proof of your people processes, and of why you're a great place to work
Manager training counts
Managers are where a great workplace is won or lost, so manager training is one of the five results. The People Processes Certified Leader (PPCL) is the fastest way there; approved outside programs count too.
FAQ
Questions about the standard.
PPGSE and PPCL are designations issued by People Processes. They are not accredited professional licenses.
- Is the self-assessment a certification?
- No. It shows where you stand. Certification requires our systems check and twelve months of measured results.
- Do we have to be a People Processes client?
- No. Any company can earn the Gold Standard.
- What does certification cost?
- The audit is included for every People Processes client, whether Strategic, Foundation or Complete. For other companies it's $10,000 for up to 100 employees; larger companies are quoted individually.
- How long does it take?
- It depends on where you start. Once your systems pass the check, results need at least twelve months of data.
- Who decides whether we pass?
- An independent reviewer at People Processes, measuring against the published standard on this page. Never your own HR partner.
- What if our managers trained somewhere else?
- Outside programs count once we've reviewed and approved them against our standard. The review costs $5,000, once per program.
- Is there a minimum company size?
- No. Companies under 25 employees are measured on a two-year turnover average, so one resignation doesn't decide the result.
- What happens if we fall below the bar?
- Certification is re-measured every year. A company that drops below Gold can hold Silver, and the badge is updated.
