HR Help for Business: Does Your Company Need HR?

Knowing when to get HR help for businesses might be one of the key determining factors in moving a company to the next level. Many small companies, and even some larger ones, relegate human resources to the back burner. Company leaders might assign an employee originally hired to oversee finance to take on HR duties as well, not recognizing all its complexities. But it's a mistake to overlook the expertise required to manage HR issues.

Does Your Company Need HR?

Whether you have a dedicated HR department or are an employer who may be handling many of the company's HR functions, this can be time-consuming and leave the organization vulnerable to missteps or non-compliance. Knowing why HR is important, as well as the warning signs that you need dedicated HR expertise, is critical.

Picture these common HR scenarios:

• Whether to fire an employee because their criminal history surfaced unexpectedly.
• Struggling to understand OSHA regulations and whether your small business's safety policies comply with government standards.
• Choosing a new health insurance plan for your staff.
• Managing the ongoing headache of payroll

And these aren't even the responsibilities you were hired for!

Having HR support can help ease responsibilities like those mentioned and ensure there's a dedicated team to help support the needs of the company.

Why HR Is Important

Problems can arise when key HR functions are neglected or given a low operational priority.

Human resources form the skeleton that supports a firm's inner workings. Companies need an HR backbone to:

• Direct employee recruitment, hiring, retention, and firing.
• Organize and supervise employee training and development.
• Ensure compliance with employment and safety laws.
• Handle the administration of payroll, benefits, and taxes.
• Help shape the company vision.
• Build and support a thriving corporate culture.
• Assist in internal business communications.

In addition, HR managers often have the responsibility of performance evaluations, company social and morale-boosting events, and wellness programs. In short, HR helps shape overall organizational culture.

Does a Company Have To Have an HR Department?

What does the HR department do? In general, HR departments are responsible for critical business functions — from staying in compliance with government reporting and regulations to hiring and training their next generation of talent.

However, when HR evolves from a bare-bones functional department to becoming a full-fledged partner in business operations (the natural outcome for a thriving business), it becomes time to hire an effective HR manager.

Signs Your Company May Need Professional HR Help

Your business might need the services of an HR professional if human resource functions are:

• Taking up too much of your time.
• Shortchanging employees by not providing them with a structured orientation program, detailed job descriptions, an employee handbook, or the best possible benefit plans.
• Jeopardizing worker safety and other legal aspects of business through non-compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Getting in the way of revenue generating activities.

Other warning signs can include:

• High employee turnover.
• Low workforce morale.
• Inconsistent or improper documentation of labor processes.
• Uncorrected/unaddressed performance issues.
• Inability to attract and retain quality employees.

HR management is generally best suited to skilled professionals with experience in these mission-critical areas.

Should You Outsource Your HR Help?

Your company leaders may conclude that the business needs an HR specialist. If your staffing structure can't support another employee, outsourcing may be the way to go. Even if your budget and firm structure can support an additional employee, that individual might not have all of the required expertise that an HR service could offer.

Contracting with an HR service provider with a dedicated HR professional— to the extent that your company's needs and budget allow — can benefit your company in many ways. Among them, expert HR services can help:

• Improve the quality of your workforce by offering skilled recruiting, screening, and interviewing support services.
• Help you develop orientation programs, an employee handbook, management guides, performance evaluation forms, and schedules.
• Support your firm's compliance program by keeping you aware of changing employment and safety laws.
• Design benefit programs that best meet the needs of staff and executives.
• Offer efficient payroll processes with current technology.
• Help you maintain a secure, organized database of employee information.

If you decide to seek outside HR help, a variety of versatile human resource solutions exist. Such a partnership can help you fill gaps in your company's performance.