Acquiring and managing your business' most valuable resource calls for special human resource and management skills, as well as availability to handle a variety of issues as they arise. While the HR team is busy providing services to employees, who is being responsible for the HR team? Who ensures that strategies are implemented, processes are improved, new technologies are identified and incorporated for added efficiency, the best benefit options are available to employees, and risks are mitigated?

 

For employees, the HR Department is the first face into the business, it is the team they relate with on different matters during their tenure, and the last face they see as they leave the business. Therefore, it is ideal that business owners provide the right resources and adequate support to help their HR professionals board, engage, and value employees. Is the HR department being managed adequately?

 

The following are a few guidelines to help you manage your HR department:

1. Set clear goals for the HR department that are in line with the business' goals and follow-up quarterly.

2. Provide resources to acquire and retain top talent; acquire adequate staff to meet the heavy workload that is common in HR departments.

3. Promote the use of technology to streamline processes and track and manage data, such as Applicant Tracking Software, HRIS, or setting-up an HR Portal.

4. Allowing your HR Team to be creative. 

5. Promote team building among the HR department, the Finance department, the Marketing department and the Business Development Team.

6. Decide and share in advance what part of the HR business process can be outsourced.
7. Take a few HR courses annually to understand what is required in an HR department.

8. Develop and train HR specialists/generalists to mitigate risks.

9. Provide HR access to business owner or executive management.

 

When the HR department runs efficiently and HR representatives are knowledgeable  about HR requirements, your risks are minimized and sustaining a safe and happy work environment for employees to perform at their highest level is possible.

Small business owners are usually concerned with managing their businesses for profit at the lowest cost and the least exposure to risk. With a functioning HR department in place, how does the business owner ensure the department members are doing what is required?

 

A few suggestions are:

• Collect and review metrics often. Common metrics are on recruitment activities, EEO data, employee complaints, compensation equity, compliance training completion, benefits usage, and etc. In short, measure as much as you can measure by using effective tracking tools. 

• Keep accurate records for the length of time required.

• Request an independent HR audit. Major topics in an audit include:

  • Recruitment and EEO Data

  • Hiring policies

  • HR Policies

  • HR Business Process

  • Wage and Hours

  • Record-keeping

  • Safety and OSHA

  • Employee Benefits and Compensation

  • Performance Evaluations

  • Affirmative Action requirements

  • Government contracting requirements

 

Business owners who show that they value their employees begin with setting up a solid HR department and managing it for success. You must put controls in place to make sure the HR department runs effectively.  

Vital Business Solutions is an one-stop shop human resource and organizational development company that provides simplistic systems to your complex business needs. Our goal is to provide solutions to your human resource and organizational development challenges. www.vitalbusinesssolution.com

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