Before you set up your own business what did the dream look like? Was it an image of doing what you were great at all day long, following your passion, working less and earning more? And now what’s the reality? Are your days filled with being bookkeeper, office manager, HR Director, teabag buyer, chief cook and bottle washer? This blog is about choosing the right HR support for your business.
Outsourced HR Support won’t mean you don’t still have to stop off at the Co-op to buy teabags on the way to work but it could certainly take away one of your headaches!
If your business has reached the stage where you have a team of employees and maybe a few sub-contractors working for you, where you aren’t big enough to need an in-house HR resource but you know you need some help, outsourced HR Support can be the perfect solution.
How to choose the best HR support for your business
So how do you decide who can provide the right support for your business? We have devised a checklist to help you make the right choice for your business.
- Choosing the right HR support – do you know what support you need? We don’t know what we don’t know, so how do we make an informed choice about what we actually need? When it comes to something as important as legal compliance, understanding the need is crucial! Look for an HR Consultant who offers an initial Free HR Audit to give you that guidance about your needs.
- Does the HR Consultant understand you and your business? Look for an HR Consultant who is happy to have an initial no obligation meeting to get to know you and understand what you are aiming to achieve.
- Does the HR Consultant have the skills and experience to provide the service you require? A Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) qualification may be a good indicator, but other qualifications are equally useful and experience counts for a lot! Employment law and HR best practice are changing all the time so look for a Consultant who has worked in generalist HR for a number of years and who still has this as the primary focus in what they do.
- Does the HR Consultant understand small businesses? Whilst there is no doubt that working in the HR Department of a big corporate will give a wealth of experience, will it translate to what you need in your business? Look for an HR Consultant who has an appreciation of the challenges small business owners are facing.
- Finally – will you get the level of service you require? Will you have a dedicated consultant who gets to know you and your business or will you be ringing a call centre where the next available operator takes on your query? Do you want a Consultant who will come out to your premises when needed or are you happy with a remote phone support service only? How quickly will you get a response? Ensure the HR Consultant you choose really provides the services that matches your expectations.
Choosing the right HR support – let us help and guide you. Contact Sam Swinstead on 0845 463 9365 or email Sam here
Download our HR Guide
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