Whilst feeling the financial pressures of running a small business, many people will try to shortcut or overlook the need for professional HR support. It’s a very underestimated area with many potential pitfalls facing those people who do not understand or pay enough attention to the very important role they play in being an employer.
The people who work for you are dependent on you for their job, their work-life balance, their job satisfaction, welfare and wellbeing making it a role not to be taken on lightly.
The risk of Shortcuts
With the law dictating that a contract should be issued within 4 weeks of start date, it’s tempting to download a template or to copy a document which you may have been given by a contact. Generally, these templates are written for a specific business or for a specific type of employee and may not be fit for purpose for your own business.
The template will also take up a lot of your time to read and review, at the risk it still may not be compliant. The complexities of employment law are difficult to navigate, added to which the position is changing rapidly with more and more expectations being placed on employers.
Investing for the Future
As a small business owner you wouldn’t hesitate to engage an accountancy professional to help you with the money, so what’s the difference in a HR professional to help you with the people? There’s plenty of anecdotes and evidence that if you get the people right, engage and motivate them, you’ll reap the rewards in business success.
Consequently, the results of getting it wrong will result in high absence levels, disengaged staff/customers and potential costly employment tribunal claims.
By factoring in the cost and timing of HR Support at a very early stage, or even in your initial business plan, you’ll be prepared for the expense and have the confidence that you’re doing everything right.
If you have less than 25-30 staff, the best way for you to access support is through a HR Consultant, many of whom as small business owners themselves will understand the journey you are on and provide targeted and cost effective, comprehensive support.
Think of the cost as both an insurance policy and an investment in your future. However you look at it, invest and prepare and don’t be caught out.
