For many small businesses, one of the most challenging tasks to navigate is growth. From the first day starting a business, owners and managers have dreams of becoming a large company. Family businesses often see growth and then allocate HR responsibilities to other family members, but there is something to be said about working with a company or individual that actually has experience managing HR.
However, talking about it and taking steps to make it happen are two different things entirely. For us, one of the most important factors is having HR contribute. How? We have some advice!
Encourage a Positive Relationship
First and foremost, we’ve seen too many businesses that have a ‘them and us’ attitude to HR. Instead, we believe that every single department should work together. If leaders and managers aren’t communicating with the HR team, inefficiencies will appear, and it will eventually become almost impossible to keep up with competitors who are doing it better.
How can you encourage a positive relationship? Why not start with a weekly meeting? With everybody present, you can ensure that you’re all on the same page.
Talent Identification and Management
Whether you choose an in-house HR team or an outsourced HR team, or HR software services, which is an incredibly effective strategy for a small business looking to grow, they need to be aware of where the company is going. If they don’t know the plan, vision, or even values, how can they get the recruitment process, right? Common problems include;
- Hiring too early or too late
- Choosing the wrong type of employees
- Spending too much on recruitment and training
- Failing to keep existing employees happy
When the HR team is included in decision-making and strategy meetings, they can identify the right talent at the perfect times (while also keeping your existing team happy!). For growth, this is essential.
Latest Technologies and Platforms
When a business is small, it’s easy for employees to communicate and collaborate. Even in terms of physical space, the whole team works in close proximity to one another. As the office grows, and some also work from different locations, communication can sometimes falter. Fortunately, your HR department can prevent problems and keep communication efficient and effective.
Even with things like payroll, they can introduce an online portal whereby employees can see everything they need to see. Of course, the HR team will also help with basics such as;
- Getting new employees set up
- Keeping the team happy
- Ensuring everybody is getting paid the right amount at the right times
Short Term v Long Term
Another way HR can support company growth is by always keeping one eye on long-term goals and visions. Yes, growth will lead to recruitment, …and lots of it. But you still need to look up every so often to ensure you’re pushing towards long-term goals. With experienced HR employees or services, you have their expertise on how to recruit and grow without sacrificing potential future success.
Analytics and Security
As we continue to move forward with technology, two key areas have improved for HR; analytics and security. With the former, this could be essential for a growth strategy. Suddenly, business leaders have access to turnover reports, budget analysis, paid leave analysis, and all these different areas that could be harming the business.
With security, this is critical for absolutely everybody in the business from top to bottom. Thanks to improved technologies, HR will keep all employee data safe and ensure that nobody has to worry about leaks, hacks, or other problems.
With all departments working together, all companies have the potential to grow and reach the goals they set out. As we’ve seen in this guide, HR is pivotal for this, and they help to lay the foundations and standards that will drive the company forward in the years to come.