The small business growth paradox.
Every organization has personnel issues that require an immediate and accurate response. Employment regulations can be confusing and change constantly, making it difficult for employers to stay informed.
There are often peaks in recruiting activities that require immediate attention, but the cost of hiring additional personnel to meet only today’s needs places small businesses in a serious dilemma. Such commitments to these short-term needs require expertise, but hiring experienced personnel is expensive. Hiring inexperienced personnel results in lost time due to the level of research required before the inexperienced personnel are properly prepared to meet the immediate demands.
What is a company to do?
How about considering a seasoned HR Consultant to help you? With an experienced HR Consultant, there is little to no time required for researching what to do or what best practices to incorporate into the current circumstance. HR Consulting professionals often cost less than hiring administrative support staff full time and are often able to commit to your company for longer periods of time.
Let’s look at these advantages closer.
Commitment: A good HR Professional is often sought after within any growing job market. Therefore, your experienced HR Professional is subjected to several job offers because of the high demand of this stressful career path. When faced with significant pay increases and possible circumstances better than currently experiencing they often owe it to their families to consider other offers even if they are content where they are. Most HR Consultants have already been through this struggle and are seeking to be more devoted to one or two loyal clients that need their help getting the company established or to fill in for key personnel during absences. This kind of mutual commitment is beneficial to the business and also to the consultant.
Cost Considerations: This one is easy! Hiring any full time employee is expensive no matter how entry level they are. You must consider the total fringe cost, which can often range from 30% to more than 50% of additional expenses for medical insurance and other insurance plans, worker’s compensation, social security, taxes, medicare, unemployment insurance, etc. Aside from these expenses, you also have to factor what level of experience you are paying for when hiring a full time employee. They often spend exorbitant amounts of time trying to learn the job and productivity of their time suffers, which is ultimately costs the company more money. In down time, some employees choose to surf the internet rather than trying to get up to speed on what could make them more successful the next time they are required to stretch outside their knowledge comfort zone. After all, the company with pay again the next time for them to do the research, right? An HR Consultant can often be utilized for short projects, during start up phases, during absences of other full time staff or even by the hour if you simply need professional council. HR Consultants are in business to help save you money!
Eddie Littrell, President & CEO
Corporate Resource Solutions, LLC