There’s a lot more to running a business than simply getting on with what you do, make or sell, especially when you employ other people. For a small or medium-sized business, this means a lot of administrative tasks, as well as recruiting and monitoring the workforce. Regardless of how efficient someone is, it’s pretty difficult to keep on top of all those essential things without help, so what are the choices?
Basically, if you don’t have the time, inclination or experience to take care of HR tasks yourself then the only choices left are to either expand your workforce by employing relevant personnel with HR training and know how; or outsource the duties you can’t cover. Here we look at the second option in more detail covering all the main things you need to know or think about before outsourcing your HR tasks.
How does HR outsourcing work?
Basically, it involves passing the responsibility for some or all of your HR tasks onto someone else, who will invoice you as agreed. This way you get the work done without having to actually hire someone to do it.
The work could be done by someone local who either visits your premises or works from another location, with face to face communication as necessary; or it may all take place online, perhaps supported by video calling if appropriate. Which you choose mainly depends on what you need them to do, for example, interviewing potential staff members would require a local hire.
There are lots of options
It’s fine to mix and match the HR services you outsource, for example, you may choose to use one local source and one online, to work with an agency, or to hire freelance workers yourself. If you don’t have the time or know how to make direct hires or check out the credentials of outsourced workers an agency or specialist company is likely to be a better choice.
Key things to check out before you choose a HR outsourcing company
- Are they approachable, professional, and fast to respond to queries?
- Do they have the range of staff on hand to cover everything you need?
- How long are you tied into a contract if you work with them?
- Are there customer service options which suit you, e.g. live chat, email, and/or phone support.
- Are the prices competitive? [Compare like for like services of a few places.]
- Do they have staff that understand your business needs?
- Do they have good reviews?
If you are interested in outsourcing your human resources department then check out Makai HR Outsourcing.
Some final thoughts
Outsourcing any part of your business workload can be a bit nerve-wracking, but it is a wise move when you don’t have the time or the knowledge to do or keep up with your own HR work. Just make sure you take the time to find the right person, or people, to take it on. People you feel comfortable working with and can trust to help your business thrive.
