An HR Consultant will help you keep your finger on the pulse in the HR world.
Regardless of what industry you work in, if you have employees you will have to ensure that you perform certain HR functions and comply with legislation.
Depending on the time and resources available to you, this may be somewhat challenging. Even if it’s a function that you’re normally able to manage, there may be times when you are stretched to capacity, or beyond.
External HR consultancy is rapidly beginning a popular business choice, providing companies with the support they need at critical times. Here’s a closer look at when is the right time to seek external HR consultancy for your business.
How to use external consultancy experts
If you’re considering using an external HR consultancy, you might be concerned about the lack of control for your business, especially if you’re used to managing everything yourself.
However, you can specify the functions that you want to be carried out; it’s not an “all or nothing” approach.
If you only want limited functions performed by an external HR agency, you can set that out when you instruct them. One of the benefits of using a consultancy is that you can get the help you really need to be tailored for the demands of your business.
Typical functions performed by external consultants
HR Consultants can help with a range of tasks in a business
You can, of course, use external HR consultants to carry out the majority of your work, but if you prefer to retain a greater degree of input, you may want to use their knowledge in a more limited capacity.
There are certain types of services which are more frequently requested from HR external consultants which are:
- Constructing and drafting HR procedures and documentation
- Managing recruitment
- Training and development
- Managing the redundancy process
- Expert advice and guidance
- General HR administration
The functions which you choose to keep internally depend on the level of expertise you have in the business and what knowledge is held. If you have very experienced personnel, you may choose to use external consultants for the higher volume general HR administration. This will free up your staff to concentrate on the more complex work which they’re qualified for, rather than wasting their time on bog standard tasks.
Conversely, if your HR team is relatively inexperienced, you may prefer for them to handle the day to day requests but call upon the external consultants to help out with more technical work, and to manage the more complex demands.
What you choose to use the external consultants for depends on how many HR staff you have working in your business and how much experience is held.
Reasons to use a consultancy
If you’re trying to decide when to seek assistance from an external HR consultancy, it might help to understand the reasons why they’re often used.
HR is a minefield of legislation which is constantly changing, and being able to work competently and efficiently means being able to keep up with the law. There are serious penalties for failing to comply with HR regulations and it can be a constant battle to make sure your staff have the latest information.
An external HR consultancy will specialise in providing this depth of knowledge and will always have staff briefed to the highest standard possible. This level of expertise can be extremely useful and can remove the requirement for you and your HR staff to be aware of any slight change in the rules.
Handling HR issues with staff can be extremely sensitive and if you have to continue working with them afterwards, it can make life uncomfortable for all concerned. Allowing an external HR consultancy to deal with any issues can make it easier to continue in the workplace.
If you’re a relatively small business, the chances are that you will be very hands-on in making it a success with the daily jobs that you need to attend to. HR administration can take you away from doing what will benefit the most, leaving you to wade through reams of HR paperwork. By allowing an HR consultancy to take on the bulk of the simple work, you can focus on other business matters which need your attention.
Looking to Use an HR Consultancy For Your Business?
Using an external HR consultancy is a smart business decision but the right time to seek out their services is different for every company. Whether you use their help on an ongoing basis or just at peak times, such as during recruitment, you can be sure that you’ll receive an expert and knowledgeable service that makes life much easier for you and your staff.
For more information contact us at The HR Booth on 01383 668178 or email us at info@thehrbooth.co.uk
