Normally a business at start-up or early growth stage doesn’t have a dedicated HR department. However, this does not mean that from time to time, you will not need to deal with HR related issues. Although, in many instances it may make sense for you to keep your company streamlined at this stage without an HR department, it is important that you approach HR issues swiftly and professionally so as your employees and your business do not suffer. I have written this article to include a number of key things you can try when your company faces an HR related issue, but does not have a dedicated HR department.  

Assign someone to deal with HR related issues 

Although you have not currently got a specific, dedicated HR function within the business, this does not mean that you can avoid addressing Human Resource issues within the company. In truth, when HR related issues arise, it is important that you deal with them in a timely, professional and appropriate manner. Therefore, it can be useful to assign responsibility of HR matters to a specific person or people within your team. This allows these individuals to gain experience dealing with issues relating to Human Resources and it also means that you know who should be looking at an issue when it does arise. 

Educate yourself on HR regulation and compliance 

When you have no official or dedicated HR department within your business, it is important that you are on top of all things HR and have confidence in how they are being handled. For this reason it can help for you to stay up to date on which employment and HR regulations apply to your organisation, how they apply and how you may seek to comply with them. It’s important that you know about the essentials when navigating employment law but also that you educate yourself on employee engagement and employee experience, and how these improve productivity within the business. Dealing with matters relating to employment legislation can be a mind field and very complex. Having someone to call upon for advice and guidance is sometimes the better option.

Engage an HR consultant

Finally, if you do not have a dedicated HR function within your business, it can be very helpful to onboard the services of an experienced and qualified HR consultant. Hiring a qualified consultant means you can still run your business without a dedicated HR function but that you will be able to do so in full confidence that the Human Resources side of the company is being handled professionally and correctly. A Human Resources consultant can serve to provide advice when you experience an HR issue, they can provide templates and guidance on how to structure official documentation for your employees and they will help to ensure you are running your business to maximize efficiency and productivity among your people.   

It is possible, and perhaps even sensible, to get your business to a certain size before you start to put together a dedicated HR team. However, if you are going down this path it is important that you don’t allow important HR issues within your company to go unresolved. Having the correct processes and advisors in place will allow you to operate with confidence without breaking the bank. 

If you need support to help build HR capability in your business or help to navigate a complex HR issue speak to People HQ today. You can call our office on 02891 246 000 or email enquiries@peoplehq.co.uk to speak to one of the team.