Invest in human resources

A well-designed Human Resources strategy should be one of the first priorities for any employer. It’s not just about happy employees – it’s about reducing the risk of something going wrong.

There have been reminders in the media recently about how important it is to get human resources right, whether your company is big or small. Here’s a brief checklist to set your company up for success and reduce exposure to risk.

1. Establish your people policies early
It’s never too early to lay out the ground rules of behaviour in the workforce, to save potential problems down the track. If your organisation is small, external consultants can provide cost-effective solutions that work within your budget.

2. Empower your Human Resources function
Make sure your HR leader reports directly to the CEO. This ensures that the person at the top has direct insight and knowledge of what’s going on internally and HR can align itself with the business goals and objectives. Placing the HR leader with the leadership team also shows that you value the team and culture of your company.

3. Adapt Human Resources as you grow
The HR resources or strategy that you had in place as a start-up will not be sufficient as your organisation grows and expands. It’s a good idea to put in place a regular review to ensure HR resources are appropriate for the rate of growth.

4. Keep recruitment separate
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that HR and recruitment are interchangeable. Your HR strategy should be about culture and leadership, collecting feedback from the team, and managing performance and development goals. Recruitment is a whole other specialty in itself.

Every successful company has a sound Human Resources strategy in place. If you’re unsure on where to start or need advice on who would be able to help you, feel free to give me a call for an obligation-free chat.