Most, if not every organization has a human resource (HR) department to manage their people; commonly known as HR Management. Regardless of the number of employees your organization has. Your business will thrive because of the capabilities and performance of your people. As a small business owner you may not have an official HR Department. But as the owner of the company you are ultimately responsible; you may not even have employees. You need to be thinking and organizing your company’s activities in a way that allows you to think bigger. Growing your business in a way to ensure you implement policies and procedures to support your success.
Human Resource Management (HRM) implements and manages recruitment, training, career, and organizational development initiatives within your organization. The aim of HRM is to maximize the production of your organization. You achieve this by maximizing the effectiveness of your employees. While simultaneously improving the work life of your employees and treating them as integral resources. As a small business owner with no employees; are you scratching your head as to how this is even applicable to you?
HRM focuses time promoting personal development, employee satisfaction, and compliance with employment-related laws. Still confused? Good. The purpose behind this article is to help you understand as a one-person-shop how HRM is critical to your overall success. Following are a few perspectives which are used normally by HRM and how they translate into small business.
Training & HR Management
This is one of the most important responsibilities of your HRM team. The human resource managers work out on plans and strategies of hiring the appropriate people. They design and maintain the criteria suitable for a particular job description. When needed, they also provide training to the employees according to the requirements of the organization. An organization cannot build a team of professionals without the help of a human resource management team.
Translation? First, as an entrepreneur you need to know your current skill set, your strengths and your areas of growth. When you know where your company is heading and the steps you need to take to arrive at your goals then you can begin to identify which skills need to be enhanced, acquired and or honed.
If you know the skills necessary are not part of your interests or strengths then this identification empowers you to hire either an employee or an independent contractor who is passionate about this area. The benefit of bringing on board the right personnel to handle these areas is it allows you to focus on what you do best. This is an investment. As a small business, you need to embrace a change in perspective to ensure you are spending your time as wisely as you spend your money.
Annual Performance Appraisals
HRM encourages every individual in the company to work according to his or her ability and also helps boost potential. The management team interacts with the employees, all the necessary information related their work and also defines their specific roles. This helps the employees to form an outline of their planned goals in much clearer terms. Thereby helping them execute the actions with best possible efforts. Performance appraisals taken frequently can also motivate employees and boost in their morale.
Translation? Second, as a small business owner the annual performance appraisal is critical to your overall success. It provides the means of checking in with where you are personally and professionally. Are meeting or exceeding at the level necessary to complete your tasks on time while still meeting your customer needs? During this review of yourself, you are able to identify further areas of growth. It also allows you to recognize your success and achievements. From these review results, you are able to establish new annual goals for your own role within your organization.
HR Management & Atmosphere
The performance of an individual in an organization is largely driven by the work culture that prevails at the workplace. An appropriate environment can bring out the best in your employees. A friendly atmosphere gives the employees job satisfaction as well. A good work environment is an essential part of the benefits given to employees by HRM.
Translation? Third, identify where do you work. At home? An office space you rent? As the business owner, your actual location of your small business doesn’t matter. It is the atmosphere you create for yourself. Be sure to check in regularly with your ability to complete your daily tasks and feeling comfortable in the environment in which are working. If your work space is not supportive of you working effectively or being able to interact with clients easily then you need to be addressing the ‘comfort’ of your working space. Improving the area to ensure you can focus and meet both you and your customer needs.
Internal Disputes
There are several issues on which clashes and disputes may happen between the employees and the managers in a company. In such a case it is the HR department that sorts out misunderstandings between its workers. Resolution is necessary to potentially save the reputation of their organization and the leadership.
Translation? Finally, are you working through challenges yourself? Then you will want to take the time to review them as if you had employees. How the outcome or your decision may impact not just your employees, but yourself and your clients. You will want to document how you would change the process or decision based upon if you had one employee or ten employees. Just working through this exercise without actual documentation will empower you deal with them easier when and if the time does arise.
HR Management does not need to be an overwhelming topic. If you are concerned about where your small business is with HR, there are many independent specialist that you can hire to conduct a one time review. They will provide you with a report and any necessary recommendations. Breathe easy and know there are always solutions available.