guest column:Emmanuel Zvada
HUMAN resources remain a pivotal service in many organisations, that’s undeniable. The growth in outsourcing, in particular HR) outsourcing, has been motivated by the need for organisations to reduce costs and focus on strategic issues that affect employees. Outsourcing HR functions to a reputable HR consultant is a cost-effective and time-efficient solution to pursue the organisation’s core competencies. Instead of trying to be the best at everything, take a closer look at what your company does well, and exploit those services to your advantage and outsource others. Some important HR functions that can be outsourced include recruitment, employee training, performance review, succession planning, leadership development, and competency mapping, among others.
Outsourcing the human resources function is not easy believe you me, but if entrusted to a reliable provider that is recognised for quality of service, your company can only emerge a winner. Outsourcing HR is arguably the best decision a company can make depending on the type of organisation. Why? Outsourcing makes it possible to model a more specialised HR department that is able to actively participate in the advancement and development of the company without being burdened by time-consuming HR tasks. Although outsourcing HR might not be the best decision for all businesses as some may argue, there are some significant advantages of doing it, especially when it comes to saving time and money.
What is outsourcing?
Outsourcing is delegating one or more services to a third-party company that specialises in this type of discipline. When it comes to human resources, this can include recruitment, training, legal expertise and payroll administration and other services. If your organisation lacks the skills and the expertise to tackle human resources, consider outsourcing HR services. Most organisations today outsource HR services because they do not have the expertise to deal with HR services in-house. Moreover, organisations choose to outsource HR services in order to save time and effort.
HR outsourcing can be mainly classified into two categories. Transaction and administration outsourcing services and consultancy outsourcing services. HR transaction outsourcing services include monthly requirements such as, payroll processing. HR consultancy services are some of the services that can be outsourced from reputable consultants. When to outsource human resources services
Many small businesses choose to outsource HR services for many reasons one of which being cost reduction. It isn’t always easy to afford someone to handle HR responsibilities, especially for a startup. If your company is growing and HR services are weighing heavily on it outsourcing HR services could be the solution you need. Awareness of your business’s current situation can help you recognise the right time to support growth and operations by partnering with a third party. Companies seeking to improve their performance may reap rewards when they let experts manage compliance, employee benefits, and payroll processing. The decision to outsource or “in-source HR” depends on current and future organisational direction, size and complexity.
Why outsource HR services?
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The cost of doing business can be quite high, especially when your business is just getting off the ground. While it’s natural to want to do everything in-house, great business owners understand the need to outsource certain functions to established consultants. One of the best cost-saving measures you can take is to outsource HR. When you outsource HR services, you can save on time and effort and concentrate on your core business. By outsourcing a non-core process like HR services, you can concentrate more on increasing customer satisfaction and on increasing the value of your products/ services.
There are several good reasons to outsource your HR services, some of which may be more obvious than others. While there is certainly something to be said for the cost savings and efficiency that come with putting this kind of responsibility in the hands of another company, there are also some very real benefits for your employees when you choose to outsource. It is more cost-effective and will result in more efficient and effective HR management. By outsourcing many of the tasks that HR is responsible for, you can focus more of your time and resources on matters that directly relate to the growth of your business.
How to choose the best HR organisation to outsource to If you decide to outsource some of your HR functions, the question becomes, who do you outsource them to? Different types of organisations exist where you can outsource your HR functions. There are many companies in the market which can provide both an on-site and remote services. Before outsourcing the HR department, you will want to get quotes from several HR providers who can deliver the service that is required. Objections to outsourcing a company’s HR function can easily be addressed by taking care when hiring the HR company. Proper checks should be made before entering into a contract with the company that we will be providing the service, more so confidentiality clauses must be included in any contract that is signed between the parties.
When selecting a service provider, use the following criteria to ensure you find a high-quality partner with expertise. Ensure the service provider is registered with the professional body in that country. The company must have good reputation based on testimonials from other clients. Cultural fit is one key thing you should consider when selecting a service provider. The chosen HR service provider must be able to adapt to your needs. The best way to do this is to “become one of their employees”. They must develop a one-on-one relationship with each client, underpinned by a personalised service. The ability to fit in with the client’s culture and systems is key to make sure that they are not sabotaged.
The main benefits of outsourcing HR services Outsourcing HR functions to a professional HR consultant greatly minimises the risk of violating HR compliance regulations and labour laws. When a small business is growing, it may not have a dedicated HR team that is updated on HR rules and regulations. Outsourcing HR activities to a professional HR consultant brings you the peace of mind that all your company policies and procedures are compliant with applicable laws. Outsourcing HR functions reduces the risk of non-compliance.
Outsourcing HR functions assist in saving cost on overhead expenses. By outsourcing you will save a considerable amount of overhead expenses. It is a brilliant way of ensuring that the core functions of the company don’t suffer even if talented employees are leaving at short notice. By outsourcing employee performance management, leadership development and employee counselling to a reputed HR consultancy, all the plans are easily developed, implemented, and managed to achieve the overall goals of the company.
Being competitive in these areas is not always easy for small and medium-sized businesses. Smaller companies often don’t have the budgets to support the necessary personnel, and sometimes HR issues can be so thorny, it takes experts to navigate them successfully, hence need to outsource.
