By Lenaee Dupuis
What does a human resources department really do? Do all businesses need an entire department of human resources personnel? These are just two of the common questions that many small- and medium-business owners bring to me when they are first venturing into the world of human resources.
Other than being the police department of an office or small business, human resources (or HR) can be many things and without the expertise of a human resource professional in your office, you could be at risk. These risks range from risk of not being in compliance of legal requirements to ensuring company expectations are set (for dress code, vacation, etc.), and a multitude of others.
The HR department or person is the area of the business that takes care of the employee lifecycle — from recruitment through to exit, the HR team is the one that is at every touch point of an employee’s career. They are not only an employee contact but also a business advisor.
My rule of thumb is that if you have 50 employees or less, you do not require a full-time HR person. However, there are a number of areas where you should have comprehensive HR procedures in place. Here is my list of the top five areas where HR expertise is required!
- Recruitment: HR is the first line of contact in the recruitment process. They understand the business need, how the potential hire will fit into the overall business direction. Strategic hiring is a skillset that a human resource professional can bring to your business. The process often includes creating a pipeline of potential candidates, assessing their skills and qualifications, and making sure they are a good fit for the organization. Keep in mind that a mis-hire can be costly!
- Policies: There are a number of legislated policies that businesses must have, such as workplace harassment and disconnecting from work, to name a few. If you do not have an HR person or department, I would highly recommend utilizing a consultant to do a quick audit and ensure that you are up to legislated compliance for your workforce.
- Performance management: Everything within the employee lifecycle falls into this category — compensation, bonuses, employee relations, conflict, positive accolades, rewards and recognition, discipline — you name it, it is included. What exactly falls under “employee lifecycle” for your company is decided by your performance measures, and HR outlines how the related processes will occur.
- Career growth: Staff are always looking for the next role or area in which they will excel within an organization. HR can assist with creating and defining job descriptions and career paths, along with guidance around training and education required staff who want to take the next step.
- Company culture: Human resources contributes to a company’s culture. If HR genuinely cares about the well-being of employees, the culture will be one of openness and growth.
Considering these responsibilities, employees should feel comfortable reaching out to their HR department or contractor in these, and similar, situations:
- Harassment or discrimination from your colleagues, including your manager.
- Benefits questions including company-provided health insurance or rights guaranteed by law.
- Personal circumstance changes (e.g. having a child, needing to reduce your hours, needing accommodation for a disability).
- Advancing at the company, including opportunities to shadow other employees or participate in additional training
- When you need an objective third party to work through a work-related issue
Clearly, then, it is important to have all the HR procedures and processes in place so that managers and employees can access what they need, when they need it.
Lenaee Dupuis is a Burlington resident and human resources consultant in the GTA, who works with clients to utilize best practices and to find the best outcomes for their company and culture. Lenaee has worked in a variety of industries including technology, consumer packaged goods, freight forwarding, and medical devices. Her network is broad and her experience is extensive. She has recruited at all levels, developed training programs such as change management, led candidate and team assessments such as DISC and Lominger, and created a variety of human resource programs over her career.
Lenaee holds a biology and English degree from Trent University and a human resources diploma from Sir Sandford Fleming College. She is also a hockey and baseball mom to her son, Alton, and loves to travel with him and her husband Kevin. She also has a crazy dog named Buddy that you should ask her about!
