6 Ways Extra HR Support Can Help Your Small Business

Depending on a business’s size and budget constraints, an in-house Human Resources department may not always be realistic. However, having employees brings along typical HR issues that need to be addressed, including employment laws, benefits, employee retention, poster requirements, hiring, recruiting, and workforce relations. In addition, once you reach certain employee number thresholds, there are more regulations to be compliant with, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, the Affordable Care Act, and others.

If you’re a small business owner, juggling HR duties is probably how you stay compliant and manage your employees. There is another option that can still keep you within budget, but allow you to have a better handle of your HR requirements, recordkeeping, and keeping employees informed and satisfied: an outsourced, online HR Help Center. With an HR Help Center, you receive a login to a portal full of resources and knowledge. Everything from calculators, pre-made templates, podcasts, and an employment law library is at your disposal. So even if you feel you are adequately handling your organization’s HR, this extra support can help you feel more confident and organized when it comes to your business’s most important asset — your people.

Here are six ways that having extra HR support through an online portal can help your business if you don’t have dedicated HR personnel:

1) A More Cohesive Team

If your organization is under 10 employees, you’re probably already fostering a tight-knit group and culture. As your business grows, however, it can be challenging to maintain that closeness. Using the materials available in the HR Help Center, you can easily and quickly create an Employee Handbook. Handbooks have a multitude of uses and benefits, but most important is how it improves the communication at your business, informs new employees of your procedures, and is a staple of consistency for both your culture and company policies. An effective employee handbook communicates and “sells” your company values and benefits, can defend your business from legal action down the line, and lets employees know what is expected of them and what can be expected of management. All of these benefits lead toward an organizational culture with enhanced morale and transparent communication.
 

2) Save Time (sound familiar?)

Payroll companies are in the business of saving you time, so you can trust us when we encourage using a streamlined HR service to save you even more time from performing administrative duties. With the HR Help Center, you no longer have to reinvent the wheel or start from scratch with most employee communication materials. Instead, you start with pre-made letters, forms, policies, and checklists, customize it to fit your business and the situation at hand, and save it for use down the line.
 
A further resource that saves you time is the HR Guide catalog which breaks down common HR situations with easy-to-follow step-by-step explanations. Using these trustworthy guides, you’ll save time from searching the internet for answers, consulting with a pricey outside HR professional, or double-checking your resources for reliability and accuracy.
 

3) Minimize Legal Risk

Playing with fire is scary. Since not all small business owners are HR experts, the last thing you should be doing is risking your hard earned work because you don’t think you can afford an HR support system. Using an outsourced HR solution educates you about federal and state employment laws so you can lessen your risk of employment-related legal claims. Are you 100% confident you’re compliant with FLSA? That you’re legally following protocol during terminations? That you’re leave policies are appropriate? Its okay if you don’t know for sure, but if that is the case, having 24/7 access to HR experts that can make sure you are compliant is a valuable advantage. The HR Help Center can also be used to craft a Handbook that lays out your policies, provides disclosures, and acknowledges compliance with FLSA, ADA, etc., all further protecting your business from exposure to risky legal claims and lawsuits.

4) Happier New Hires

It’s been said that new hires decide if they will stay with a new company within their first 10 days, so use the HR Help Center to your advantage to make sure those 10 days make a great, welcoming first impression. First off, the HR Help Center comes equipped with an extensive job description library so that new hires know what to expect in their job functions and performance when coming on board. With a new employee orientation checklist and brand new Employee Handbook to go over during the first few days of employment, the new hire has a better expectation of their duties, your organizational culture, and, overall, will feel informed, organized, and part of the team.
 

5) Understand All of the Rules

“Do we have to pay an employee who worked unauthorized overtime?” “We’re terminating an employee that still has vacation time – what do we do?” “How do I handle jury duty pay?” “What are the rules for hiring interns?” “Does the ACA employer mandate apply to me?”

Do you know the answers to all of these questions? Chances are, if you’re not a full-time HR professional, you probably don’t. However, the repercussions can be serious for your business. These are just several examples of the most commonly asked HR questions and the only way you can be confident in the answers is when you’re speaking with a certified PHR professional. The HR Help Center grants you access to a help desk ticketing system in case you ever need clarification and answers to all questions, ranging from the basic to complex. No more second-guessing when it comes to HR and employment laws and regulations.

6) Save Money

Save a salary and non-compliance fines! Last but not least, an effective HR support system will make sure you’re not facing fines and penalties when it comes to payroll and health care reform. It also helps you address problem areas in your business and allows you to rectify them before they become too damaging. For instance, the following calculators are available:

• Absenteeism: Determine the absenteeism rate for your organization or specific departments so it can be addressed sooner rather than later.
• Overtime Rates: Ensures you’re applying the correct overtime rate for hourly employees.
• Employee Turnover: Once you determine this cost, you’ll see the value in pursuing a lower turnover rate by motivating employees for better satisfaction and engagement.
• Cost Per Hire: You will want to revisit your hiring and retention budget once you quantify the cost that goes into hiring and training new employees.
• Affordable Care Act Calculators: Walk through calculations to determine full-time equivalents, safe harbor eligibility, and penalties for “Pay or Play.”

 
 
There’s nothing wrong with a little extra help to improve a core business function, especially with such an affordable price tag. If you’re handling HR yourself, or have an office administrator that could use some reliable assistance, start reaping the benefits of a more streamlined HR process. Save time and start experiencing a more educated workforce, improved morale, and confidence that your organization is following the applicable laws when it comes to HR.
 
 
Abacus Payroll introduces our new HR Help Center, perfect for small businesses who need to comply with federal and state employment laws, but don’t have the expansive budget to hire a full-time HR professional. Our HR Help Center truly makes it easy and keeps your business running smoothly and happily. HR topics covered include:

Contact us today at 856-667-6225 for more information or send an email to hr@abacuspay.com.