Businesses with a small number of employees and one that generates a lesser revenue when compared to other large corporations are often tagged as small and midsize businesses. However, this is true to a certain degree depending on the sector and country in perspective.
As a small or midsized business operating in Nigeria, there is always the challenge to stay afloat, stay competitive, expand the business, increase productivity, and ultimately generate significant profit. For these reasons, it is often seen that businesses try to get it right from the foundation – employing the right people for the job. Getting it right with employees has been identified to be a backbone that is able to sustain and achieve strategic initiatives and objectives provided by businesses.
Best HR for small and midsize Businesses
Realising how significant employees are to any organisation, small and midsize businesses do well to look up to how much role human resources play. Looking at best HR for small and midsize businesses involves assessing the roles or functions the team employed in the HR department can play.
Recruitment and Training
From recruiting the prospective employees to having them onboard easily to the company is essential. HR in small and midsize businesses do not only attract the best talents, they also retain them.
This function creates an avenue for HR managers to play a key role in not only recruiting the very best, but also training them. HR helps to build the future of the organisation by overseeing the recruitment and bring process.
Hiring qualified employees is just an aspect of an HR job; however, in order to retain talent and remain competitive, HR managers are often saddled with the responsibility of launching employee development initiatives.
This could also lead to additional on-the-job training, professional development programs, or educational opportunities that allow employees to grow and develop in their current roles, as well as prepare them for career advancement within the organisation.
Development and Training
While recruitment and training primarily deals with the search for rewarding talents and induction to the goals and objectives of the organisation, development and training takes a step further by ensuring that the resources employees need to excel in their roles and advance their careers are provided.
And when employee development and training is encouraged, their skill, knowledge and competence is enhanced, thereby enabling them to perform their jobs effectively and contribute to the overall success of the business. As a result, employee engagement is fostered, motivation and loyalty is achieved, leading to job satisfaction and retention.
Performance Management And Appraisal
In performing the function of performance management and appraisal, you find HR establishing performance management systems to set clear performance expectations, provide feedback, and evaluate employee performance.
This function, considered a very important one, enables managers to assess employees’ strengths and areas of improvement, identify training and development needs, and reward high performers.
Relations And Engagement
This is a function that is also known as Employee Relations and Engagement. It is a function in which HR uses to foster positive employee relations, as well as create a supportive work environment. Through this function, concerns, grievances and conflicts among employees are addressed, thereby promoting open communication and resolving issues in a fair and timely manner.
Compliance with Employment Laws and Regulations
It is mandatory that organisations adhere to laws and regulations. HR performs a function that ensures that the organisation comply with all relevant employment laws, regulations, and industry standards. They also stay informed on policies and procedures accordingly, and advise management on legal compliance issues.
As a result, legal risks are mitigated, fair and equitable treatment of employees is exercised. This function basically protects the organisation from potential lawsuits and reputational damage.
Organisational Development
Organisational development functions help in leading management efforts, communicate organisational changes to employees, and help employees adapt to new ways of working.The last take is that businesses cannot do without employees.
Recognising the significance of employees to the growth of a business and managing them to do what they are employed for is the fundamental role that HR performs.
As small and midsize businesses, the best HR functions are highlighted as organisational development, compliance with employment laws and regulations, relations and engagement, performance management and appraisal, development and training, and recruitment and training, which are fundamental to a company’s growth.
