7 Human Resource Basics For Solopreneurs
Written by Ben Robinson
Position
An HR department’s responsibilities are not easy, and trying to tackle them yourself as a solopreneur is a formidable task. To help solopreneurs who want to handle HR on their own, we have put together this list of seven guidelines for human resource management, inspired by tips given by human resource experts at Forbes.
Act Methodically
Those unfamiliar with HR work frequently think they can get by relying purely on their gut when it comes to their human resource-related decisions. After all, we’re conditioned to believe ’emotionally’ when dealing with people, and HR is all about people.
This thought process is way off-base.
You should actually take a very systematic approach to human resources. There is a lot of info on the internet to resource, in fact.
Try going to Google when you are faced with an HR issue and searching for advice on the problem. You are very likely to find pages and pages discussing how to go about your subject in concrete terms. Use that information if you can find it.
Your gut feelings also have their place in HR processes. It’s not a totally impersonal department. But the point is, all decisions should be based on empirical methodology.
Keep it Legal
Especially in a small company, it can be tempting for a PR department to cut corners and do things the easy way rather than the right way. In other words, to wander outside the processes and guidelines set by the law. Don’t do it, however tempting it may be.
Breaking small laws, like failing to properly register certain parts of your business or going under-the-table with some of your payments, has short-term benefits. It might save a bundle of money, for example, or keep you from having to file a ton of paperwork.
In the long-term, though, it will catch up with you. And it will royally screw your business. The US government is a stickler for rules, and it’s a master at enforcing them. Don’t try to beat the system.
Make Communications Crystal Clear
As a solopreneur, you’ve probably spent thousands of hours thinking about your business. Remember that others have not and design your public outreach accordingly.
You have a clear vision of what your company is all about, what it needs, what it shuns. And, as HR, it’s your job to communicate that to others in job descriptions and company outreach. It is important to remember that others are just hearing about your company for the first time.
Composing clear HR communications is the best way to find good talent for your workforce. To make them come to you rather than having to seek them out yourself. If done right, it will save countless hours of searching on your part.
You also need to find the right channels for your outreach. Your communication will be wasted if the right people don’t read it. So find out where your audience is going, and make your PR materials available there.
Base Decisions on Company Culture, Not Just CVs
Hiring people or assigning tasks based purely on information gleaned in a CV is a very old-fashioned way of doing PR.
You need to talk to the people you’re working with, get a feel for what they think, before assigning them to anything.
Network With Other HR Departments
A lot of HR reps, even the more experienced ones, try and go at all of their HR issues alone. They don’t realize there is a thriving HR community on the internet, helping each other out with the tough parts of the job.
Don’t be afraid to utilize social media sites to join PR forums and crowdsource your PR decisions. Even once you’re comfortable with how things work, a hive mind is always better than one person making decisions alone.
Use HR Software
This sort of ties in with our point about HR being a systematic practice.
HR is complicated. A lot of times, it can feel as if you’re dealing with people in the same way as numbers in a spreadsheet. And rightfully so, you need to distill your contacts down to hard data sometimes to optimize your decision making.
You don’t try to keep track of large networks of hard data in your head, so why do it with your HR prospects?Luckily, there are tons of great HR softwares out there to help you with this task. Find the ones that are best for you, download them, and get cooking.
Think About Hiring A Professional Employer Organization
Bookkeeper’s lists rarely include items that boil down to “have someone else do it for you,” but in this case, it may be necessary.
HR is difficult. Even for professionals, it’s very time-consuming. If this short list seems intimidating to you, it’s probably an excellent investment to outsource your HR to others. It will pay off when they start filling your payroll with great fits for your company.
If you do decide to go with this option, you’ll want to look for CPEOs, shorthand for Certified Professional Employer Organizations.
We know solopreneurs are some of the busiest people in the world, and they have to pick up new skills quickly, so they have enough time left over to run their business. These tips will hopefully act as a much-needed shortcut so that you can get your HR game under control sooner rather than later.
IF YOU HAVE ANY GREAT HR TIPS NOT MENTIONED HERE, BE SURE TO LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW!
