While HR departments are often viewed as integral to a company’s success, not all organizations have them. However, choosing not to have a human resource department puts your company at risk for debilitating financial, legal, and operational issues. To mitigate such risks, creating an HR department is advisable. If your company doesn’t currently have an HR department, starting one from scratch may seem like a daunting task. To provide you with some guidance on the matter, heed these tips on how to start a human resource department.
Determine your HR department’s staff structure
There are many ways to structure a human resource department. While some companies only have a two-person HR department of just an HR generalist and an HR administrator, others may require additional or more specialized positions. Many different factors will go into the process of determining your HR staff structure, such as the size of your company, the growth rate, your company’s culture, and the industry you’re in.
Recruit qualified HR professionals
Finding experienced HR professionals who reflect your company culture is an important step to starting your human resource department. This task, however, can be challenging for companies with no existing HR department—especially new startups. As such, it’s extremely beneficial to use the services of a specialized HR executive search firm, such as The Christopher Group. They have the connections and expertise necessary to connect you with quality candidates.
Develop training and development programs
When starting a brand-new HR department, developing effective training and development programs is essential. Without effectively training employees, poor performance and high turnover rates can be expected. Therefore, it’s vital to develop a training program for new and existing employees at your company.
Create a staffing plan
Even if you own a small company that only needs to fill a few key positions, creating a staffing plan is necessary. Creating a staffing plan for your business that your HR department can refer to helps facilitate your business’s healthy growth. This plan should outline what positions need to be filled in your company, how much those in said positions will be paid, and how many employees your company can afford to hire.
Hopefully these tips on how to start a human resource department help make the process of starting a new department a little easier. If you require more help throughout the process, contact The Christopher Group. As one of the nation’s largest and most respected boutique HR executive search and staffing solution firms, we can help you fill open HR positions with high-performing, senior-level HR professionals. For more information regarding our services, contact us today.