A human resources consultant has a number of duties. These consultants are usually hired from outside an organization to provide guidance and expert advice to the personnel or human resources departments in order to help things such as the hiring process and employee relations to run more professionally.
Recruitment and Staffing
When a business is just starting out, the owners may hire a human resources consultant to assist with establishing company-wide hiring and recruitment practices. HR consultants can teach company representatives innovative ways to hire the most qualified applicants through strategic placement of employment ads and effective interviewing techniques. They want to get their business off on the right foot, and these professionals can help them to set standards across the board for the way in which the human resources department will work in the future. Along with establishing protocol for hiring and recruiting, the early stages of a startup is a great time for consultants to assist with creating thorough job descriptions and writing specific performance standards for each position.
Performance and Downsizing
When a company is facing hard times and must consider which positions to eliminate and which staff should be laid off, they will often call on the help of human resources consultants. These professionals are not affiliated with the organization. Therefore, they can make non-biased decisions about which personnel may lose their jobs or be laid off. These consultants are also experts at personnel issues and efficiency. They can help to evaluate which positions are the most necessary, which can be consolidated and which can be eliminated entirely as a means of cost cutting. Some positions are rather redundant and may be able to be merged. This is a measure that can save business a great deal of money. An HR consultant will be more apt to make decisions such as these on a practical, informed and expert level than someone who is immersed in company culture and has close ties with the employees.
Wages and Training
Human resources consultants may also work with company leaders to help establish pay scales for the positions within an organization. They also provide input on establishing fair benefits packages, including vacation time, sick days, pensions and insurance. These kinds of decisions have a great influence on company culture, and employers want to be able to provide wages and benefits to motivate employees, while maintaining an affordable bottom line. HR consultants know the ins and outs of industry standards, as well as are familiar with legal issues surrounding wages and benefits. Establishing training programs is one more area of expertise that HR consultants possess. They can assist in the creation of training procedures that are informative and efficient, producing a prepared and capable company workforce.
These are a few of the areas in which human resources are hired to work with and advise companies. By enlisting the help of a human resources consultant, organizations can ultimately save time and frustration with regard to future employee issues.
