Finding the Right HR Support for Your Business

You’re looking for HR support for your small business and realize there is an abundance of options. There are HR consultants to DIY platforms to full-service HR services. But how do you know which is right for you? 

As a growing business, it’s unlikely that just an HR consultant or platform will be enough to support your HR needs—unless you already have a few people on your in-house HR team. However, full-service HR partners can handle all of your HR responsibilities from payroll to benefits to HR strategy to workers’ compensation to compliance. 

So here are some aspects to consider when looking for an HR partner and how to find the right HR support for your business.

What Makes for the Best HR Support for Small Businesses?

When you’ve realized it’s time for HR support, it can be daunting to evaluate HR partners. Who you choose can have a significant impact on how successful your business will be. 

As a result, an HR partner should be just that—a partner. Some HR services for small businesses just push a platform and you never hear from them again. A true HR partner will have technology and people dedicated to helping their clients. 

Not all HR partners are created equal. To truly leverage the value of HR support, look at whether a partner is:

• Local: Local HR service providers are aware of local employment laws and regulations, your market, and often your type of business
• Certified: Has the IRS and Bonded ESAC accreditation
• Full-Service: Offers a breadth of services under one roof (e.g., payroll, workers’ compensation, benefits, and healthcare insurance)
• Personalized: Has personalized customer service and a designated service team to support your HR needs

If an HR partner has all of the qualifications above, they can surely help you with HR. However, there are a few more questions that will determine if they are the right fit for your business. 

3 Questions to Evaluate an HR Partner 

To determine if a specific HR partner is right for you, ask these three questions: 

1. Does the partner meet all of our HR needs?

You’ve gone through the steps to realize you need HR support. But if an HR partner doesn’t align with your organizational goals, they’re likely not a good fit. For example, if you’re looking to grow outside the state of Colorado, but a particular HR partner can’t help you with multi-state compliance, then they aren’t aligned with your goals. 

An honest HR partner will let you know if they think another option—such as hiring an internal HR person first or just outsourcing payroll—is a better choice. 

2. Is the HR partner responsive? 

Large HR service providers have a lot of clients and end up directing questions or concerns to a support team who will take days to get back to you. Or you’ll end up working with different people each time a problem occurs. 

A better option would be an HR partner that can function as an extension of your internal team, making it easy to maintain insight and control of your HR. The best HR partners will have a real person or team who gets back to you within the day. And this same team will be your designated point of contact each time you need support—making it easier to communicate and resolve problems.

3. Does the partner have internal HR expertise?

The whole point of using an HR partner is for their HR expertise. A well-seasoned HR partner will have staff members with ample years of experience and diversity, such as practiced consultants in benefits, workplace safety, and tax compliance. An experienced HR partner will also be a thought leader and answer your HR questions rather than direct you to additional resources outside their organization. 

Because an HR partner can provide a lot, they may not be the right fit if you’re only looking for someone who can manage your payroll or benefits. And if you only have a couple of employees or all of your employees are contractors—it won’t make much sense either. An HR partner will be the best fit for your organization if your company is growing and has the resources to facilitate a partnership.

Partner with Obsidian HR

There are many benefits to using an HR partner. If you’re currently looking for HR support for your business, consider Obsidian HR. We can handle your most complicated and time-consuming HR tasks. But we can also offer guidance and advice on strategic HR when you want it. Instead of worrying about who on your team can or should take on these tasks, let Obsidian HR take them on for you.

If you’re ready to get started, contact our team today. Or, if you want to learn more about HR support for small businesses, download the guide below.