Outsourcing Human Resources Can Help You Rest Better

GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP! 
Learn About The Top 5 HR Issues That Keep You Up At Night  

Having qualified Human Resources (HR) staff at your service can be critical to the growth and success of your organization and mission. However, sometimes the competing needs of a nonprofit do not allow for the employment of the highly qualified HR staff you need. HR outsourcing is an excellent solution whether you have cash flow restrictions or simply need to become more confident in the current human resources-related functions of your organization.

When your staffing situation warrants outsourcing some or all of your HR functions, an experienced HR outsourcing team can add greater strategic value, improve HR service quality and substantially increase process efficiency within your organization. Whether it is to provide a permanent alternative to staffing HR internally, or to solve staffing issues during an emergency, outsourcing your HR activities can allow your organization to focus on its strategic priorities while ensuring the changing HR regulation requirements are met.

To help you evaluate the potential value that can be realized by outsourcing HR activities, consider the following common concerns and issues that outsourced HR experts can solve for you.

1.Are we in compliance with the ever-changing and complex HR regulatory requirements? Trying to stay on top of constantly changing HR regulations can be a daunting task. Selecting an HR outsourcing group with professionals that are familiar with the current regulatory environment and are continually apprised of new and pending regulations will help ensure that your own policies and practices are in compliance and up to date.

2.How do we develop and maintain a diverse workforce and ensure that we hire the right people? Recruiting a diverse workforce requires targeted advertising and properly planned identification of areas to build diversity, including opportunities through internal promotions. Savvy business leaders know that organizations that recruit for and hire diverse staff often rate higher in productivity. A diverse workforce makes good business sense and HR professionals who know how to target highly qualified candidates across diverse groups can bring additional value to an organization.

3.My health care costs are skyrocketing – what are my options? Benefit costs have increased dramatically over the past few years and most organizations are faced with the challenge of offering a comprehensive benefits package at an affordable cost to both the organization and the employees. By working with knowledgeable outsourcing professionals, you have access to creative alternatives to help minimize the cost without sacrificing the value of the benefits to employees. An effective outsourcing group will evaluate your current employee benefits package and suggest new ideas for improvement while finding more affordable plans.
 
4.How do we safely terminate a troublesome employee and minimize legal exposure? Handling termination of a difficult employee requires careful and proper procedures, including having sufficient documentation in place, and making sure that the decision is justified. Your HR outsourcing specialist can advise your managers on how to handle different employee situations and how to appropriately address the concerns or questions of your employees, minimizing exposure to potential litigation. Your outsourcing provider can also assume the responsibility of keeping your organization in compliance with payroll information, benefits and COBRA requirements, minimizing risk of employee retaliation with an employer’s noncompliance.

5.Our employee turnover is high and we can’t afford to pay more in salary. What other inducements are available to keep our staff from leaving? To retain talented staff, it is important to find out what is important to employees and create programs that can offer comprehensive incentives and benefits that encompass more than just monetary rewards. An outsourcing professional can help you survey your staff, identify issues and put together a plan for success. Experienced HR consultants help organizations design rewards and recognition programs that fit with the individual culture of an organization. When employees feel that their talents are appreciated and recognized, morale improves and turnover is reduced.

“The Top 5 HR Issues That Keep You Up at Night,” Copyright Raffa 2005, was printed with permission of the author, Elizabeth Eun.

Reprinted from Michigan Nonprofit Association – Linking Nonprofits to Resources, June 2006, Volume 7, Number 5. http://www.mnaonline.org/