As a business it is imperative to achieve growth and productivity goals including hiring top talent and receiving the funding required to continue to grow.

Accomplishing these initiatives is often easier said than done though, because many entrepreneurs and business owners have many other responsibilities to focus on. A recent Wall Street Journal article explicitly addressed the lack of HR practices within tech startups, but the same concerns apply to all businesses, that the bare minimum is often expended when it comes to HR because there just isn’t enough time in the day. As the article notes, HR is an important component to add to your bench in order to get most out of your most expensive line item – your people – and to avoid current and future people, performance and policy issues.

4 Important Points to Consider:

HR addresses more than recruiting. Often businesses are focused on acquiring the talent they need without thinking about the HR structure and initiatives needed to support them after they join your company. Don’t lose sight of your goals and objectives.
Your office manager may need HR training or support. Many times HR responsibilities fall to the office manager by default. (S)he may need additional HR training or an HR expert that can provide support when it comes to employee, performance, or compliance issues, as well as guidance on which HR activities will bring the greatest return on investment. Remain mindful of the culture you strive for and work towards creating it from the very start. It is much easier to start as you intend to finish rather than find yourself in a situation where you may need to make big culture changes when you’re already well underway.
Assess which policies are required by law and which policies will clarify company expectations and offerings. You may also want to consider policies that are specific to your work environment and/or demographic such as social media, telecommuting, and relocation policies. At this point, it’s probably safe to say that every company should have a social media policy given its prominence in the workplace.
Remain cognizant of the nepotism. Businesses often tap their own networks for hiring, which has its plusses and minuses. While hiring from referrals tends to be less risky, you can end up with a non-diverse workforce and/or cliquish and divided staff.