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The human resources landscape is rapidly changing. Factors such as competitive recruitment, lags in education to fill job gaps and the inevitable departure of baby-boomers from the labour market are making "people management" an increasingly urgent matter for entrepreneurs today.
"Some business owners may look at HR management as a frill. Often they are more concerned with short-term issues and putting out daily fires," says BDC consultant Bill Guest. In reality, however, investing in HR is as important as any other aspect of your business strategy, such as financing or operations. "Business success today is largely dependent on attracting the right people, managing them well and retaining their loyalty to your company," he says.
Recruitment: sell your company
Given the competitive job market in many parts of the country, Guest believes that one of the most important issues in recruitment today is "marketing your company." "Creating awareness of your firm is the first step to attract the best people," he says. "Potential employees want to know that they will be working for an organization that has a good reputation," he emphasizes. The Web, for example, enables people to immediately access the information they need to make decisions about their employers, says Guest. For instance, a job seeker may want to know more about your products or services, or if your company is environmentally friendly before making career choices. Beyond using print literature or the Web as a vehicle to promote your company, entrepreneurs should create a public image in the community. "A consultant could help your firm find ways to build its presence in the public eye through focused adverting, job fairs, industry association activity and community involvement," he says.
People management: feedback is paramount
With longer work weeks and a demanding business environment, employees today also demand more satisfaction in their jobs, says Guest. "They want to know that they can contribute something worthwhile to your company." It's not surprising, he believes, that employee performance feedback is a hot topic in HR management today. "Entrepreneurs should know that their success in providing performance feedback isn't measured by having employees fill out forms," he says. "Smaller companies shouldn't focus simply on the process but more on learning how to communicate with people well." Learning how to listen to employees, address issues constructively and diplomatically and motivate them to do their best is a rule of thumb, he says. Many entrepreneurs who are used to running "one-person shops" may lack these communication skills and fail to ensure that employees know exactly what is expected of them. An HR consultant can coach managers on how to express themselves clearly and secure employee buy-in. "Even in informal settings such as employee lunches, entrepreneurs need to polish their communication skills," he says.
Management training: fill the gaps
With the inevitable retirement of baby-boomers and their departure from the labour market, Guest feels that management training will become an increasingly important issue in the human resources field. "Training supervisors to replace retirees is becoming an urgent issue for many companies," he says. Still, many entrepreneurs are unprepared to hand the torch to somebody else and deal with retirement planning. "Typically, an entrepreneur may have all the business knowledge stored in his or her head, but if it's not shared with other leaders, they can find themselves in a difficult situation down the road," he says. Today, businesses can rely on an HR consultant to do a needs analysis, identify employees who may have the potential to become future managers, or help owners recruit externally. As well, owners can learn how to clarify the role of senior people in their companies and how they will continue to contribute to the organization's success.
Although many entrepreneurs may have the perception that seeking the advice of HR management consultants is a costly venture, Guest emphasizes that businesses can tackle HR management issues one project at a time. Typically, an external advisor such as the BDC Consulting could handle tasks such as operational restructuring, reviewing job descriptions, or assessing a performance feedback system. "It's unlikely that a small company would require investing in a full-scale HR department. The advantage of working with a consultant is that he or she can pass on invaluable HR skills to your company. Ultimately, you acquire the knowledge to handle the HR management task yourself," he concludes.
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