Frequently Asked Questions

Human Resources is an extremely broad field of service and includes functions such as hiring, benefits, compensation, training and development, employee relations (discipline and performance management), compliance with employment laws that govern your business, just to name a few.

We are an HR Consulting Firm, providing a wide range of HR support and services to small, medium, and large size companies. We support clients who may be too small to need a full-time HR person, as well as large companies who may want to outsource a specific training or investigative need. We grow businesses in compliance, consistency and documentation to grow their employees and mitigate risk.

Absolutely! We are not a recruiting firm, so we do not have a candidate pool standing by, but we do support clients with job postings and interviews, to hire right the first time and new hire paperwork and onboarding.

We stick to what we do best, keeping HR simple!

While some policies in your friend’s handbook may be pertinent to your organization, some polices may not apply to you. For example, your friends’ company might have a policy on Family Medical Leave but if you own a small company, this probably doesn’t apply to you. Employment law and HR best practices change often and your friend’s handbook may not be up-to-date. We recommend having an HR Professional assist you in developing a handbook specifically for your organization. Also, keep in mind that outdated handbooks and policies can be harmful to an organization so it is critical that your HR Consultant reviews your handbook on a regular basis.

Call us! We provide advisement, we help draft the termination notice, and we can even be present when you deliver the news to help make an unpleasant situation as smooth as possible.

This can vary by company but you definitely need to make sure your new hire is completing a Form I-9 and a W4. Other common new hire forms include a handbook or policy acknowledgment form, direct deposit form, emergency contact form, etc.

We recommend at least an annual because laws and regulations change frequently.

Depending on the size of your company or if your company is governed by any contracts, you may be required to provide certain benefits to your employees. Even if you are not required to do so, offering benefits to employees can increase morale and help you attract and maintain talented employees. Benefit packages vary greatly but some common ones include medical, dental, vision, retirement, such as a 401K plan, paid time off, and paid holidays. Other popular benefits to consider include long term disability, short term disability, tuition reimbursement, wellness benefits, etc. Although we are not benefit brokers, we do have a robust knowledge of benefits and would be happy to discuss this with you.

The type of interview (panel, 1:1, etc.) and the type of questions (behavioral, skills-based, etc.) varies greatly depending on what industry you are in and what type of position in which you are hiring. You do want to be consistent in your approach and ensure that you are asking all candidates the same set of questions. There are also questions that you should NOT ask, such as “are you pregnant” or “what race are you” or “where do you go to church”.

There are so many great reasons to use an HR Consultant! To name just a few:

• It may be more cost effective to outsource your HR needs on an as-needed basis.
• A neutral third-party to handle harassment investigations and employee complaints
• Help you stay compliant with employment laws and regulations

We recommend having job descriptions because they detail in writing what tasks and duties the employee is responsible for and play a key role in the performance management process. Job descriptions also articulate specific skills or physical requirements that may be required of the job. Job descriptions are also the foundation of job postings which help ensure you are attracting qualified candidates for your job vacancies.

Employees are the most expensive and most valuable asset of an organization, and employee’s need constant development and measurable feedback in order to perform at the highest levels. Performance management plays a critical role in ensuring that employees are in alignment with strategic and operational goals. Performance management, when orchestrated properly, can have a direct impact on the financial success of a company by reducing costs, increasing sales, and increasing operational efficiency. When employees feel aligned with the organizational mission, they will work harder and more effectively.

Performance management can increase employee engagement and also lays the groundwork as a factual basis for employee promotions, merit increases, etc. Performance management also establishes specific job performance expectations which allow an employer to substantiate corrective action if an employee is not meeting performance standards.

Performance management is a wide-ranging subject matter, and your HR Consultant can assist you in developing a program that meets the needs of your specific company. Performance management can include topics such as performance appraisals, incentive plans, professional development programs, strategic planning, and employee development.