Bringing
an HR consultant into your organization can regularly be the only way to get a
particular objective complete. It may be a project that desires to be bringing
such as a recruitment movement, return & benefits review or the
implementation of an HR information system. Another possibility may be the need
to cover a maternity leave post. Whatever the company requirement, whether it
be linked to strategic or operational HR there is a consultant to fit the bill,
whether they be a generalist or specialist.
The
compensation to bringing in an external professional can be buying in specific
expertise just as and when it’s needed. Many HR consultants have many years hard
practical experience before launching into the world of consultancy. They bring
with them a fresh eye on the workings of your company and can frequently offer
new problem-solving solutions to issues such as staff retention or absence.
They can also offer tailored solutions, using the basics gained from experience
with other companies.
They
are used to “hitting the ground running”, which needs building key
relationships, establishing reliability very quickly and just getting on with
the job in hand whether this be as a change agent or a role porter.
Being
an “outsider” they tend not to get involved with office politics, which can
cloud many judgments of stable members of staff. Their choice can, therefore,
be based on benefits to the organization, not whether it will upset the
opinions of certain individuals. This is mostly important in any change
management and organizational design project.
Using
an HR consultant can save an organization time and money. Time is saved by, for
example, outsourcing a project that existing HR professionals in an organization
can’t standby from the usual day to day tasks; this can include coaching or
conducting 360 degree assessment. A consultant can also be brought in on an ad
hoc basis when no HR expertise exists at all within the organization, for
example, when an examination surrounding gross misconduct needs to be
conducted.
Other
cost savings can include not having a stable member of staff on the payroll and
often by not having to provide daily office space if the work can be completed
at home by the consultant, as with a project.
A
disadvantage of using an HR consultant can, on the other hand, be the potential
expense. Depending on the level of expertise required, consultant fees can vary
so companies need to consider what they can afford and discuss over the daily
rate and number of days required. To avoid rising costs consideration should be
given to estimating a set number of days to define a project, such as
management training, and build this into the contract drawn up.
To
cover a maternity post, many companies use a fixed term contract, which gives
the additional bonus to the consultant of some employment protection such as
paid holidays and sick leave, but which will be another cost to the organization.
To
avoid any confusion a clear conformity or contract needs to be drawn up at the
start between the company and consultant establishing clear long and short term
goals with regular meetings built in to check progress. Clear tasks should be
allocated to avoid any confusion.
Fees
and expenses need to be included as well as problem resolution such as delivery
failures. With a fixed term contract the latter can be solved by using the corrective
or capability procedure. Ideally a contingency plan should be put into place
together with guidance on confidentiality issues such as data protection.
Before
recruiting an HR consultant the company needs to have a clear thought of what
they are trying to achieve and draw up a project plan and short for discussion.
There
should also be a job explanation and person requirement. With the latter this
provides assistance to recruit the right quality of person. As the need for a manpower consultant in Mumbai
can often be at short notice Computer Technology Articles, companies need to
consider the best place to advertise or find the right candidate and consider a
more efficient recruitment process.
Once
recruited the consultant should be provided with a structured induction to
enable them to hit the ground running. This should include as much information
about the organization as possible including meetings with key stakeholders so
that they can complete the task in hand as effectively and professionally as
possible.
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