At MichelleBelle, we regularly get questioned about HR teams, and why they’re so important for businesses. “Do we really need it?” or “oh, we don’t have an HR team, so-and-so from another department just does that whenever we need to hire someone” are just some of the things we often hear.
What many companies don’t realise is that having a healthy and robust HR team is vital for your business to thrive. Human Resources spend time picking and choosing the right candidates, with the best skills and personality to join your team. Your HR team understand your company culture and are able to identify the potential employees – a hidden gem – who will grow and add value to your business. And sometimes, those hidden gems live overseas.
But let’s start at the beginning.
What exactly is HR, and what exactly do they do?
The people who work in Human Resources specialise in building human relations. They are primarily responsible for sourcing talent, the hiring and firing people, monitoring employees on PIPs (Performance Improvement Plans), and regulating office behaviour (ensuring that all employees are acting in accordance with company policies).
However, HR isn’t just accountable for hiring people – they also work with each team to ensure that
a) the people they hire are the best fit;
b) to ensure that each team is working together properly and efficiently;
c) identify any key areas where staff can be trained and further developed; and
d) ensure that a workplace is a safe place for all employees (this includes both physical and verbal safety).
So why do I need a robust team? Why can’t just one person do that?
If you’ve got a very small company, then yes, one person might suffice. But if your company is larger, and you have offices all over the world, then you’ve got to have an HR team that can handle all the responsibilities. HR isn’t just admin work and hiring people – they are crucial to the progression of your company. After all, they need to understand all the inner workings and needs of the company in order to find the best candidates to fill the vacant roles your business has available.
If you’ve got a big team, but only one HR person – how can staff be assured that HR will handle any complaints or issues they are experiencing in the workplace in a timely fashion? If HR takes too long to address issues, you’ll have good employees leaving you.
If your business is an amazing place (and I’m sure it is!) to work and you get hundreds of applicants vying for one role – with numerous applications pouring in a single day – how do you expect just one HR person to be able to sift through all those candidates to find your diamond in the rough? If HR takes too long with their hiring process, you may miss out on hiring great talent.
And what if you’ve found the perfect candidate that you want to hire, but they happen to live overseas? Your HR team would be responsible for helping your company apply for their sponsorship licence and getting the candidate’s visa applications ready while assisting them in relocating to the UK. Relocating may bring a big culture shock for some employees, and your HR team will often provide additional support to help them adjust to life in the UK faster – the last thing you want is for an employee to leave and go back home after you’ve spent so long trying to get them in your company!
You need to ensure that you have an HR team that can manage all of these things in a timely manner, in order for your company to grow and remain a safe, wonderful place for your employees to work.
Your HR team understand your company and its needs better than everyone – but don’t forget that your HR team has needs too!
_________
Need some help?
MichelleBelle is there to help your HR team ensure that you are able to hire the absolute best of the best for your company; providing assistance with visa applications and relocation services so that your new team starts their journey with you on the right foot. Get in touch with us today to find out what we can do for you!
resources:
https://hiringpayroll.knoji.com/identifying-seven-major-functions-of-human-resources/
https://www.allbusinessschools.com/human-resources/job-description/
Peju is one of the UK’s leading Immigration Consultants. She is a highly experienced and sought after Immigration and Compliance Consultant with over 12-years’ experience dealing with UK Visas & Immigration.
She is registered by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner at the highest level and has supported businesses to ensure that the migration of staff is compliant with relevant country migration laws, especially the United Kingdom.
