A small business owner juggles many tasks. Marketing, sales, product development, social media… and that’s just a few. But one of the aspects of a small business that tends to get neglected is HR. With a larger company, there is usually a separate HR department that handles everything to do with recruiting and hiring, managing payroll, and more.
But a small business doesn’t have the resources for that. This means that on top of all the other tasks of running a small business, you have to handle HR as well. And HR can definitely be confusing. How do you find the right candidates for a job? How do you track employees’ hours?
HR does a lot more than you probably realize, and you don’t know how stressful it is until you’re faced with the task. But it’s an extremely important function of every business, and fortunately, there are many tools designed specifically to help with HR needs. Don’t neglect HR, just use these 4 HR tools that every small business needs:
1. Hiring Tool
One of the main functions of the HR department is recruiting and hiring new employees. Good employees are imperative to a growing small business. You want to have a team of like-minded, hard-working individuals who also want to see the success of the business. But finding these people can be challenging, which is why it’s helpful to use hiring tools. An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is an HR management tool that simplifies the hiring system by organizing and tracking applications for you. That way, all you have to do is review the candidates and conduct the interviews. Think of how much time that will save!
2. HR Information System
For a small business, it’s an absolute necessity to have a human resource information system to help with a myriad of HR tasks. An HRIS will take a huge weight off your shoulders by automating a lot of tasks that are usually done by hand. It includes many of the core HR functions, like benefits administration, payroll, and applicant tracking services. The goal of an HRIS is to improve efficiency in the office and streamline workflows, saving you time and money you can then put towards other tasks.
3. Training and Onboarding Tool
Once you recruit and find suitable employees, you then need to train them. Training and onboarding is another important HR task that can get overwhelming, so it’s useful to use tools to simplify the process. Working for a small business means having to handle multiple responsibilities at the same time, so you want new employees to be well trained prior to their first day. Use an onboarding tool so your employees can seamlessly integrate into the work field, without experiencing any hiccups.
4. Reporting Software
Having an employee handbook is beneficial for both the employee and the employer. It outlines rules and regulations of the office, describes expectations, and is necessary if there is ever a discrepancy.. An HR reporting software will help with creating and analyzing an employee handbook. It’s important to be thorough and to update the handbook as work continues.
Running a small business is an exciting yet stressful job. You get the chance to be your own boss, but it comes with having to juggle newfound responsibilities, like HR. While HR can get overwhelming, it’s helpful to have the right tools to make the experience a little bit more bearable. Whether it’s help with recruiting employees or training them, any of these HR tools will make your life as a small business owner a whole lot easier. Don’t make things more difficult for yourself, there are tools out there for just about every small business need.