Welcome to the 2022 edition of the HR Buyers Guide.
In this guide is everything you need to know to choose the right type of HR support for your business.
You will discover:
- What we have learnt from Covid,
- How HR affects your business success and bottom line,
- The cost of HR gone bad,
- The price of good HR,
- Why outsource your HR,
- How Hill HR can support your business,
- Get to know us, and
- Your next steps.
What have we learnt from Covid
In 2020, the world changed.
Contact with friends, family and colleagues all became virtual. Masks became commonplace and we developed a sense of germaphobia that we didn’t imagine possible.
Not only did our personal lives change, but businesses had to adapt to a completely new way of working as well. And fast.
Covid-19 meant that for the best part of the year people were essentially confined to their homes. And the way you managed your business and employees completely changed with a week’s notice.
No one thought it was going to happen. But when it did, it was stressful, scary and uncertain.
COVID has been the fastest accelerator for THE biggest workplace transformation in our lifetime
It’s safe to say that the world of business changed in a big way. And it’s unlikely to ever go back to how it was before. The impact of COVID will continue to affect us for years.
One thing that has been learned the hard way is the importance of good HR for a business.
HR really was at the frontline of this workplace transformation.
During this time, HR Consultants led the way and helped business owners, like yourself, get to grips with the quick changes.
For those companies that didn’t have expert HR advice, they’re now paying the price with ongoing staff issues, grievances, tribunals and costly claims.
Even with restrictions now lifted, the wake of COVID has created even more headaches for you, as an employer, and for HR consultants alike.
Staff are burnt out, unmotivated and sensitive. Many have now settled into working from home and the demand for flexible / hybrid way of working has increased dramatically, putting even more pressure on you, your HR policies and the way you manage your business.
The number of grievances HR consultants are having to deal with has risen dramatically recently. And greater still, it seems that there has been a huge shift in our mindset towards work.
Work / life balance, mental health and wellbeing has shot to the top of all our priorities, creating even more challenges for your businesses.
Sounds very doom and gloom, doesn’t it? Although COVID is new, business challenges aren’t. And, with the right plan and support, your business may even thrive during this time – if it hasn’t done so already.
But you know now that HR is so much more than just templated contracts and policies. It’s the beating heart of your business and it’s what will look after you, your team and your business for the years to come.
I suspect that you’re reading this guide because you realise this now, or that you’re not 100% happy with your current HR provider and are looking to change.
Of course, we would love to work with you in the future.
I’ve written this guide to help you understand how a trusted HR consultancy partner behaves, and what great HR support looks like.
I’ll explain why we genuinely partner with our clients and refuse to become just another supplier. I’ll also explain why it’s critical that you put your HR strategy at the very core of your long-term business planning.
If you’re ready to talk before reading further, flick to the final chapter to arrange a conversation and let’s see how we can partner with you to help your business this year.
How HR affects your business success and bottom line
You might be struggling to see how HR affects your turnover and profitability. After all, HR doesn’t have anything to do with your business’s ability to market and sell its products or services. Does it?
Let’s look at it another way. If all of your people left tomorrow, how long would it take for your business to grind to a halt? Not long at all.
People are your company’s biggest asset
It might be tough to see that sometimes. You’re probably thinking that they’re your biggest headache too – you’re not alone in thinking this.
Because of this, you can easily overlook their contribution to your business, when compared to other physical assets. Employees don’t show up as an asset on the balance sheet, after all.
But despite your potential grumbles about your team, you know deep down that your team is the beating heart of your business. You know you wouldn’t be able to do it without them. And you know how difficult they can make things when they’re not happy.
The cost of HR when it goes bad
Everyone needs to save money where they can. If there’s a cost you can get away without paying for, then why ‘waste’ your money? And running your business is no different.
When you understand the cost of HR when it goes bad, you might think a little differently though.
Take car insurance. You wouldn’t decide to cut costs and not pay for your car insurance, would you? That’s because you know how expensive car repairs and personal injury claims can be. As much as you probably begrudge paying the small monthly amount for it, it’s excellent value and protects you from having to pay thousands of pounds should you be in an accident.
HR is no different. Especially when the cost of HR gone bad is potentially ruinous to some companies.
In the 2019-2020 financial year, a staggering total of 9,100 claims were escalated to an employment tribunal. And there are currently 44,000 cases still unresolved. 44,000! How crazy is that?
You may think that this will never happen to you or your business. But in today’s world, it can be very easy to say and do the wrong thing. And it’s very easy for small cases to be quickly escalated to the employment tribunal stage, if not handled correctly.
This is why good HR is so vital to your business. And is a much cheaper and smarter option.
Hill HR’s aim is to prevent employees taking you to an employment tribunal. We do this through education, empowerment, ensuring your essential documents are in place and are legally compliant. Of course, we cannot stop all claims, but we aim to limit challenges from employees. And where they happen to support you through them.
The price of good HR
There are several ways that Hill HR work with their clients and charge for services:
1. Hourly
Depending on what type of support you need, on an hourly rate basis maybe the best. We will give you an estimate for the time and then invoice you for the time actually spent completing the work.
2. Daily or half rate fee
Again, this is dependent on the type of support you need. If you would like Hill HR to visit your office, they may suggest that a daily, or half rate fee will be a better option for you.
3. A project or fixed rate
This is typically for longer-term assignments, such as writing contracts, handbooks and policies, or working on a set project or case. You would be invoiced on completion of the work, or when certain milestones are completed.
4. A monthly retainer
If you would like full-service HR support on an ongoing basis, Hill HR can onboard you with a monthly retainer. Typically, this is the most affordable option and is more cost effective than hiring an internal HR manager, or training a member of the team to cope with these additional responsibilities.
A monthly retainer provides you with unlimited HR advice, guidance and support to telephone or email queries, Monday to Friday (weekends by special arrangement). There is no limit to the number of times you can contact us. In fact, we encourage you to pick up the phone or email to seek advice in order to nip HR niggles in the bud before they escalate to bigger issues.
Why outsource your HR to Hill HR?
Your business needs HR support, there are four ways to get it:
1. Train an existing team member to look after HR alongside their usual duties
2. Hire an internal HR manager
3. Outsource to a big National HR company
4. Outsource to an independent HR consultancy like Hill HR
There are pros and cons to each and you’ll need to make a decision that’s best for you and your business’s situation.
Train an existing team member to look after HR alongside their usual duties
For smaller businesses, this might seem like the obvious option. You don’t have to hire someone new and you don’t have any outsourcing costs.
If you’re thinking about this route, you’ll need to ensure this person is properly trained to provide your business with the protection it requires from ‘HR gone bad’. As you’re aware, if HR is handled incorrectly, it can be escalated incredibly quickly with potentially ruinous results.
How much time will the HR matters take up? Will this affect their other duties, or will you need to off-loaded some onto another team member?
The training of this team member will of course have its own costs and it may take some time before the individual is at the level required to look after your business’s HR.
Typically, the biggest risk to a company who opt for this option, is that the individual is new to the role and doesn’t have the knowledge and experience that a dedicated HR consultant may have. And this could cause problems down the line.
Hire an internal HR manager
The biggest advantage to this is that your business has a dedicated person to look after your HR, on a part-time or full-time basis.
If your business feels like this is the best route to take, you’ll need to consider hiring costs, continued training costs to ensure this person is fully up-to-date with the latest HR laws and developments, and the cost of their wage. Remember this will be a permanent commitment.
Outsource to a big HR company, that typically provides a call-centre type of support
There are lots of big HR companies out there that provide very affordable HR packages. And the way they can keep costs low is by having a centralised call centre to provide you with advice when you need it.
Instead of working with just one consultant, or a team of consultants in an smaller company, you dial in to the call centre to get the advice that you need.
For some companies, this works. For companies that want a more personal service and more of a strategic partner, this doesn’t.
We’ve also seen a lot of businesses move from bigger HR companies to independent HR consultants during the pandemic, as they didn’t receive the ‘on the ground support’ they needed to get to grips with the lightning-fast changes.
Also, be careful that you don’t get tied into lengthy retainer contracts that you cannot get out of easily. Some are up to 5 years!
The type of HR support you need, determines whether you think a big HR company like this will provide you with the service you deserve.
Outsource to an independent HR consultancy
If your business wants the benefits of dedicated in-house resource, but without the associated costs and responsibilities, then outsourcing your HR to an independent HR consultancy, like Hill HR, is probably the best option for you.
Independent HR consultants are more willing and likely to carry out client visits (if geographically feasible) rather than discussing issues on the telephone.
Here are the advantages of working with an independent HR consultancy, like Hill HR:
- Trustworthy relationship – by working with an individual consultant, or a small team, you’ll build a better working relationship. You won’t have to explain the nuances of your management, your team or your business because they’ll already know, and will deliver a more personal level of support as a result. They’ll also be able to work with your business as a strategic partner, helping you turn HR into a tool to grow income and profits.
- Skills and knowledge – independent consultants eat, sleep and breathe HR. They’re experts and you’ll benefit from their years of skills, knowledge and experience.
- Increased legislative compliance – because HR is what they eat, sleep and breathe, independent consultants are at the forefront of employment law and legislation. They know it inside out and will be able to ensure your business is and stays compliant, even during a time like COVID where the rules changed daily in some cases. At Hill HR, we wont just blind you with employment law facts (although we are passionate about it) but we will put it into context and explain what we mean and how it affects your business.
- Efficiency and saving management time – if you do something every day, you’re going to be the most efficient person for the job. Independent HR consultants know how to get the job done quickly, effectively and most importantly, accurately. This not only saves you costs if being charged by the hour, but also hours of your own management time having to deal with HR stuff you don’t need to.
- Reduced costs – compared to hiring an internal resource and the cost of ‘HR gone bad’, the price of working with an outsourced HR company provides fantastic value for money.
For us it is personal!
We believe that small businesses deserve access to the same high quality HR advice and support that large companies have in-house.
Hill HR is committed to making a difference to your business. We do this by ensuring we deliver a tailored service to every client we work with.
Here is our service pledge to our clients:
- To be privileged to work with you and to never take that privilege for granted
- Provide a service that delivers value for money
- Tailor our services to meet your needs – not the other way around
- Be transparent in relation to our costs, so you don’t get any surprises
- Always ensure you are aware of the options and risks available to you when managing an HR issue. Our advice will be given to protect your business and resolve HR problems in the best way possible and in line with your preferred outcome,
- Support, advise and inform you to the best of our abilities, and be guided by you as the business owner
- Be accessible to you ; you will always be able to get hold of one of our team and we will respond to your calls and emails as quickly as we can
- Always keep you updated
- Use plain speak – not HR jargon!
- Ask how we are doing and accept feedback from you.
What we won’t do:
- Give you general ‘helpline’ advice – our advice will be specific to suit your business and situation. Your business is unique, so our advice to you will be too.
- Over promise and under deliver
- Tie you into long contracts with us that you cannot get out of.
How can Hill HR really help your business?
- An outside perspective with a fresh pair of eyes and an independent mind
Often those in the business are too close to the issue that they can’t see the wood for the trees. A fresh pair of eyes can help you to pick up on the things that you may have missed or consider alternative solutions or different ways of dealing with something.
Many things can cloud your judgement, such as emotional connections or your working or personal relationships with the parties involved.
Hill HR work with a fresh pair of eyes, completely objective and without any emotional bias or swayed by company politics.
- Ensuring you are provided with up to date information to keep you legally compliant
At Hill HR, we work hard to develop ourselves and to keep on top of, not just the latest incoming legislative changes, but other areas of employment law and latest developments in HR in order to support you.
This ensures you will never miss an important change in employment law, but also means you don’t have to spend your precious time researching and reading. We do that for you – and then disseminate the information to you in an easier and understandable format.
- Providing HR and employment law support and guidance
We know that HR and employment law can be a minefield and often difficult to navigate. Dealing with HR issues can take valuable time away from running your business. After all, you didn’t start your business to become an HR Manager.
Hill HR can provide you with support, guidance and advice in any area that you are unsure about. We can do that either remotely, on the phone, email or we can be right there with you and by your side.
This may be during meetings with your staff, drafting documentation or during interviews. This means that if you are asked tricky questions or the meeting does not go according to plan, we are there to help and guide you.
Examples of processes we can help with include:
✔ disciplinary meetings
✔ grievance meetings
✔ redundancy meetings
✔ capability meetings (performance and ill health)
✔ helping you manage sickness absence issues
✔ TUPE meetings
✔ negotiating exits/termination
✔ settlement agreements
✔ recruitment
Provide training to your staff
At Hill HR, although we are not qualified trainers, we are happy to provide training to your employees. Often this is to bring them up to your required standard in areas where their existing knowledge or experience might be lacking.
A typical example of this is where an existing member of staff is promoted to a Manager due to their expertise in their area of business, but often they are not provided with the skill and resources to manage a team of people. We can provide them with some skills and basic HR knowledge to do that.
- Recruitment
The wrong hire can be costly for your business in terms of time, money and even reputation. So hiring the right person with the right skills is so important.
Hill HR can offer support with recruitment. We are not a recruitment agency and do not charge placement fees. Instead we offer fixed fee packages which can be tailored to meet your specific hiring needs.
These packages can provide you with as much or as little support as you need.
As we are HR and employment experts, we can offer you more than just recruitment advice and support.
About Us
I set up Hill HR in 2015 and bring over 20 years of HR experience to it, with a lot of that experience being within the Police Service. HR within the Police is fast paced, requiring both reactive and proactive skills, with never a dull moment. This has given me a solid background and experience to work with small businesses across the UK.
The small businesses that Hill HR work with are mainly family and owner managed businesses, across a variety of industries and the Hill HR team have experience of working within sectors, including manufacturing, facilities management, retail, hospitality and leisure, beauty and care, and financial services.
We are passionate about what we do. We love HR and employment law!
Our Core Values are: –
To provide flexible, pragmatic HR support.
To always be honest and act with integrity.
To have a commitment to our clients and to be responsive and reliable.
To always share our passion for a more productive and efficient workforce, including education and awareness.
To be a trusted and loyal HR partner to our clients.
Our ethos here at Hill HR is to guide small businesses through those time-consuming HR processes that can feel like a minefield. We pride ourself on our values, which are to create positive relationships and to always act with honesty and integrity towards our clients; those who have entrusted Hill HR with their HR, employment or recruitment.
Although I own and run the business, I have a team of HR professionals to support me. This ensures you never have to wait for the support you need.
We are a very friendly and approachable team. We get to know your business – we are not a voice at the end of a helpline. As we get to know your business: you and your management team get to know us. This would avoid your staff having to repeat information to several people and give you continuity of service.
Do you need some expert HR advice?
I hope you’ve found this guide useful, and it’s covered many of the questions you’ve had about choosing a new HR support partner.
Perhaps it’s made you look at your HR support in a different way?
We are taking on new clients and would love to work with you and support your business.
What are your next steps?
If you would like to know more about working with Hill HR Consultancy Ltd to improve your business and contribute to long-term growth, this is your next step:
- You can phone me on 01905 885456 or my mobile 07483 253984
- You can email at claire.hill@hillhr.co.uk
- you can book a 15 minute, no obligation time slot in my calendar. If you go to my website at www.hillhr.co.uk/contact/ you’ll see my live calendar on that page.
After an initial chat, if we feel we are a good fit, we can arrange a longer video call, or an in person meeting (whichever is most appropriate at the time).
Of course, there’s no obligation to buy anything, ever.
I’m looking forward to speaking to you, and learning about your business.
