Human Resource Management for your Small Company

Human Resource Management for your Small CompanyHuman Resource Management for your Small CompanyHuman Resource Management for your Small Company ConlanIn 2001, Bill Fish co-founded a company, Text Link Ads (now Matomy SEO), with his college roommate.As we got started in our mid 20s, we hired like-minded people who wanted to work hard and have fun. It was almost as if we were a sports team or fraternity, says Fish, now the president of ReputationManagement.com.Everyone felt like they were a part of something and worked to nurture the business. When they sold it to a private equity firm in 2006, Fish stayed on to help grow and run the company. It moved from Cincinnati to the financial district in Manhattan. I immediately noticed a huge difference from a human resources standpoint.An HR Tipping PointFish says when the company grew to about 30 people, it was hard for him to handle human resources issues including crucial efforts such as employee engagement, employee development and so o n while he was growing the business.My main takeaway is that no matter how many people you have, the leaders of the business must make a point to show interest in what their staff is doing on a daily basis. You may not need intricate details, but a general knowledge goes a long way. People rightly want to feel valued, and showing them they are of value to the business is key to growth and employee retention.Its clear that human resource management is a priority for large companies. But smaller companies can benefit from strategic HR management as well. Here are some tips.Establish a Culture of ResultsYou may think you have a strong small company culture at your business, but would your employees agree? Mapping out the organizational culture and ensuring you understand how each HR management initiative helps rckendeckung business results is key, says Dawn Cacciotti, HR consultant and the owner of Engage HR Now.Creating and clarifying organizational values will help embed them into t he day-to-day operation of your business and get everyone on the same page. For example, if growth is one of your company values, youll know any hire you make or training you do must be aligned with that value.Ensure People Know their RolesAt small businesses, especially startups, everyone chips in when they can to get work done. But job descriptions are just as important at small businesses as they are at larger ones, Cacciotti says.Write them to showcase the knowledge, skills and competencies required to achieve the needs of the organization today and several years from now. These descriptions can help shape culture and drive performance by serving as an HR yardstick to people in those positions.Pay Attention to Employee EngagementInvesting in employee engagement is one of the primary ways small businesses can retain its top talent, says Dominique Jones, vice president of human resources at Halogen Software.She suggests three ways to do so Give employees meaningful feedback on a r egular basis. This means weekly at the very least. Set clear goals and expectations to help employees landsee how their work contributes to the success of the entire company. Have HR research ways to reward and recognize employees fairly. If the high performers are being given the same rewards as the low performers, this sends a certain message about what the company values, she says. Give employees opportunities to grow and develop. These are strong drivers of employee retention and can help a small business hold onto top talent.