2020-03-30

Outsource your HR Portfolio – Small to Medium Business

Dave Pattle

With massive strain being placed on business no matter the size, due to the extraordinary measures to contain Covid-19, I am hearing the refrain more frequently, ”What next?”  While this situation is clearly impacting on us all I think it is fair to say that it has generally been most keenly felt by small to medium size business – this is due to a number of reasons.

Perhaps one of them has to do with the fact that as a rule, your SME typically does not have a dedicated HR practitioner.  Such portfolio is typically handled by someone else often on top of something else that they were specifically employed to do – ancillary or secondary to their main function.  Not being the core function HR is attended to after everything else – understandably so.  With all the pressures faced by small to medium business, cash flow is number one consideration – “if we don’t get the money in” we will have no one to pay and HR will a be misnomer.

Throw Covid-19 into the equation and it illustrates how exposed so many of the businesses are what with all the questions and unique scenarios that are manifesting.  This perhaps serves as a poignant reminder of how, without having the necessary skills and support – such low resourcing within the HR portfolio can make a difficult situation first.

Of course, what with HR Managers and Officers being highly skilled individuals, with such qualification comes a market related salary – often at a price that a SME cannot afford to pay.  Once you have made the strategic decision – and squirreled away a bit of money – then you have to hope that the expert you have secured will stay – which is always a risk because they have a ticket to move on – their qualification.

Many of you are aware of the newly established divisions within Drake International – Solutions Services and The Drake Training Academy.  Collectively these new divisions are already fulfilling the role of performing the HR Management function for a number of SME's in the marketplace.

Together, the full ambit of what could possibly fall within scope of the HR manager is covered, including:

• Policy practice and procedural review – review of existing or development of new policies including all contracts of employment
• Performance management – implementation and management of process to ensure exceptional returns
• Matters disciplinary – initiating and chairing of enquiries
• Transformational legislation – employment equity, skills development and Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment
• Talent Management and Talent Acquisition Solutions – P3, DrakeWize, Engagement Surveys, Exit Interviews, Outplacements
• Skills Development – training through an accredited training provider, SETA interaction, skills plan and annual training report

We are also able to provide you with the requisite back office support in that you are able to outsource your payroll function to us.  Drake has thousands of people “on its books” – whom it is obliged to often pay on a weekly basis.  We have this in hand.

We have designed a number of solutions bundles which we believe will work for you.  They comprise of a number of core components to which you can add elective pieces so as to have something entirely bespoke for your business in terms of your specific needs.  Alternatively, you may be interested in making use of our services only for something very specific, for example transformational legislative compliance and strategy.  Whatever your need, we are here to listen – to help you.

Should you be interested in our proposal to you please contact us.  We would love to meet with you to discuss a potential partnership.

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