HR for small business - 20 employment practices every small business should implement

Some small business owners look after the HR function themselves or delegate the responsibility to someone in their team, e.g., Finance Department or Office Manager.

Successful business owners know that implementing robust employment practices is essential to attract and retain great employees.

​As a Business Owner, you know how important your staff are to the success of your business as well as how costly and time consuming it is when you are unable to find or keep the right staff. Your people are your competitive edge.

​At some point you were, more than likely, an employee yourself, so you know what employees are looking for from their employers. They want to be paid appropriately; enjoy coming to work every day; feel like they are valued and are contributing effectively to their role, the team and their organisation. They also want to work for an employer that provides job security and has employment practices that are above board.

​If you feel that you do not have the necessary expertise or the available time to manage these functions effectively then it is time to seek help. A small business does not need to incur the fixed costs of hiring an in-house HR Manager; however, it is recommended that they seek the assistance of an HR Professional for HR advice, HR process set up and/or outsourcing some or all of the HR processes.

Want to find out more about HR outsourcing? Contact us today for a no-obligation chat.

20 employment practices every small business employer should implement

1. Recruit and hire staff using effective recruitment processes
2. Pay staff accurately, on time and in line with legal requirements
3. Provide and keep track of employee benefits
4. Keep employment records and implement accurate HR administration processes
5. Provide staff with relevant documentation e.g. Employment contract, Fair Work Information statement, award classification, super fund choice form etc.
6. Collect information from employees e.g. TFN, licenses, visa/work rights
7. Manage their onboarding and probation period to optimise productivity and engagement 
8. Train and develop employees so they can effectively perform their role and contribute to team and organisational objectives
9. Monitor performance and provide feedback and coaching on a regular basis
10. Plan for current and future skills and staffing needs
11. Provide employees with well written job descriptions
12. Have policies and procedures that meet the needs of the organisation requirements, are easy to understand and are aligned with the organisational culture
13. Resolve conflict situations as they arise and answer employee questions and concerns
14. Ensure that your organisation is compliant with all employment legislation
15. Provide a physical and psychologically safe and inclusive workplace
16. Have processes in place that support employee engagement
17. Put measures in place to optimise employee productivity
18. Recognise high performing employees
19. Establish effective teams
20. Keep up to date with employment legislation changes

About the author

​​​Tracy Ford has over 25 years of experience as an HR Professional working in the Corporate and SME sectors. She specialises in helping Business owners, Leaders and Managers navigate the world of people management and leadership. Often this is “in the moment” when they are dealing with a complex, tricky, or “first time I’ve had to deal with this” issue or situation. Outside of these “in the moment” situations they work together on proactively developing and implementing tools, resources, systems and processes to have at their disposal, so that they can effectively attract, manage, develop and retain great employees.

About Concept HR Services

​Concept HR Services helps businesses like yours set up and maintain effective HR systems and processes to attract, manage, develop and retain productive, high performing employees.

HR solutions that are practical, no-nonsense and cost effective that meet the needs of your business, your organisational culture, your leaders and employees.

You may be a small business owner hiring your first employee, a seasoned CEO in a growing business looking to take a more strategic approach to HR management, or an HR Professional looking for help with an upcoming project.

Contact us for more information on HR outsourcing, how it works and the services provided. Arrange a no-obligation call to discuss how we can help you.​