HR Solutions: HR consultants can help reduce turnover, lawsuits

The partnering of businesses with human resource consulting firms is rapidly increasing. Such firms can aid client companies by reducing turnover, personnel problems, bad selection decisions and lawsuits. The direct cost of turnover ranges from 35 percent to 50 percent of an employee's first-year salary.

Indirect costs resulting from personnel problems include an increase in management stress, a decrease in team morale, and reduced revenue because of quality and customer service slip-ups. A solution to all this pain is to take advantage of the professional knowledge and expertise available in human resource consulting firms.

To select the best firm for your organization, examine the credentials of the consultant. Ask about educational background, years of experience in human resources, previous employers he has worked for, job titles held and success rates.

Established consultants offer a full range of services.

Recruitment and selection

Confidently know your new hire will be a successful, long-term employee with the background and personality that fits your job and organizational environment.

Extensive on-site interviews allow the consultant to obtain a thorough understanding of education, experience and character traits required.

Be prepared with a detailed list of personality characteristics critical to performing effectively in the job, becoming an integral part of the team, fitting into the corporate culture and matching your supervisory style. If unsure about the type of candidate that would best accomplish your goals, lean on the consultant for sound advice.

Ascertain how long it will take to secure applicants for your position. For entry-level positions, expect an average of three weeks. For professional and managerial positions, expect an average of six weeks. Any less, and you will know that a thorough screening and matching of applicants for your particular position is not being done. Any more, and you will know aggressive recruiting is not being performed.

Request a technical, legal job description to confirm clear communication regarding your needs, as well as a schedule of the recruiting techniques to be utilized. Ask for a written list of questions asked and determine the length of the consultant's interviews. Remember, the shorter the interview, the less likely the consultant will truly know whether the candidate possesses the personality qualities you seek.

Require a written report for each candidate discussing the extent to which he commands the necessary education, experience and personality attributes. Insist upon extensive references provided in the format of written reports. If you desire one-on-one training concerning selection, the consultant should allow you to shadow him and discover hiring pointers.

Management training

In-house training is developed and customized to meet your unique business needs. Supervisors will be provided with exercises to actually implement what is learned.

Popular topics include retention, hiring, communication, discipline, conflict management, sexual harassment, and performance evaluations. Expect results such as decreased turnover, increased management effectiveness and decreased stress.

Human resource audits

Initial and then regular audits will be conducted. The reviews determine areas where your business is not in compliance with relevant laws and standard human resource practices.

The audit covers the areas of selection, personnel files, sexual harassment, pregnancy, disability, drug testing, reference checks, performance appraisals, discipline, termination and wrongful discharge.

Additional services performed by human resource consulting firms encompass outplacement when an employee is laid off or terminated, salary and benefit surveys, employee handbooks, human resource policies and procedures, job descriptions, employee satisfaction surveys, performance appraisal forms and procedures, exit questionnaires, orientation, strategies to decrease turnover, and advice on employee counseling and termination.

If you are ready to increase your retention, save time and decrease your stress in the human resource arena of your business, then partnering with a human resources consulting firm may be the answer to your personnel problems.

(Lynne Haggerman, MS, is president/owner of Haggerman & Associates, a human resources consulting firm.)