Use of consuttants can enhance business performance

The human resource function is an integral component of all organizations. Procuring, allocating and retaining personnel resources is just as critical to the success of a business as the securing and preservation of clients and tangible of-fice and inventory resources.

Consultants can help ensure success in the human resources arena in several ways, including a human resource audit.

Key issues facing establishments today include maximizing worker productivity, making certain staff attain vital corporate goals, identifying and avoiding ever-increasing liability risks, practicing management techniques that lead to high morale and low turnover, and finding quality people to hire.

Audits of the human resource operation by credentialed human resource consultants will reveal areas requiring improvement. Policies and procedures that need review are of legal compliance, compensation, recruiting, hiring, record keeping, discipline, termination, turn-over, performance evaluations, orientations and training.

The consultant will initially conduct meetings with appropriate personnel to discover and assess current and past conditions. The consultant will develop and implement a comprehensive and prioritized plan to solve identified problems.

Also, the recruitment and selection process will be evaluated. Most businesses that recruit and hire their own staff experience a 50 percent success rate. With that record, an organization might as well flip a coin. In addition, according to a recent survey, expect 65 percent of all resumes to be falsified.

The solution is the use of a search firm that employs human resource professionals with a proven track record. These experts will spend an inordinate amount of time aggressively recruiting to uncover qualified applicants.

Extensive interviews will be conducted to review education and experience and assess the personality of a candidate to ensure he fits the personality traits required of the job, department, manager and company. Background investigations also will be performed.

Consultants also look at training and development. The general lack of training and experience in certain areas by staff with key responsibilities is an issue in most establishments. Proper training increases quality, customer satisfaction, associate retention, sales and profit, which in turn leads to business growth.

Training and development consultants identify necessary training and create customized, in-house programs. These consultants will also develop exercises for employees to use during day-to-day activities.

In the area of safety, consultants identify exposures, provide training, and develop customized safety, health and emergency action programs. Workers' compensation claims can be reduced and prevented through risk management and loss control services.

Compliance with reporting requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Agency is assured with a qualified, well-trained safety consultant. These consultants decrease insurance costs and eliminate payroll dollars re-quired for a full-time safety director.

Employees generate the accomplishments and failures of a corporation. Consultants in the human resources field ensure an enterprise will attain maximum use of their human resources.

(Lynne Haggerman is president/ owner of Haggerman & Associates, a retained search, outplacement, management training and human re-sources consulting firm.)