Feeling Underutilized as a Solo HR in a Small Company: How Can I Expand My Role?

Hello Everybody,

I want suggestions from all of you. I am an MBA-HR with only 6 months of experience in consultancy. After that, I joined an organization in January 2009, which has over 100 employees. I am the sole person handling HR responsibilities here. There is no one to guide me. I currently manage attendance, recruitment, audits, etc., but I am looking for more tasks to undertake as there is not much work to do. Kindly suggest how I can increase my involvement and what kind of activities I can engage in to keep myself busy and further my skills. People here have little understanding of HR and its value. I look forward to valuable suggestions from all of you.

Thanks and Regards,
Jasmeet

Dear Jasmeet,

I think you have been given a platform early in your career to set up an HR department. So, take it as a challenge. However, I would suggest starting with the fundamentals such as personal files, registrations, attendance, recruitment, training and development, performance management system (PMS), statutory compliance, vendor management, etc.

I would like to share an article on that for your reference. Please send a test email to "jadugar16@gmail.com".

Regards,
Vipin:icon1::icon1:

Dear Jasmeet,

I think setting up a whole HR department is not so easy early in one's career, but take it as a challenge as Vipin told you. You haven't mentioned what kind of company you are working for, but I assume you are in a small or medium-sized company that does not yet have any HR policy. Therefore, there is a scope for you to draft an HR policy in your company. However, initially, you have to gain management's confidence before you can proceed with people engagement programs, employee suggestion schemes, employee performance schemes, etc.

If you need any further help, you can contact [Login to view].

Anupam

Thank you Anupam & Vipin.

I am working in an automobile company. They are dealers of Ford. You are right, it's a small-sized company. They don't have any HR policy. I would like to take it as a challenge, but I need guidance. Thanks again.

Regards, Jasmeet

Dear Jasmeet,

You can implement the leave policy and also plan for recreation once a month within your organization, which involves some entertainment and thought-sharing so that you can involve your employees. You can initiate birthday celebrations in case that practice is not yet implemented in your organization. Also, you can keep track of employee records, which provide details of all the employees.

Please let me know if any other information is needed.

Regards,
Valli

It seems your case is similar to mine. I am working in a manufacturing concern as Manager-HR in Kolkata for the last 10 months. When I joined the organization, there was no concept of HR. They defined HR as a person who does recruitment and nothing else. First, you should try to win the confidence of your employer. Then, start with small changes like formulating leave policies, organizing recreational activities with minimal expenditure, initiating performance appraisal systems, etc. I am attaching a file that contains all the HR activities to be done.

Sweta

Hi,

Now that you have good knowledge of HR, it is important to understand business. It is only when you understand business that you will be able to contribute and add value. Please remember that as far as line managers are concerned, they are not bothered about jargon like performance appraisal systems, etc. What they are interested in is how HR can help them improve their business.

Learn to spend more time with your line managers and understand what they do and why. If you are hiring for them, understand what the people that you are expected to do, what sort of environment will they work under, what sort of attitude is required, etc. At every stage, try to add value.

You have already learned enough about processes and tools and know enough theory. Now, go out and find out what that theory means on the shop floor. Talk in everyday language, relate to people, don't go around talking of 360-degree appraisals, etc.

Once you have conquered the art of knowing what your customer wants and needs, you will have won the biggest battle. Don't focus too much on learning more from books, focus on learning business.

All the best. You can reach me at abhayr@hotmail.com if you have any questions.

Abhay

Hi Jasmeeth,

Please let me know the types of departments and age groups of employees in your organization. Are they skilled or unskilled? Managing people without basic HR functions and policies such as leave, travel, reimbursements, joining, and induction can be very challenging. Kindly inform me about your current practices so that I can assist you with further requirements or suggest improvements. I have a variety of HR policies suitable for different sectors. Feel free to reach out if you need help in developing policies.

Thanks,
Satya

Thank you, Sweta Prabhash, and all of you for your valuable suggestions. I have created a leave policy and attendance policy. The Director of the company is supporting me, and he said, "Do whatever you want to do; he needs perfection and change in the company." In this organization, most of the employees are aged 30 or 40+. There is an accounts department, DCRC department, Service, and Parts.

Thanks a lot again to all of you for your suggestions. :icon1:

Hi Jasmeet, best of luck.

I would say the foundation of any organization should be well-defined jobs and policies. So, start with job profiles. Once they are ready, you can align everything to them - new hire processes, training, performance appraisals, etc.

Hi Jasmeeth,

As you mentioned that you are the only one handling the entire HR department, you will have a lot of scope to implement policies, creativity, etc. My suggestion for you is to start with basic things like leaves, attendance, files, timesheets, ID cards, etc., as Vipin said.

Regards,

Pallavi

Dear Jasmeet,

This is your entry level in this organization. Here you have a lot of things to develop, for others and yourself as well. First, concentrate fully on various labor laws. According to these laws, you have to maintain various registers and provide a detailed explanation of the Acts, including benefits like leaves, LTA, etc., and the requirements of statutory dues/compliance such as PF, ESIC, PT, and other registers to your director and employees. Only then should you proceed to the next step. Feel free to email me if you need any help.

Best of luck for your bright career from all Cite HR members.

Best Regards,
Sunil Wayal
Group HR Manager

Hi Jasmeeth,

I am working in an Automobile Service company.

HR is a new concept here.

What I am doing here is preparing personal files, issuing ID cards, PF forms, ESI forms, preparing salaries, ESI and PF contributions, welfare, etc.

Building a good rapport with employees, helping them understand my role in the company.

Basically, my agenda in these initial few months is:

1. Gain the employer's confidence that the HR department will help the company achieve its goals and emphasize the importance of taking care of the human aspect of the company.

2. Show that I am capable of playing the role of an HR manager.

3. Continually suggest solutions to company problems related to HR, get permission to implement the solution, and successfully execute it to increase the employer's belief in HR.

4. Earn the confidence of employees, managers, and co-workers that the HR department is beneficial to the company.

5. Gradually transition towards more in-depth HR activities like forming company policies, playing a significant role in recruitment, and overseeing overall company affairs.

Tell us more about activities so we can assist each other.

You can contact me at 9923632170, pratapkamble@gmail.com.

Regards,
Pratap :)

I have admitted, as per Sweta's view, that Rome was not built in a day. Try to raise awareness about the benefits of HR policies in an organization and provide some examples to your employer to encourage taking small steps.

Regards,
Arun