Human resources compliance is the process of keeping your business within the bounds of the law. Things like hiring/firing procedures, civil rights laws, minimum wage laws, and sexual harassment laws all fall under the umbrella of HR compliance. These are some very serious regulations and failure to abide by them can have serious consequences.
All businesses are equally responsible to comply with current laws and regulations, even if you may not necessarily have the resources for a big in-house HR department. With that said, here are a few things to keep in mind that can help you stay in line with the law and reduce your liability.
Make Sure You Provide Workplace Harassment Training
Harassment in the workplace is one of the biggest liabilities a company can face, and many don't do enough to combat it. Research into the workplace has shown that men and women experience sexual harassment in the workplace at an alarming rate, and since providing employees with sexual harassment training isn't usually mandatory many businesses neglect it.
This is the wrong strategy, as when harassment happens in the workplace this opens your business up to lawsuits from employees who may feel that you didn't do enough to prevent it. You should make sure to stay on top of this and educate all of your employees on appropriate behavior in the workplace.
The Laws Are Always Changing
This one seems obvious, but when you're caught up in the day-to-day operations of running and growing a business you can easily overlook it. Just because you are in full compliance with the law right now, doesn't mean you always will be. You should also think about how business expansion can change your human resources compliance strategy, as different industries and areas have different requirements for compliance.
It can be difficult for a small to medium sized business operation to keep up with all these changing rules and regulations. Yes, it costs a lot to keep up with all of this, but the cost of not staying in compliance is even greater. Unfortunately, your business may simply not have the resources available, which leads us to our final point.
Outsourcing Can Be More Efficient
Some business owners are hesitant to give up control of any aspect of their operation, but the truth is outsourcing is simply more efficient in many cases. HR compliance is a very complicated matter and your business may not have the resources required to perform this function in-house. As we mentioned earlier, labor laws are no joke and failure to abide by them can have disastrous consequences for a business. It can even be enough to sink a smaller business for good.
When you outsource human resources compliance you're not giving up control, you're partnering with an expert in the field who will do everything they can to protect your business from liability.
Human resources compliance is key to reducing liability in your business, and staying in compliance with the law will save you from countless troubles in the long run. At Summerlin-Roberts we provide employers who don't have the resources to afford an in-house team with assistance in developing and maintaining an HR compliance program. Please, contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with HR compliance.
