Is Your Professional Services Firm Accidentally at Risk?
We get it. Growing a company requires attention to many moving parts. Your office manager likely spins many plates, too. And despite the best intentions, simple and honest mistakes in human resources practices happen.
We see it. At Milestones HR, we help many professional services businesses with fewer than 75 employees, from architectural firms to veterinarians. We bring decades of experience, knowledge, and friendly wisdom to every engagement.
While serving 100+ companies since 2014, we’ve seen a lot.
Here are 7 mistakes commonly discovered in our comprehensive Human Resources Reviews (and how to avoid them):
1. Job descriptions lack ADA requirements.
Job descriptions without the physical and environmental requirements outlined can cause uncomfortable issues. When these requirements of the job are detailed up front, everyone can understand if an accommodation can or cannot be made. This reduces emotional decisions and confusion for all.
2. Inconsistent Hiring Process
It’s possible not all of your candidates are interviewed the same way. It’s important to score candidates against interview questions with a consistent procedure. This provides a level of objectivity that protects everyone involved.
3. Offer Letter vs. Employment Contract
Your offer letter might imply a contracted engagement by accident. Some phrasing that seems perfectly benign to you could create sticky situations after a termination. It’s important to include an “at will” statement in all offer letters.
4. Non-compliant Personnel Files
I-9 records and HIPAA protected documents require specific completion and safeguarding. For example, employees’ HIPAA protected information must be kept private from their manager. It’s important to implement systems and best practices that protect your company as well as your employees.
5. Inadequate or Absent Employee Handbook
Many small businesses operate with a copy-n-paste employee handbook or none at all. Anytime is the perfect time to make sure that your employee handbook fits your company culture, doesn’t offer unintended benefits, and aligns employees with your mission, vision, and values. See our article on Employee Handbooks for more insight and best practices.
6. Noncompliant with Benefits
Certain government agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), require companies to report out on benefits annually. Be the benefits hero by understanding the proper documentation, the required time to send notices to employees, and when to offer COBRA.
7. Employee Performance Concerns
It’s not comfortable or fun to document employee performance concerns, meetings, or improvement plans, but it’s the right thing to do. Proper documentation provides protection for both the employee and the business.
We can help fix it. A 30-Day HR Review from Milestones Human Resources, LLC “looks under the hood” to discover what’s working, what needs a tune-up, and what’s setting off “check engine” lights.
And unlike most HR reviews, we’ll suggest solutions to fine tune your human resources practices so the business is in fine compliant condition.
Contact us today to learn more about scheduling a comprehensive HR review. We look forward to guiding you with best practices, so your professional services company runs smoothly, at least from the human resources perspective.
By: Angie Addison, SHRM-CP, PHR
