We’ve had two new clients sign up on retainer this week, both with really meaty staff issues; the kind we really like to get our teeth into.
There’s something else they have in common – both were already paying retainers to other HR companies when they approached us and asked us to help them with their HR.
And as it turned out, it would have been just as effective for them to set the money on fire as it was to send it to the HR companies in question.
Because when tricky staff issues come along, the pretenders get found out.
Since we came on board to help both clients with their HR, we’ve successfully dealt with myriad issues—theft, neglect of health and safety, bullying, intimidation, sexual harassment, embezzlement, the list goes on—each of them dealt with properly and legally by our expert team.
How did their existing HR companies deal with the issues?
They didn’t.
The first one has just gone AWOL – no response to emails, the phone left ringing, messages left unanswered.
The other one did at least attempt a “without prejudice” meeting, but failed to say that it was “off the record”, so everything that was said and the resulting paper trail can be used against the club. Oh, and then they announced they were retiring, midway through the crisis.
Cheap or local HR companies are fine, and as long as you don’t have any issues, you’ll be fine too.
Thing is though: what happens when there IS an issue? Will they be able to step up and deal with it effectively? Or will they turn tail and run, like a custard possessed with cowardice?
Experience tells me that too many organisations aren’t protected anywhere near as much as they deserve (or believe themselves to be). Make sure you’re not one of them.
