As your company grows, the importance of human resource management cannot be denied.

While it’s fine to skip out on human resource management when you’re three folks working out of a WeWork space in your early startup days, as your company grows and brings on employees, you really need to have a dedicated human resource management professional.

A human resource manager is going to help make sure that employees, and their accompanying issues, are handled in ways that comply with your local labor laws, as well as help you build and maintain a positive, supportive workplace for your staff. No one wants to work in an environment that makes them feel like they aren’t appreciated or like they’re simply a cog. Effective human resource management makes sure that does not happen.

Human resource management also provides you with a very important service: by keeping your company in compliance with laws, you avoid missteps that could end up costing your company a fortune in lost time, reputational damage, and money. It’s important to strike a balance between essential services and safeguards you must have in place, employee happiness, and the company’s bottom line.

Human resource management can either be outsourced or handled in house. If you’ve built your business by outsourcing incredible talent, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t outsource your human resource management, too. If that’s the case, make sure to find a service that is familiar with the difference between vendor management and employee management. There are different laws and reporting requirements, and these must be taken into consideration.

As a company grows, there are many jobs that can be handled by “just anyone” until it’s time to hire a specialist. Human resource management is absolutely not one of those jobs. Make sure you bring on the right person, at the right time, and they will help your organization continue to attract and retain the best talent.

Danielle VanZorn, PMP, SPHR