Advice from HR Outsourcing Companies on Building Core Team For SMEs

Usually, the task of building a core team for SME is managed by HR outsourcing companies. However, the involvement of the entrepreneur in building so, cannot be ignored at the same time. Starting up and managing an SME is a herculean task and it takes more than a dream to grow it into a successful business. An entrepreneur will usually encounter many internal and external challenges in day-to-day operations of the business. Internal tasks include decision-making process, operational tasks, managing the team etc. At the same time, external tasks will comprise of attracting and hiring the right culturally fit candidates, regulatory and compliances challenges etc. The focus if seen from a top view is on building a right team which can take up the responsibilities and manages all these tasks.

For an entrepreneur, it becomes a challenging task in the initial stages to make choice between the product development and at the same time the team development. It is wise to take services of an HR outsourcing company who can understand the entrepreneur’s requirements and can help source candidates who believe in the mission of the organization as well as bring a complementary skill on the table.

The benefit of using an HR outsourcing services is that the entrepreneur receives a support in terms of sourcing the candidates and screening them on the basic skills. It’s no secret that high performing enterprises have high performing teams but how does one develop such a team?

Following are some insights by HR Outsourcing Companies on developing an engaged workforce.

1. Start with core ideas, vision and value systems

Communicating the company’s core ideas and principles are the most important task while building a core team. It is important for the entrepreneur to clearly define the vision, mission, and values of the company. It is important to align employees and get their buy-ins. The clarity of these statements will help the team members to identify the path they wish to march on together and achieve the defined organizational goals. In due course of time, the core team member’s value systems also go on to become the DNA of the company.

2. Develop leadership skills

Leadership skills can be learned, developed and improved upon by all team members. It applies to all functions and level of a company. It is important to develop leaders than followers in the core team so that when the organization grows each of the core team members can manage a certain set of employees under their leadership. This also empowers the core team members to contribute to the company as their own and take responsibility early in time.

3. Take support of HR outsourcing companies & train for continuous improvements

The core team members are recruited by the HR outsourcing companies based on their skills and experience but the team members will have to be coached and guided continuously as per requirements of the company. Such training will also help them to enhance their skill sets and take front end change at the companies. Lean and on the job techniques are most suitable for SMEs which enables rapid and consistent process improvements.

4. Address the human element of quality

It is important to give core team members a chance to experiment and make mistakes. It allows them to receive a better understanding of the task at hand and create necessary improvements. In due course, it is essential to institute a process for identifying, analyzing and reducing human errors. A lean based method also helps in mistake-proofing the organization since it focuses on people and not only the design or the process. It is important to empower core team members with tools to transcend their inherent limits.

5. Collaborate at work and tackle complex issues together.

Involving core team members for major decision making is an important process. The HR outsourcing firm can guide the entrepreneur on best-followed practices in the industry which will help the entrepreneur to achieve their business goals collaboratively. Cross-functional teams can help break down systematic operational issues and take relevant actions to be implemented. The biggest advantage of this method is accountability among all team members. This also helps team members to learn and improve from each other.

6. Empower team member’s ideas

It is important to encourage core team members to come up with their ideas and execute them. Frequent brainstorming sessions not only bring new ideas to the company but also build a camaraderie among the team members. However, the ideas need to be implemented post refining them and selling them to other team members. It is further to this when team members see a real opportunity, they jump at the chance to improve tasks in their verticals or the organization.

7. Listen and respond to feedback

It is important to monitor the perspectives of all the core team members. This includes soliciting inputs on value, quality, leadership, services, scaling-up etc. all of which has a direct impact on the company’s success. The leadership can further follow-up through by making improvements based on ideas, their immediate impact and long terms benefit to the company. This improve the productivity and loyalty of the core team members as they feel a complete part of the system

8. Being consistent with the core team

The core team members must not observe changes temporarily or one-off times. It should be an enduring, intentional and persistent effort from the leadership. The more changes for the betterment of the organization are implemented and stay implemented, the more team members seek to participate in improvements and new methodologies.

Without a core team, the entrepreneur is isolated, overwhelmed and burned out. The entrepreneur’s ideas will go stale and will keep doing same things repeatedly over and over again. A core team does not only strengthen the organization but also strengthens the leaders and boosts their confidence. The HR outsourcing companies can help such a gathering of like-minded people who share a similar vision and work towards common business goals. It takes a lot of clarity on the kind of team members to be instituted on board as core team members and HR outsourcing firm’s advice can be handy in such case. At the same time, the process requires an investment of time and money to help reach the ideal expectations. The HR outsourcing costs in today’s time are also competitive due to various available options and online portals. One of the major reasons why SMEs fail is a lack of good core team members. It is important to empanel the right people early on in the journey which will help the entrepreneur to achieve the business goals faster and sustainably.