We hear this all the time from entrepreneurs & small business owners – do I really need HR for my small business?

The short answer is, well, yes – yes you do. 

But why?

First, let’s talk about what HR is not.

Like many ideas perpetuated by pop culture, Human Resources is often depicted as too bureaucratic or impersonal (i.e. Toby from The Office ) or simply nothing more than administrative paper pushing or policy enforcing. As much as I hate to admit it, there are nuggets of truth in these portrayals. Chances are you’ve worked somewhere where HR was really just the department you interacted with when you were hired and when you left – and maybe when you had some benefits or ER (employee relations) related questions. But that was it! Rest assured, that is not an effective (or conscious!) HR strategy.

Yes, Return to Eden is a Human Resources consulting business – but this is where the similarities end between us and usual HR depictions. We’re here to do business differently, and create HR strategies which nurture conscious businesses and leave a potent impact on the greater collective. 

You can scale with purpose!

As a self-aware entrepreneur and small business owner, you have the incredible opportunity to build a conscious brand with purpose right from the very start – while also ensuring any legal requirements are buttoned up tight. Too often entrepreneurs + business leaders are reactive vs. proactive when it comes to People Ops/HR needs. This can lead to inconsistent business practices, unhealthy work cultures, an interruption in your regularly scheduled biz needs/goals (i.e. affecting profitability) and can leave your small business vulnerable to legal issues with gaps in your policies, employee records or other compliance items. 

Whether you have 1 employee, 50 or 100+, you don’t just need an “HR Rep” – you need a trusted HR/People Ops consulting resource with the expertise to help you scale your business – without losing your soul in the process. And the best part? It doesn’t have to cost you an arm & a leg! Here’s how an HR Consultant like Return to Eden can help to consciously evolve your small business:

1) Conscious Business + Leadership Strategy

One of the attributes that sets Return to Eden apart from other HR consultants is our belief in the power of conscious leadership. We desire to usher in a new paradigm of business that fosters transparency, creativity + abundance which in turn creates vibrant, profitable and FUN teams. Through this lens, we work with entrepreneurs and small business owners to develop custom, consciously aligned People Ops/HR solutions + strategies to support the unique growth needs of their brand.  We utilize the principles described in “The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership” with each of our partnerships, and also focus heavily on crafting or refining your small business’ mission, vision + values. This is important strategic work to ensure a strong foundation that informs every aspect of your brand – whether this is recruiting and hiring, team development or even your marketing strategy. 

2) Healthy Workplace Culture

Your business has a culture all its own already – whether you have purposefully created one or not. Do you know if your work culture is healthy, vibrant – and FUN? If you paused, don’t know for sure or thought “not really”, then your small biz could be in trouble. More and more people are citing work environment/culture as the most important factor when deciding where to work/who to work for.

A healthy workplace culture is more than the perks, policies and benefits you offer – although those are important! Here are some questions for you to ask yourself about your culture?

• Is your culture known for treating employees as unique, divine humans or as one of several parts in a “machine”?
• Are new ideas from your teams welcomed, encouraged and implemented or are all decisions made by you/leadership?
• Does your brand have a clear mission to do business differently and elevate the collective?
• Is everyone on your team on board with the brand’s mission. and do they understand how their gifts make an impact?
• Do you and your team speak candidly with one another if they have any issues or concerns – and do those items get resolved in a healthy way?
• Does your team trust one another and leadership, or does gossip run rampant?
• Do you know what people are saying about you or your brand to their family/friends and also online?

Your workplace culture matters more than you know!

3) Keep Your Small Biz Legally Sound

There are always legal requirements to implement in your small business, especially when you have employees. Whether you have 1 employee or 50 or more, there are specific Labor Laws (local, state + Federal) and OSHA (Occupational Safety + Health Act) requirements you must have in place. If you have a small biz in California or New York, you likely know the laws change regularly and frequently there. Not to mention the growing number of states following their lead. Aside from the myriad of labor laws and guidance issued, small businesses in particular can benefit from knowing exactly what is legally required of them and what can wait (psst – i.e. an “order” may not always be legal and/or required!).  

Ultimately, it can be MUCH MORE COSTLY to not have an HR Consulting resource – the risks associated with hiring, letting go, promoting and paying your team increase with each person you hire. Some entrepreneurs and business owners think their small business won’t be audited by the state so putting off HR until it’s “absolutely necessary” is safe. Nope – not true. If you have an employee or independent contractor (IC) working for you, you have a higher chance of running into problematic issues, including the potential of an audit of your entire business practices. Get a handle on your HR needs now before they turn into issues – Return to Eden Consulting are experts in CA labor law, in addition to having multi-state & international HR expertise for your growing business needs.

So, do you really need Human Resources for your Small Business?

HECK YES! More importantly, you need an HR/People Ops partner who believes in the power of conscious leadership and supports your desire to scale your business without losing your soul in the process. Enter Return to Eden Consulting! Whether you’re ready to bring in contractors or hire your 1st (or 50th!) employee, we’ll develop the custom, consciously aligned People Ops/HR solutions + strategies to support the purposeful growth of your brand.

Learn more about how we can help you consciously grow your small business by setting up a free call with us – we’d love to meet you!