No time for HR?

The request to undertake a HR audit is a common one when I’m engaged by a new client. Reviewing employment documents and processes against lawful obligations and best practice is a logical starting point and, once completed, provides a snapshot on what areas are working well and what might be required for compliance or improvement.

I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve heard “there’s no time for HR” from an owner when I’m undertaking an audit.

When I delve into this claim a little more, it appears most employers have invested time and some HR documents and/or processes are in place, although often just not the right ones for their business. It might be that there are full records for some employees and few or none for others, that contracts are mired in legalese or contain no information on the Award or classification covering the employee or that Award-covered workers are being paid an annualised salary with no documentation around this arrangement.  Oftentimes, HR documents have originated from a variety of random sources over the years: previous employment situations, the internet or “a friend who’s a lawyer”.

In business, time is a valuable commodity. When it comes to allocating time for HR, there’s little doubt many business owners fall into the category covered by the old cliché:

I’m so busy working in my business that I never work on it.

And that’s a shame because having the right HR documents and systems – even the basics – can be both a dollar saver and income generator to any sized business. Examples? Here’s three:

1. Minimises risk: including compliance with employment obligations under the Fair Work Act and Work Health and Safety Act. Non-compliance can lead to significant fines for you personally as well as damage to your company’s reputation. Simply failing to comply with an employer’s obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act can attract a penalty of $776,000 for a body corporate and $155,000 for an individual. Don’t have a Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan in place yet? It was a requirement in Queensland from 1 March 2025.
2. Promotes positive company culture: the right people in the right roles drives performance, productivity and innovation. A great culture attracts the best people, saving you money on recruitment: a no brainer when recent research from BDO Australia shows the average cost to hire a new employee is $23,860.
3. Professional development: growing your people’s skills and professional attributes from within is smarter and more time and cost effective than looking to hire externally when you need a senior team member. And your best people are likely to stick around for longer if they see there’s career opportunities with you.

If you genuinely don’t have the time or experience to get your HR function and documents set up correctly, why not consider outsourcing? At Bare Bones Consulting, we strongly believe HR doesn’t need to be complicated, complex, time consuming or costly. But it does need to be right. And that means right for your business.

When it comes to finding that elusive HR consultant with the blend of genuine HR manager-level experience (not just recruitment!), technical skills and the knowledge to tailor HR to make a tangible difference to your business, why not give Bare Bones Consulting a call? Simple, measurable results, no lock-in contracts and genuine Google reviews from satisfied clients. We’re sure you have time for that, right? Look forward to hearing from you.