HR consulting: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What hr consulting is

An HR consultant helps your business with policies, its employee handbook, hiring practices, employee issues and compliance questions, so you manage people in a consistent way. Owners bring one in when they are writing their first handbook, dealing with a difficult employee situation or updating rules that no longer match how the business runs.

Signs you need it

  • You have no written handbook, or the one you have does not match what managers actually do
  • Two employees were treated differently in similar situations and one of them has complained
  • You are hiring for the first time and do not know which forms, policies or interview questions to use
  • An employee issue such as attendance, conduct or performance has stalled because no one knows the right steps
  • You are changing pay, schedules or benefits and want the change documented correctly before you announce it

What the pro does

  • Review your current policies, handbook, offer letters and hiring forms for gaps and conflicts
  • Interview owners and managers about how decisions about people are actually made
  • Draft or revise policies such as attendance, leave, conduct and performance, in plain language
  • Set up a documented process for handling complaints, discipline and terminations
  • Train managers on how to apply the policies consistently and document what they do
  • Recommend a review schedule so the handbook and policies are updated when the business changes

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Whether you need a full handbook built or a review of one you already have
  • The number of employees and locations the policies cover
  • Whether you have a specific employee issue that needs advice on the steps to take
  • How many managers need training and how many sessions are required
  • Whether the consultant must review and mark up existing agreements or contracts
  • How many states or local areas your employees work in, which changes the rules that apply

What a written quote should spell out

  • Which policies or documents will be written or reviewed, and in what order
  • The number of review rounds included and what happens after that
  • The manager training sessions, who attends and what each session covers
  • Whether the consultant gives advice on specific employee issues, and how those are billed
  • Who owns the final documents, and whether you can edit them yourself

Questions to ask before you hire

  • What businesses my size have you written handbooks for, and what did those handbooks cover?
  • Which parts of the handbook must come from a lawyer, and will you tell me when to ask one?
  • How will you help a manager document a difficult conversation?
  • Will you train my managers, or only hand me documents?
  • How do you keep confidential employee information secure?
  • How often should I update these policies, and will you help with that?

Red flags

  • Copies a generic handbook from another company without asking about your business
  • Promises to make employee complaints go away or to protect a manager from any claim
  • Asks you to hide or change employee records
  • Will not say when a question should go to a licensed attorney

What you can do yourself

You can write down your basic working hours, pay days, time off rules and conduct expectations in plain language, and keep a file for each employee's written warnings and reviews. Hire an HR consultant before you write a handbook for your whole team, when an employee issue could lead to a complaint or termination, or when you are changing pay or schedules.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required to give HR consulting advice. If the consultant gives legal advice, that work requires a law license, so check with your state bar or licensing agency before you rely on legal advice from anyone who is not a licensed attorney.

HR consulting questions

Do I need a handbook if I have a small team?

Many small businesses benefit from a short one. It can set working hours, time off and conduct expectations in writing, which reduces confusion when problems come up.

Can the consultant handle a termination for me?

They can advise on the steps and help you document the decision. Ask whether a lawyer should review the termination before you act, especially if the employee has complained.

How do I keep my policies consistent across managers?

Write the policy once, train every manager on the same steps, and require written notes for each decision. Review those notes periodically to check that the policy is being applied the same way.

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