Many businesses have struggled to find employees over the past few years. The economics are complex, but suffice it to say, there simply hasn’t been enough available labor and talent in the United States (and other countries) to fill all of the open positions. This has forced many companies to pass up opportunities or else stretch resources thin. Yet by outsourcing some business processes, like human resources, it’s often possible for companies to maintain healthy budgets while still ensuring that everything that needs to get done gets done.
By working with a human resources outsourcing firm, you may be able to improve your business position. It’s often possible to find companies in your community by using Google or Bing to search for terms like HR Outsourcing Kansas City or HR outsourcing services in your preferred location. Especially amid tight labor markets, the right outsourcing services can relieve pressure on businesses big and small.
Below, you’ll find a quick outline of labor market conditions to get a better grasp of the situation.
A Quick Look at the Tight Labor Market in 2022
In the United States, the unemployment rate fell to about 3.73 percent in 2022. Some regions saw higher unemployment, and others lower unemployment. Missouri, for example, saw unemployment rates drop below 3 percent, making it immensely difficult for companies to find employees to fill open roles. Nevada, meanwhile, suffered an unemployment rate in excess of 5 percent in 2022.
At the same time, the St. Louis Federal Reserve reports that throughout 2022, roughly 11 million positions went unfilled. To put that into perspective, in 2015, less than 6 million positions went unfilled. Amid such conditions, it can be hard for companies big and small to fill roles, including in Human Resources departments.
Outsourcing HR to Alleviate the Pressures of Tight Labor Markets
Outsourcing human resources, either in part or in full, can offer a wide variety of benefits, especially in a tight labor market. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll be able to tap into expertise more easily. HR can be immensely complex, and there are many different best practices that should be followed.
Further, sound, engaged human resource management can mitigate risks, such as breaking laws or failing to meet compliance requirements. Many otherwise successful companies find themselves in troubled waters by accidentally breaking laws and regulations. Labor laws can be immensely complex, and even seemingly minor violations can quickly turn out to be a big deal.
An effectively managed human resources department can help ensure employee satisfaction as well. When employees have issues, such as how to exercise benefits or how to file for vacation, they will often first turn to HR. If employees can’t find answers, it could affect them negatively and perhaps spur disengagement. Further, when demand for labor outstrips supply, it’s often easy for employees to hop to a new company.
On the other hand, if you have well-managed human resources, it may help you attract talent. Beyond making sure that job postings go up and resumes are vetted, if your company builds a strong reputation for taking care of employees, word of mouth and a sound brand could help draw potential employees in. This could make it easier to stay competitive even in tight labor markets.
One of the key challenges with HR is making sure your department is large enough to handle the needs of your company without becoming so large that it becomes a money pit. With the right HR outsourcing services, you can scale and shrink HR as needed. This can make it easier to control costs not only as your company evolves but also as market conditions change.
On top of all of the above, outsourcing HR can prove to be cost-effective. This is especially true amid employee shortages, during which salaries and benefits costs tend to rise. However, even when labor markets aren’t so tight, outsourcing human resources, or at least aspects of HR, can produce savings and efficiency.
Given all the above, it’s wise for companies of every size to consider outsourcing human resources. Even if labor markets should loosen up, the benefits of HR outsourcing can still pay off in the long run.
