​Vital Systems for Growing Small Businesses

Guest Post by Derek Goodman from Inbizability.com

Small business owners face unique challenges when their companies grow beyond their original handful of members to a company with several employees. At this point, owners are faced with decisions about human resources, payroll systems, insurance, workplace safety, and other areas of federal compliance. Although growth, in many ways, represents success, it also poses challenges that can be expensive or labor-intensive. To help you navigate the landscape, Clairant Services shares the following guidance.

1. Human Resources
Human resources departments focus on finding great people to work for the company and
creating an organizational system that promotes strength within the company. To this end, there are a few requirements:

• Create and organize employee files including employment compliance, timecards, tax

          documents, medical info, benefits, performance evaluations, etc.

• Create and share employee handbooks with company policies and employee rights and

          responsibilities.

• Post state and federal rules, notices, and pertinent changes

It is vital that business owners designate an individual or a team to handle human resources.
Otherwise, the company could fall out of compliance with federal regulations, such as Equal
Employment Opportunity laws. Joining the local chamber of commerce is one way for small
business owners to learn more and stay on top of challenges associated with growth.
Experienced peers in the local community can be a wealth of knowledge and support.

2. Payroll Systems
A well-organized payroll system is another crucial factor in healthy growth. Paying your
employees on time with accurate paychecks boost productivity and reliability among employees.
It helps the company remain compliant with local and federal guidelines. The employees who
supervise payroll handle scheduling and time logs, complete invoices and paychecks, and a lot of other related tasks. With limited staff, small business owners could look for an automated payroll system with templates that streamline these processes. It is also worth noting that without a good payroll system, businesses could develop negative reputations among potential employees.

3. Marketing Solutions
A strong marketing strategy is critical for the growth and success of your business. This is how you tell the world about your venture and what you have to offer, and it’s how you engage with current customers and attract new ones. If you lack marketing savvy, it’s best to work with an agency like Clairant Services, which specializes in everything from fractional CMO services, brand guides, website design to social media management, email marketing,  blogs, videos and more. They can help you develop a strategy that boosts brand awareness and enhances your online presence.

As you let your agency take the lead in implementing your marketing efforts, there are some
DIY options you can use to supplement their work. This can be in the form of handcrafted social media posts or a captivating banner that works for your website and your preferred social media platforms. Apps like Adobe Spark can make this a fun exercise with professional-grade results your marketing pro would be proud of. This app offers an online banner maker with templates you can customize as well as design features like images, graphics and a variety of fonts. Just be sure what you create lines up with the elements your agency is using in your campaign.

4. Insurance and Benefits
With fewer than 50 employees, businesses are not required to offer health insurance. However, some small business owners choose to provide insurance and other types of benefits to attract talented employees. Additional benefits beyond insurance include paid sick time, paid time off, paid holidays and retirement plans. Note, there are some distinctions that affect which
employees are eligible for benefits:

● Number of work hours daily and weekly
● Location of physical business and employees
● Length of employment with the company
● Job titles and description

There are several classifications that cannot be used to decide whether employees get
insurance and other benefits. These include color, race, religion, gender, health, age, and
disability. As small businesses approach the legal need to provide insurance, owners can reach out to the government for more information.

5. Workplace Safety
Regardless of the type of business, workplaces must be in compliance with regulations
established by the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. As small business
owners move into this territory, they must start by making employees aware of potential
dangers. According to risk assessment professionals, this begins with discussing the risks of
falls, being struck by something, electrocution, and getting stuck between multiple objects.
OSHA provides information and guides specifically for small business owners. Another good
source of information is the insurance company that provides commercial coverage against
accidents, damages, and other financial losses.

Small businesses are affected by many unique challenges as they grow, but understanding how to tackle those changes can set the stage for future success and expansion. With solid HR, payroll, marketing, insurance, and workplace safety systems in place, small business owners set the stage for a strong future.