Your business has grown, and now you either need assistance with your human resources tasks or your HR department needs more hands. Hiring new staff can be costly, especially in the long term. Hiring a virtual assistant is an alternative many businesses are going for – and here are the HR duties that can assist your business and team. In short, these are duties a virtual assistant can take care of so that things run smoothly, reducing any possible discontent in the workplace.
What does a virtual HR assistant do?
HR is important for your business, especially if yours is a medium-to-large company. The HR department ensures that the company is compliant with all applicable regulations and laws; also, that employees are supported. As such, an HR assistant handles the daily HR duties, providing the link between employee and employer.
HR assistant duties
Hire new staff members
An HR assistant can manage the complete hiring process. This would include collecting all the employment data, gathering the applications, perusing the background of candidates, checking references, and preparing the employment offer letter. HR assistants also act as a point of contact for candidates seeking more information about an advertised position or having questions about the company.
Help with staff onboarding
It’s critical to offer proper orientation for new recruits. This is to help the new members find their feet, introduce them to the team, and pass on to them the philosophy of the company. The benefits of the orientation process are that it can assist to retain employees, reduce turnover, and build a stronger trust level between employee and employer. Moreover, this process helps the new recruit to transition successfully into the new office environment.
Payroll processing
Managing the payroll is also the role of the HR department. Payroll processing includes ensuring that all working hours have been correctly tallied; and that leave and sick days are monitored and recorded before being added to the payroll system. The HR staff should also address any concerns the staff might have. However, this duty can affect company culture. Failing to manage it correctly can lead to distrust and, at worst, legal battles, with staff leaving the business.
Note maintenance
Managing each staff member’s employment record is a task a virtual HR assistant can manage. This record should include info about the staff member’s benefits, employment issues, sick times, leave dates, and also information on when the worker has been non-productive. As such, this document is a history of the employee at the company. It can be used when a staff member is considered for a promotion or when a member is dismissed.
Act as a connection with external vendors
Another HR duty that a virtual assistant can manage is as the link between the company and external agencies. These agencies include companies such as insurance companies that manage employee retirement and or health-care benefits. If there are any issues with these external companies, the HR assistant should be able to assist the worker.
File audits
Well-kept HR records are the consequence of constant file audits. This key HR responsibility ensures that records are truthful and current. The virtual HR assistant has the task of executing HR file audits to certify that all mandatory official papers are filed. The onus is on the company to have this prepared annually.
Employee activist
The goal of an HR department is to address concerns by paying attention to any issues pertaining to the workers − such issues can be addressed internally. A concern many businesses are facing is that issues are not properly managed − workers then turn to unions. This means that the staff issues are addressed outside the company. Thus the company loses control of its own.
Employee acknowledgement
Contented workers are those personnel who feel appreciated by the business. One of the HR assistant’s duties would be to arrange events that can help to foster a sense of community at work. This might include a special employee program offering incentives. Or the company could run an employee-of-the-month program. Either way, offering any form of respect towards the worker will boost productivity and help to build a strong team.
Arranging team-building events
An HR assistant can also help by arranging team-building events. These can be events such as scavenger hunts. The goal is to enhance communication among the team, increase their planning skills, help to motivate them and to augment their skills of collaboration. The idea is to use a fun activity to teach the staff these important skills by means of a practical exercise.
Clerical support
Many of the HR assistant duties are clerical. A virtual HR assistant can be extremely useful here. The HR manager will then be free to focus on tasks that are more important. Clerical tasks can include answering calls, filing, making travel arrangements, and attending to other trivial yet necessary tasks.
The bottom line
A virtual assistant can be useful for fulfilling the various HR assistant duties. This will save the company time, ensure that all files are up to date, and, more so, act as the glue to hold a productive and happy workforce together. If you are looking for a good virtual HR assistant, then reach out – Aristo Sourcing can help you. Book your call today, and speak to our BPO expert.