Here Are 3 Signs You Should Hire an HR Consultant This Year
The business landscape continues to evolve at a breakneck pace with new political, economic, and global influences. Staying ahead of the curve isn't just about innovation in products or services for small businesses —it's about how you manage your most valuable asset: your people. Human Resources is one area where getting it right isn’t optional; it’s essential for compliance, employee satisfaction, and your business’s long-term success.
Here are three telltale signs that suggest 2025 might be the year to hire an HR consultant like CPR.
1. You're Unsure About Compliance Complexities
The regulatory environment is becoming increasingly complex, with new laws and regulations popping up faster than ever. From data privacy concerns to evolving labor laws, staying compliant is a full-time job in itself.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation Regulations: As AI becomes more prevalent in the workplace, new regulations are emerging to govern its use in hiring, performance management, and other HR functions. Since 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has published guidance on how to avoid employment discrimination due to the increasing litigation concerning AI tools.
Remote Work Legislation: The legal landscape of managing a distributed workforce is increasingly challenging due to remote and hybrid work models being here to stay since the COVID-19 pandemic. Projections indicate that 22% of the U.S. workforce remotely works with IT and technology being the industry with the most remote workers. Remote work legal challenges include tax and unemployment considerations, paid leave and overtime pay requirements, workers compensation compliance, and misclassification issues.
Pay Transparency & History Laws: As of this writing, nine U.S. states and six U.S. localities mandate some form of pay disclosure in recruiting. Read our blog, “Understanding Pay Transparency” for details. As of this writing, 22 U.S. states and 23 localities restrict asking job candidates for pay history during the application process.
Warning Sign Questions:
Does your employee handbook reflect the latest laws and regulations?
Are you keeping up with evolving federal, state, and local employment regulations?
Can you confidently pass an audit?
Are you comfortable you’d be able to fight an employment discrimination or wage-related lawsuit?
How Can CPR Help? CPR can help you navigate these choppy waters, ensuring you're not just compliant to mitigate legal risk, but also avoid fines, penalties and legal troubles. We’ll conduct a comprehensive audit of your current practices, recommend updates to policies and help you implement ways to keep your business protected.
2. Your Company Culture Is Stuck in 2020
The expectations of the workforce have dramatically shifted over the past decade with the largest shift since 2020. What worked in 2020 simply doesn't cut it anymore in the current competitive labor market. High turnover isn’t just frustrating—it’s expensive, and it disrupts your operations.
Compensation and Benefits: Employee wages have shown record gains since 2020 due to the increase in the gig economy and increased labor market competition. Wages have grown more quickly than prices since the COVID-19 pandemic began even with recent inflation surges. Your compensation and benefits packages need restructuring to remain competitive and retain people, but you're not sure where to start.
Mental Health Focus: The emphasis on employee well-being and mental health support has intensified, requiring a more holistic approach to benefits and workplace policies. Small business owners, managers and employees all play an integral role maintaining positive workplace mental and health well-being. Additionally, in 2022, 81% of U.S. workers reported that they are looking for workplaces that support mental health, so it’s worthwhile to focus on fostering a positive workplace culture.
High Turnover: You're losing good people because your work environment hasn’t kept pace with your growth.
Warning Sign Questions:
Are employees leaving faster than you can hire replacements?
Is your team morale low and productivity suffering?
Have you recently updated your compensation or benefits packages?
How Can CPR Help? CPR can help you revamp your company culture, ensuring it resonates with the 2025 workforce while staying true to your core values. We will identify the root causes of turnover and implement retention strategies. We can benchmark your compensation packages and provide tools for boosting employee engagement and morale.
3. Your Growth Is Creating Growing Pains
Your business is growing, and while that’s exciting, it also means your HR needs are growing too. If you’re spending more time managing employee issues than running your business, it’s time to bring in expert support.
Inconsistent Processes: Your once-effective informal approach to recruiting and people management no longer works with your growing team size. Informality breeds inconsistency which results in possible unfairness and discrimination in HR processes. Legal risk becomes an issue with inconsistent processes.
Rising Conflicts: You're seeing a growing trend of interpersonal issues, performance concerns, and communication breakdowns within your team. Read our previous blog “Here’s Why Your Team Isn’t Working Well Together (It’s Not What You Think)” for more.
Lack of Time: You lack time to develop strategic initiatives like product development, business development, or leadership development.
Warning Sign Questions:
Are you overwhelmed by compliance tasks?
Do you lack time to develop strategic initiatives like workforce planning?
Are employee disputes are taking up too much of your bandwidth?
How Can CPR Help? CPR can help you build scalable systems and processes that will support your growth rather than hinder it so you can focus on growing your business. They can help transform your ad-hoc HR practices into professional, sustainable programs that will serve your business well into the future and give you back your time.
Why 2025 Is the Year to Act
The role of HR in driving business (no matter the size) success is more critical than ever. If you're facing challenges in compliance, culture, or growing pains—or all three—it might be time to consider bringing in an HR consultant like CPR. Don’t wait until a compliance issue, employee turnover, or burnout forces your hand. Waiting to address these issues can result in missed opportunities, legal risks, and operational issues.
CPR can help you gain access to expertise tailored to your business needs ensuring you're not just keeping up with the big players but outmaneuvering them (while remaining legally compliant).
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If any of these signs sound familiar, it’s time to consider hiring CPR. Don’t wait until a compliance issue, employee turnover, or burnout forces your hand. Let’s set your business up for success in 2025—contact us today to learn more!
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information.
