1. Introduction

If you have employees then it goes without saying that you will have HR issues. Recruitment, selection, contracts of employment, retention, policies and procedures, performance management - the list is endless. Inevitably these issues are left with the Managing Director, Finance Director or Company Secretary if the organisation doesn't have the luxury of having a HR professional. It's not the MD's, Finance Director's or Company Secretary's job to be the HR Manager so where do you start?

You can either do it yourself and become a HR professional overnight or you can outsource your HR function. Outsourcing - a wonderful concept and a viable alternative to in house management. Also known as contract services, partnership, out tasking or co-sourcing. Whatever the phrase, the concept is still the same - trusting another company. This company will most likely be a professional services firm with qualified consultants who are continually updating their skills and knowledge in order to provide organisations with such a service. Once thought appropriate only for large companies, outsourcing is now finding its way into small and medium sized organisations. By allowing an outside firm to handle the HR issues you may reap rewarding dividends such as your own time and cost.