Survey-Size of your Human Resource Department
melba
13 Posts
We are trying to justify hiring another person in HR department and would like to know the size of other HR departments within similar-sized agencies. We have almost 300 employees, and our HR handles most all normal HR functions except, payroll, which is handled in finance. If you respond, please tell me what type of positions you have in HR too, ie profession, degreed person or a clerk type. Any information would be helpful. Thanks in advance.
Comments
As with you, we do all the normal HR functions except payroll which is done at corporate.
There are 3 of us in the HR dept, two of us are degreed, the third performs lower level tasks and scheduling. The receptionist reports to me and does some clerical work for HR, but isn't really part of the dept.
The other deals w/more technical issues, reports, insurance, A/P, etc
Well what do I do: supervise and enjoy life as an HR? Recruiting, placement, posting on Hrhero, investigations, signing corporate checks of all sorts, enrollments of anyone, safety, risk management, and whatever the GM wants me to do!
Richard
HR is responsible for the recruitment and hiring of staff, development, and sometimes (like today) termination. We leave payroll to number people.
The majority of our staff live on-grounds so I also assign housing and deal with tenant issues.
I have a degree and PHR certification.
I have a BA, came on at 25 hours per week but cut back to 20 recently, we have about 80 employees. In addition to recruiting, interviewing, orientations, benefits, evaluations, discipline, termination, etc., I also wrote and administer our AAP in house. And, we didn't do it this year, but I conducted a morale survey twice, including compiling the data and creating the report. (So what I'm saying is that I get lots of fun special projects)
I have heard a general equation of 1 full time HR person per 100 employees, but I think there is so much more that goes into it for each company.
Hope this helps!
I believe that 1 per 300 is the accepted practice, However, the recommendation for an appropriate and effective ratio is one HR professional for the first 150 employees, then 1 per each 100 after that, including admin/clerical support. Our organization has 465 employees and the HR department handles everything except payroll. I have three direct reports (for a total of 4 in our org), all degreed and I have a Master's & SPHR certification. Two provide generalist support and 1 provides data analysis (comp, vendor/benefit invoice reconciliations, etc) and back up generalist support. Personally, I think the # of staff should be comensurate with your function. 1 HR person per 350 or per 100 or per 50 depends on the company, the culture, and the level of support your HR folks provide to the organization. Where 1 person can support 350 in a low turnover, manufacturing facility, it would take 3/4 to support 350 in a health care facility with high turnover and high performance management issues.
A staff size of 500 in a minimally regulated industry with low turnover (say 25%, in a high-tech business) is a completely different ballgame than a staff of the same size with 150% turnover in a highly regulated industry. (such as healthcare industry)
I don't think there's an easy way for us to say what the appropriate HR staff size is without knowing about the industry you serve, market, professional "level" of the employees, turnover, etc.
The common thread I see in all of our posts, though, is "I have too much to do". I think that's pretty much the same feeling for any job.
If you have too much to do;
- list all the "stuff" you need to get done vs. what you are actually able to accomplish
- Figure out what should be done only by YOU (confidential, sensitive stuff, etc.)
- With what's left, decide what can be delegated or "dumped".
- If can't be delegated or dumped, ask approval to hire someone.
Asking for help is a lot more effective with some research done in advance. On the other hand, if my boss accepted an informal survey of other HR people's staff sizes, I'd just say that based on my survey, I need to double the size my staff. x;-)
IMHO it doesn't matter how many people others have. Understand your objectives and figure out if you are meeting them. If you are not, figure out why. If it's 'cause of people, hire another one.
You must be in an Attorney-at-Law firm. Then I understand why the 2nd hat combination. I would still think the company would be better off having an HR that you could supervise.
Richard, "Ole PORK" is back and feeling much better, it is 1/2 days until the physician gives me his blessing to go back to full time. Thanks to everyone for your concerns and prayers. May we all have a Blessed day.
Melba
Melba, you should Login to the Subscribers Area and look at our HR Hero Survey from last year on Your HR Department. More than 3,000 people told how many HR people in their organization. The overall responses:
0 ... 2%
1 ... 31%
2-3 ... 33%
4-6 ... 15%
7-10 ... 6%
11-20 ... 4%
20-plus ... 5%
You can filter the results by company size, public-private sector, etc.
Hope this helps.
James Sokolowski
HRhero.com
Oh yes, we have 200+ ees and 1.25 staff in HR.
Payroll comes in on timesheets from the satellite offices and it it reviewed before being forwarded to the leasing co for processing.
We have 2 401(k) plans and 5 other benefit plans. We handle all of the HR and benefit issues directly - the leasing is really for reduced benefit costs. We are healthcare and our insurance rates are sky-high by ourselves.
And we do this all with 4 employees. One Director (degreed), 1 benefits coordinator, 1 HR coordinator and 1 clerk.
Needless to say, the Director has been screaming for more staff for a while now.
Any suggestions?
HRVolley
It is easier since my computer at home got set up so I can work at home in the evenings and on weekends if I need.
Tax time is the worst. I work a lot of hours during tax time.
Shirley
Richard also known in these circles as PORK
I have one assistant and thank GOD she's one smart cookie and hardworking, to boot. We support two companies, total of 650 employees at 29 locations. HR processes payroll inhouse, and we rely on the supervisors to send us hours, new hire paperwork, a bunch of regulatory documentation, (we are state licensed) etc.
Separate handbooks, benefits plans, vacation plans, etc., for each company.
Someone from the operations team handles recruiting. We work closely together on that and Orientation.
I've been working on a plan to either reorganize our tasks with just the two of us (surely there are things we are doing that aren't as crucial as maybe they once were) or "spread the wealth" to some of the other departments.
I am it as far as HR is concerned. I do have one person at each location that I call my "deputy" who is responsible for getting paperwork and sending it to me (new hires, salary changes, payroll info, etc.)
We do payroll. I do have help with someone in our Accounting/bookkeeper who helps with this. I "feed her all the info" and she types it in. I do it when she is out.
I do about everything with the exception of recruiting and interviewing (since I am not on location.) However, I do run ads for them and at time do phone screens and do background checks.)
I forgot to add, I do have a college degree (accounting/finance) and have my SHRM (what that is worth) and have about 25+ years experience.
E Wart