PCS Staffing

Are you buying a company? Do you want to expand your current business or venture in a new industry? If you answer to either of the questions is yes, then a business consulting and advisory is what you need to get first.

Hiring a consulting firm can be costly. However, it is still a significant first step, especially for finance companies. Remember that what you are planning for is the financial growth of the company. Therefore, it’s critical to work on this with the experts.

What do Advisory Consultants Do?

Consultants do not just provide solutions to the current issues being faced by the company. Instead, they offer different services that could lead to a holistic approach in resolving not only the present but also the future issues of the company.

There are different roles that consultants and advisors can play in helping businesses become self-dependent in the future. It is critical that leaders in the organization must look as consultants with the capacity to seamlessly network different aspects of the organization through different approaches.

These approaches allow the consultants and advisor to act according to the needs of the organization, and these approaches include the following:

• Consultants as Experts

This was developed by Schein (1988) where consultants are the experts. They bring to the organization specific skills and expertise that the organization lacks. In this approach, the consultants tell their clients what they need to do to resolve organizational issues.

However, the process doesn’t merely focus on pinpointing organizational mistakes and providing solutions. This approach focuses on applying different activities that the clients must do in order for them to understand the issues of the firm. In this manner, they can then provide efficient solutions that the firm is capable of implementing.

• Consultants as Skill Sources

Another approach that consultants may carry out is the transfer skill strategy. In this approach, consultants teach the organization to diagnose their issues instead of waiting for the assessment of the consultants.

This approach aims to help organizations become more effective by learning how to manage and identify their issues. Self-diagnostic is critical when it comes to building a company which is one of the skills that consultants will transfer to the leaders of the firm.

• Agents of Change

Consultants can also act as agents of change in the organization. They can bring change in the organizational structure of the company and advice on how this restructuring can be advantageous for the firm.

As such, consultants and advisors must be present when the organization is experiencing change as they can help the firm adapt to it. It is notable that consultants must be current not only for the firm’s benefit but also as emotional supporters and providers of the organizational leaders.

Types of Consultants

It’s critical to note that, just like the consultancy approaches, there are also different types of consultants. The question now is what the difference between a financial consultant and a financial advisor, innovation process and strategies is?

• Financial Consultants

The primary role of business financial consultants is that they prepare or create a financial plan for the company. They assess the current financial standing of the company, both long-term and short-term, look into the assets and liabilities, and consider these data to create a financial plan for the firm.

From the results of their assessment, the financial consultants are also capable of providing financial business solutions that the company may take.

• Innovation Process and Strategies Advisor

This type of consultant help identify, develop, deliver, and execute advice for the company. Majority of the solutions, strategies, and identified issues involve either product development, technology development, or other innovative approaches in these areas of the company.

• Human Resource Consultant

HR consultants help organizations with issues on their human capital. They can also help the company develop organizational policies, update job descriptions, restructure retirement plans, and other similar HR activities. HR advisors also assess, determine, and establish new HR approaches that best fit the company.

Consultants and advisors play a critical role in a company, regardless of how small or large the business is. They provide crucial solutions to different issues that could be hindering the company’s growth. Therefore, to ensure that you’re in the right direction, to a consultant now!

Companies have started to shift and considering the use of HR Shared Services. An HR Shared Services model involves the centralization of services among agencies to reduce employee redundancy, reduce cost, improve productivity and increase customer satisfaction.

For example, if most of the offices in the company need a typist, then shared services would mean having a department for these typists instead of each department having their typist.

Technology has been the facilitator of this change. Some shared service models were unimaginable a few years back, but technological innovations paved the way for these changes.

Some examples would be an organizational intranet that can disseminate information regarding HR policies and procedures, allowing PIN-based access to personal information and the scanning of electronic files, so it will be shared faster within the office.

Often, there has been confusion on what functions of HR must be using the shared services model. In order to make things easier, HR functions are divided into two.

Core vs. Non-Core HR Functions

Core Functions of the HR refer to those that are highly transactional. Since it is standardized, it can easily be duplicated. These are the functions that are more recommendable for shared services. Such HR Core functions include payroll, recruitment, benefits handling, internal relations, training of employees and compliance to safety and security.

Non-core Functions are those that are more tailor-fit to the organization’s needs, strategies and goals. These functions are better for an internal agency rather than with a shared services center. Some of these functions include employee development, counseling and the management of learning programs.

Despite its increasing trend, this new approach is still facing some challenges. Below, we will discuss the benefits and issues creating HR shared services.

Benefits of HR Shared Services

Cost, quality, and organizational efficiency are seen as some of the driving forces why companies are shifting to shared services.

Some of the benefits include:

• Reduced costs
• More career opportunities for HR Staff
• Improved quality of services
• Higher customer satisfaction
• A more holistic approach to problems
• Better information management

Issues on HR Shared Services

It is anticipated that there will be issues concerning this shift towards HR shared services. However, these issues are seen to be something that can be addressed to harness the potential of this strategy further

Some of the transition issues are as follows:

• Openness and support from the management
• The need to invest in large-scale technological infrastructure
• Choosing whether the operator should be in-house or outsourced
• Staff capability
• HR Manager’s ability to adapt to the change
• Communication challenges
• Accountability

Aside from some transition issues, there are also some long-term challenges that are foreseen. These include the following:

• Ensuring the role of HR as the strategic implementer in both words and deed.
• Balance of HR aligning itself with the business interests of the owner’s vis a vis fulfilling its distinctive function as a champion for employees.
• Deciding which is more critical: efficient use of resources or satisfying the customers’ needs.
• Preparing for the possibility that staff from the lower position cannot cope up with the capabilities that will make them quality for senior positions.
• Determining the allocation of resources especially in a project organization.
• Identifying the risks of focusing too much on selling the products rather than giving sufficient consideration to the content.
• Avoiding depersonalized services because of the complete loss of face to face contact.

Year after year, the HR shared services have been continually evolving due to the recent advancements of technologies. It might have its fair share of challenges, but it doesn’t outweigh the benefits.

As companies continue to shift to this kind of services, owners must be mindful of its overall effect on their businesses.

Transformational Leadership is described to be a kind of leadership aiming to develop team members to be their kind of leaders someday. The leader starts by identifying what needs to be changed then moves to start enacting that change through inspiring the members to share the vision.

Fostering this kind of leadership can be very beneficial to companies because it does not only create the next generation of leaders, it also increases their loyalty thus resulting in a lower turn-over rate.

But how does one become a transformational leader? Some managers might confuse themselves as being a transformational leader merely because they are leading the team and their team is productive. But is it transformational leadership?

1.   Consider your members

One of the common mistakes committed by managers is standardizing their team members. A transformational leader looks into their team members individually, identifying their strengths and weaknesses.

Transformational leaders further strengthen their good points and work in improving their weaknesses. S/he will also assign tasks based on the individual’s talents and interests but continue to challenge them beyond their comfort zones                                          

With the individualized approach, the transformational leader will be able to embrace diversity in their teams, allowing individual team members to grow as themselves.

2.   Encourage Creativity

Leaders have to be great listeners.  Transformational leaders their team members to think outside the box and listen even to their craziest ideas.

They foster innovation by allowing their team members to challenge standards and norms.

They do not feel threatened when their team asks questions. Instead, they reward independent thinking and even supports and provide resources if it is leading to real change.

They see mistakes as learning opportunities and not as something they can throw at you when things don’t go well.

Transformational leaders allow you to be yourself, gives you space to commit mistakes and is by your side when they know you are doing the right thing.

3.   Inspire

Leaders are not leaders because they got the loyalty of their members through fear. Leaders are those who guide their team members, motivate them to do better and inspire them to be a better version of themselves.

As a transformational leader, you have to encourage your team to become better. You have to set a direction and lead them that way. And when they journey to that direction, you have to make sure that you are side by side with them.

To encourage your team to be more productive, you have to continually inspire them by engaging them in their talents, rekindling their spirit and acknowledging their successes.

4.   Be a Good Example

Bear in mind that your people look up to you. You cannot tell them not to be late for just a minute when you come to work five minutes late. Do you expect them to follow you when you didn’t set a good example?

A transformational leader leads by example. Leading by example does not mean showing them that you are perfect, it’s teaching them that you are more than your imperfections.

Leading by example does not mean being in your ivory tower, too high to reach because you’re all knowing and perfect.

Leading by example goes beyond perfection. It’s about being humane, humble, kind and passionate.

As a team member, having a transformational leader can greatly inspire you to be the best version of yourself. It encourages you to take the extra mile and to do things voluntarily.

They inspire you to give positive contributions to the company.

As a transformational leader, there’s no greater reward than seeing your people become transformational leaders just like you.

Business markets are rapidly changing with the introduction of new trends and technologies that highly impact their respective industries. In order to cope up, businesses try to find ways to stay afloat or get ahead of the competition.

In trying to swim through a sea of changes, it helps to get more hands to paddle the boat. But did you can also make use of a good engine and still propel your boat faster than those hands will.

It’s the same with businesses. Some companies are having second thoughts about whether or not to hire a business consultancy service not knowing that their valuable advice can be exactly the engine they need to be ahead of their competitors.

In this post, we will discuss the different advantages of business consulting services.

Advantage # 1: Expert Advice

Consultants are people who possess extensive knowledge about the industry they belong to. They have worked with different companies in the industry and knows the ins and outs of the market.

Their broad range of experience allows them to see things both in macro and micro level, thus, giving you an advantage when you get their services.

Similarly, PCS Consultants Inc. includes assessing your current organization standard, help business during management change, and help develop a strategic business plan.

Expert advice is backed with an understanding of how market trends changed through time. They are also knowledgeable about your competitors’ history and how your competitors acted in the past.

This knowledge and expertise will give you a strategic advantage to outsmart your competitors.

Advantage # 2: Outside Pair of Eyes

Business owners can be very hands-on with their businesses. They tend to be so focused and immersed with the internal processes of their business that they tend to be comfortable and worst, complacent.

As comfortability gives certain advantages, it can post an imminent danger to your business. You might get so engrossed with running your business from within that you tend to forget that there are outside forces that continue to affect your business.

This is where business consulting services come. Consultants, such as PCS Consultants Inc., are the fresh outside pair of eyes that keep your business in check. They provide you with a bigger perspective and helps you see things from a different set of eyes.

This can be very helpful to your business because you’ll have a greater perspective of things that can be very helpful in the long run.

Advantage # 3: Helps you Focus

When you hire a business consultant, you will be able to focus on other things that need your attention.

It will be difficult for someone to provide a sound solution if his/her expertise is limited to a certain field only. For instance, if you are a manager confronted by a problem that goes beyond your line of expertise, it will be dangerous to device a solution on your own.

Business consultants have a wider range of expertise. This will be their guarantee that the advice they will give is a better fit for your problem. So instead of wasting your efforts trying to figure out something beyond your capabilities, ask the help someone who can do it with ease.

Whenever you see yourself coming across the question: Do I need to look for Professional Consultants? Always make sure that you’ll be getting people who live up to the word.

PCS Consultants is the leading talent management solutions provider in California. They are known for their high calibre consultants that give expert advice to companies – small and large business alike.

Partnering with them will give your company a strategic advantage over your competitors. They are well versed in California’s legislation and has consultants with different specialized expertise.

So, when looking for a business consulting agency, choose PCS Consultants – one of the leaders leaders in the business planning space.

Effective starting January 1, 2019, all employers in California with 5 or more employees are required to provide the necessary sexual harassment training to all employees.

The training is mandated under SB 1343. Employers must comply with the initial training requirement on January 1, 2020. Succeeding training must then be provided with every after two years. Moreover, before going to the details, here are some important points that employers and employees should know about sexual harassment training.

Importance of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

Preventing any type of harassment in the workplace is the primary weapon against any kind of harassment. It must also be noted that these types of cases and actions do not disappear on its own. Instead, it must be recognized, addressed, and remedied in order to deter any kind of harassment.

Aside from learning the updates on California’s sexual harassment prevention laws (2019), it is essential to understand the different responsibilities of the different parties in the workplace.

• The responsibility of the Employer

The employer has the burden to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. It is their responsibility to inform and educate their employees not to discriminate and harass their colleagues or managers.

With this on hand, the company must have a clear statement, intent, and commitment against deterring and fighting sexual harassment. Anti-harassment policies must also be created and explained to all employees.

Everyone in the work environment must understand that any type of harassment will not be tolerated. The policies of the company must highlight this, too, and any reports of harassment must also be investigated and dealt with immediately.

• The responsibility of the Employee

The employees are also expected to carry out their responsibility in the workplace regarding preventing sexual harassment. They are supposed to carry out the following:

• Understand, learn, examine, and adhere to the policies of the company.
• Be aware and conscious of how they engage with their colleagues and must discourage any actions and behaviour that relates to, can be considered or encourages harassment.
• Confront or report any colleague or managers that have shown actions that can be considered as harassment.

Requirements of the Anti-sexual Harassment Training

• Employment Requirement

The requirement includes at least two hours of training about harassment prevention to all supervisory employees. Those non-supervisory employees are required to have one-hour training provided that the employees have worked for six months or more.

Seasonal and temporary employees must also be trained within the first 30 days that the employee has been hired. If the employee works hourly, the employee must be trained within 100 hours of being employed.

• Training

The training can be conducted by a group and with other employees. Individual coaching can also be done as long as it is within the required time.

• California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH)

Employers may develop and work with a compliance company in creating the training platforms. However, the DFEH will also provide a training module on their website. The posters in English and other languages from the DFEH can also be used. .

One of the updated law discussed in the training includes AB 1976 – Lactation Accommodation Employers are required to make reasonable efforts for women who wish to express breast milk in the workplace. The woman must be provided with a private location which is located near or within the workplace and must not be a toilet stall. The break time to express milk is advised to be within the break time provided to the employee.

Comply with the requirements and avoid any penalties as an employer. Work with the best compliance team to develop and update your harassment prevention training now!